Market Conduct & Post Trade Policy Lead (9 Month Fixed Term Contract) in Leeds

Division: Supervision, Policy and Competition

Department: Capital Markets

Salary: National (Edinburgh and Leeds) ranging from £60,700 to £68,000 and London £66,600 to £77,633 per annum (Salary offered will be based on skills and experience)

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). Sitting in the Infrastructure & Exchanges directorate, the Capital Markets department oversees policy and supervision related to primary markets, post-trade activities, market abuse, short selling, wholesale cryptoassets, and benchmarks and credit ratings, including the regulation of benchmark administrators and credit rating agencies. Some of the key projects we are delivering include the repeal and replace of the UK EMIR (derivatives) and UK Market Abuse Regulation, supporting the UK move to T+1 settlement and Dematerialisation. We also lead on the policy underpinning the Digital Securities Sandbox and support the wider tokenised securities strategy.

We are looking for a Lead Associate with strong project management experience to deliver, through others, our work on post trade, including the Digital Securities Sandbox, the repeal and replace of UK EMIR and support our wider tokenised securities strategy.

Role Responsibilities

• Lead and develop an effective team by line managing two senior associates, providing coaching and mentorship, and promoting a culture of continuous learning and knowledge sharing, enabling colleagues to grow, thrive, and deliver their best work.
• Shape and drive complex policy workstreams by setting clear direction, motivating others, and acting as a trusted subject‑matter expert, ensuring high quality, timely delivery that improves outcomes in wholesale markets policy.
• Apply critical and creative thinking to navigate a period of significant change in UK wholesale markets policymaking, helping to design forward‑looking, innovative policy solutions that respond to a rapidly evolving landscape.
• Engage key decision makers and build trusted relationships across a diverse network of external and internal stakeholders including HM Treasury, Bank of England, PRA, Department for Business and Trade, international regulators, and expert panels to clearly communicate FCA policy positions and shape outcomes at the highest levels.

Minimum Skills required

• Prior experience managing and delivering complex pieces of work using a project-based approach.
• Demonstrable policy making experience within wholesale financial markets.

Essential

• Leadership skills and the ability to work collaboratively and act as a role model, including experience of managing people and/or delivering work through others either through formal line management or informally.
• Experience of exercising judgement in complex situations, and of senior stakeholder management and securing stakeholder buy‑in.
• Good self‑management skills to plan and complete work to meet deadlines, while also having the flexibility to change priorities when required.
• Good understanding of the UK policy and legislative processes.
• Working effectively and inclusively as part of a team.
• Familiarity with post trade activities such as settlement, derivatives and new technologies such as DLT and tokenisation whether gained in industry, research, economics, insight, or policy work.

Benefits

• 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays.
• 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.
• 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).
• A flexible benefits scheme designed around your lifestyle.

Our values and 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 timelines

• Advert Close Date: 29th July 2026.
• CV Review/Shortlist: 5th August 2026.
• First Interview: W/C 10th August 2026.

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.