Lead Prudential Policy Associate

We regulate financial services firms in the UK to keep financial markets fair, thriving and effective. By joining us, you’ll play a key part in protecting consumers, driving economic growth and shaping the future of UK finance services. SPC oversees firms and individuals (supervision), creates and reviews the rules by which they operate (policy) and identifies and remedies ineffective competition in markets (competition). The Prudential Policy team develops, implements and maintains prudential regimes for over 45,000 FCA‑regulated firms, working closely with supervision to enhance understanding of these frameworks and their role in supporting financial resilience across the sector.

Role Responsibilities

• Lead the development and enhancement of high‑impact prudential standards set by the FCA covering 45,000 firms, including MIFIDPRU/IFPR, MIPRU, IPRU and prudential standards for crypto‑asset firms, payments and e‑money firms.
• Conduct qualitative and quantitative analysis to assess the impact of existing and proposed policies, monitor regulatory trends, market developments and emerging risks and prepare evidence‑based recommendations for the senior leadership team.
• Liaise with internal teams (Supervision, Enforcement, Data) and external stakeholders (industry bodies, Treasury, firms), organise consultations, respond to feedback during policy development and represent the FCA at meetings, panels and industry events.
• Provide technical advice and briefings to senior management, support colleagues across the organisation with interpretation and application of policy and offer guidance to firms on compliance with new or amended rules.
• Manage multiple workstreams, ensuring timely delivery of policy outputs, identify dependencies and risks and propose practical solutions.
• Review and assure the quality of work of junior staff members, provide structured feedback and training, help build a high‑performing team and line‑manage 1–2 team members.

Skills Required

• Prior experience in financial services regulation, policy development or prudential risk management.
• Proven ability to lead and deliver multiple high‑profile, long‑term workstreams, balancing competing priorities, tight deadlines and resource constraints.
• Proven experience assessing prudential risks and identifying emerging or cross‑sector issues using well developed quantitative and qualitative analytical skills.

Essential

• Senior‑level judgement and autonomy, with the ability to rapidly develop expertise, set direction on complex issues and deliver high‑impact initiatives with minimal oversight.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to present complex prudential, regulatory and policy issues clearly and confidently to senior internal and external stakeholders.
• Strong working knowledge of prudential frameworks or assessment processes, including the Basel standards, IFPR, and payments and e‑money regimes, and/or ICAAP, ILAAP and ICARA, and their role in ensuring adequate capital and liquidity.
• Strong collaboration and stakeholder leadership skills, including building trusted relationships, shaping consensus and navigating differing or competing interests in a regulated environment.

Benefits

• 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays.
• Hybrid model: minimum 40% office presence each month (expectation of 50% for senior leaders).
• Non‑contributory pension (8–12% depending on age) and life assurance at eight times your salary.
• Private healthcare with Bupa, income protection and 24/7 Employee Assistance.
• 35 hours of paid volunteering annually.
• Flexible benefits scheme designed around your lifestyle.

Our Values & Culture

Our colleagues are the key to our success as a regulator. We are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive culture free from discrimination and bias, celebrating difference and supporting colleagues to deliver at their best. We believe that our differences and similarities enable us to be a better organisation – one that makes better decisions, drives innovation and delivers better regulation.

Disability Confident

We’re proud to be a Disability Confident Employer. People or individuals with disabilities and long‑term conditions who best meet the minimum criteria for a role will go through to the next stage of the recruitment process. In cases of high application volumes we may progress applicants whose experience most closely matches the role’s key requirements.

Useful Information and Timeline

• Job advert close: 28th January at 23:59pm.
• CV Review/Shortlist: 30th January.
• 30 min pre‑interview screen call by Hiring Manager: w/c 9th February 2026.
• Case Study and Interview: w/c 16th February.

Your Recruiter will discuss the process in detail with you during screening for the role. Please make them aware if you are going to be unavailable for any date during this time.