Head of Department, Capital Markets in Leeds

About The FCA

At the FCA, we’re creating a fair and more resilient financial system. We’re establishing more transparent relationships between financial services and customers, building trust in financial markets and protecting vulnerable consumers.

Head of Capital Markets Department – Overview

We’re currently on an exciting journey as we drive forward significant organisational, people, process, and technology transformation to become a more forward‑thinking, proactive regulator. We will use data more effectively to drive better regulatory decisions and build greater cohesion across our broad financial services remit. Significant improvements in digital enablement, business intelligence, market data and information management maturity are all being pursued to maintain our position as a world leader in financial services regulation.

In March 2025, the FCA launched a new 5‑year strategy to deepen trust, rebalance risk, support growth and improve lives. The FCA will focus on four priorities:

• Be a smarter regulator – predictable, purposeful and proportionate. The FCA will improve its processes and embrace technology to become more efficient and effective.
• Support sustained economic growth by enabling investment, innovation and ensuring the continued competitiveness of the UK’s world‑leading financial services.
• Help consumers navigate their financial lives by working with industry to boost trust, product innovation and ensuring the right information and support is available for people to take financial decisions.
• Fight financial crime, focusing on those who use the fact they are regulated to do harm, and disrupt criminals while supporting firms to be an effective line of defence.

The Role

An exciting opportunity has arisen to take on the role of Head of Department for Capital Markets in SPC. The Capital Markets Department plays a pivotal role at the heart of the UK’s wholesale financial markets and is part of the Infrastructure & Exchanges Directorate within the wholesale markets area of Supervision, Policy and Competition (SPC). In broad terms the role sets rules that govern how financial markets operate and supervises firms that are active in those markets. The department is responsible for the supervision of benchmark administrators and credit rating agencies, and policy in respect of primary markets, post‑trade arrangements, market abuse, short selling, wholesale crypto, benchmarks and credit ratings.

The Head of Department will work collaboratively across the FCA and engage closely with other regulatory agencies and with a broad range of stakeholders across industry. This unique opportunity will feed directly into the FCA’s strategic priority to strengthen UK wholesale markets and support innovation and economic growth.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the continued development and delivery of the FCA’s capital market priorities through a period of significant change and development.
• Lead the further development and delivery of our supervisory strategies for credit rating agencies and benchmark providers.
• Develop our capabilities and understanding of markets through use of data analysis and tools, including championing new ways of working where appropriate.
• Forge and maintain strong and collaborative partnerships with key internal stakeholders to ensure a coordinated, effective and forward‑looking FCA approach to capital markets.
• Represent the FCA externally with credibility and authority, forging and maintaining relationships with domestic and international regulatory authorities and industry representatives, and driving a strong FCA narrative on UK capital markets.
• Lead the Department’s management team and Technical Specialists to ensure effective operation and a positive, inclusive culture.
• Represent the Department at relevant FCA boards, committees and working groups, and play an active role in the senior leadership team.
• Deliver through others via coaching, influencing and negotiating skills with a range of internal and external stakeholders.

Skills and Experience Required

Minimum

• Experience of managing and influencing key stakeholders, including senior decision makers internally and externally.
• In‑depth experience and expert knowledge of UK capital markets, ideally with some market‑facing experience.
• Experience in leading teams with multiple deliverables, ideally related to policy and/or supervision of financial market activities.

Essential

• Role modelling strong leadership behaviours in line with FCA values.
• Ability to inclusively lead a diverse group of professionals in line with our DEI goals.
• An open and flexible management style and the ability to communicate effectively to a wide‑ranging audience.
• An analytical mindset and a risk‑based approach to decision making.
• Ability to act confidently within the legal framework and identify legal risk.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Ability to manage several competing priorities and work‑streams under significant time pressure.
• A strong sense of the value of teamwork.

Desirable

• Good awareness of the political and media interest in the FCA’s work and the ability to manage communications and relationships in these spheres sensitively.

FCA’s Values & Diversity

Our ambition is to create a diverse and inclusive workplace that reflects the society we serve, helping us to be a better regulator. We serve the public and our decisions directly affect the wellbeing of people, businesses and the UK economy. Our values matter and guide our judgments, building trust and helping us to be ‘at our best’.

The FCA is committed to achieving greater diversity across all levels of our organisation. We particularly welcome applications from women, disabled and minority ethnic candidates. As an inclusive employer, we are open to flexible working arrangements, including job shares. We also offer the flexibility to choose between our Edinburgh, Leeds or London offices.

Application Support

We want to remove any possible barriers and are committed to providing a wide range of reasonable adjustments. If you have an accessibility requirement, disability or condition that means you might require changes to the recruitment process, please contact your recruiter to discuss this further.

Benefits

• 30 days holiday per year plus bank holidays.
• Private healthcare with Bupa.
• A non‑contributory pension of at least 8% of basic salary each month.
• Life assurance of eight times your basic salary.
• Income protection.

Conflicts of Interest

All applicants to the FCA are required to demonstrate that they do not have other interests likely to conflict with their responsibilities as an employee of the FCA. Any potential conflicts of interest will be investigated during the interview process.

Useful Information

The closing date for this role is 23:55 on Sunday 21st June 2026. Selection will be via a two‑stage interview and psychometric assessment. Successful candidates will be required to obtain and retain SC clearance. This role will be based in London, Leeds or Edinburgh. We operate a hybrid working model, requiring a minimum of 40% in‑office each month (50% for senior leaders). The salary range for the role is £140,000 to £170,000 in London, and £126,000 to £153,000 nationally. To apply, please submit your CV and cover letter.