Lead Portfolio Supervisor in Leeds

This role is graded as: Lead Associate - Regulatory.

About the FCA and team:

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 Sell-Side Directorate oversees wholesale banks, intermediaries, market infrastructure and exchanges, ensuring fair, transparent and resilient wholesale markets that support the effective functioning of the UK’s financial system.

Role responsibilities:

• Guide proactive supervision across a diverse portfolio, shaping and driving a clear supervisory strategy that identifies risks early and resolves emerging and crystallised issues at pace, helping to protect consumers and maintain market integrity.
• Design and deliver high-impact supervisory workstreams, aligning activity to strategic priorities, securing senior-level endorsement and confidently steering delivery through to successful completion.
• Build trusted, influential relationships with senior leaders at regulated firms, as well as with internal stakeholders and fellow regulators, enabling open dialogue, effective challenge and coordinated regulatory outcomes.
• Take ownership of the FCA’s supervisory approach, strengthening collaboration and engagement across teams to ensure joined-up, consistent and high-quality supervision.
• Play a key role in shaping and supporting the management of the department, contributing to operational excellence while coaching and mentoring junior colleagues to develop capability and confidence.
• Champion inclusive and collaborative working, actively listening to diverse perspectives, valuing different viewpoints and fostering an environment where people feel respected, engaged and able to do their best work.

Skills required:

• Minimum prior experience working in either a wholesale financial service environment, legal, consultancy or other regulatory organisation.
• Proven experience and understanding of analysing complex business models and products and/or wholesale conduct risks or evidence through another role you could quickly do this.
• Prior experience of building and maintaining relationships with stakeholders.
• Wholesale market experience.
• A curious and inquisitive mindset, and an ambition to deliver in the public interest.
• Evidence of analysing large amounts of complex information, identifying key themes, drawing conclusions and developing and implementing a strategy and plan of action.
• Experience in producing well-structured written content.
• Evidence of using analysis to make logical conclusions and recommend proportionate courses of action.
• Working effectively as part of a team by working inclusively, supporting an environment where all opinions are listened to and respected.
• Strong interpersonal and stakeholder management skills: able to build and maintain relationships with senior management at regulated firms, other regulators and staff at all levels within the FCA.
• Whilst front office experience is not required it would be beneficial.

Benefits:

• 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays.
• Hybrid model where employees work a minimum of 40% in the office each month (expectation of 50% for senior leaders). Changing from September to a minimum of 50% in the office each month (expectation of 60% for Directors and Executive Directors).
• 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.
• A 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: one that’s free from discrimination and bias, celebrates difference, and supports 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.

If you require any adjustments due to a disability or condition, your recruiter is here to help - reach out for tailored support. We welcome diverse working styles and aim to find flexible solutions that suit both the role and individual needs, including options like part-time and job sharing where applicable.

Disability Confident: our hiring approach:

We’re proud to be a Disability Confident Employer, and therefore, 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:

• Advert Closing: 13th February.
• CV Review/Shortlist: 17th February.
• Interviews and case study: w/c 23rd February.

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