Intelligence Researcher in London

Division: Enforcement & Market Oversight

Department: Specialist Intelligence Department

Team: Proactive Detection

Salary: London only ranging from £47,300 to £53,000 (salary offered will be based on skills and experience)

This role is graded as: Associate – Level 8 – 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.

Enforcement & Market Oversight (EMO) is responsible for the FCA’s responsibilities for market monitoring, delivery of the functions of the UK Listing Authority (UKLA) and the investigation and prosecution of misconduct using the whole spectrum of criminal, civil and administrative sanctions and remedies against firms and individuals.

Sitting within the Enforcement & Market Oversight Division, the Enforcement Intelligence and Specialist Services (EISS) Directorate provides strategic expertise, intelligence capabilities, and operational support across enforcement functions, strengthening the FCA’s ability to detect harm, deliver effective investigations, and uphold market integrity.

Sitting within the Enforcement Intelligence and Specialist Services Directorate, the Specialist Intelligence Department (SID) delivers advanced intelligence capabilities through four expert teams that generate strategic insights into economic crime, proactively detect threats, and collaborate across the FCA and with external partners to prevent serious financial harm.

Role responsibilities

• Working within the Sensitive Intelligence Unit (as part of Proactive Detection), liaising with a variety of partners and stakeholders from across the Serious and Organised crime landscape
• Monitoring, triaging, and processing requests into the SIU inbox for further action and development
• Proactively developing all-source intelligence to identify threats in the UK financial services sector from serious and organised crime
• Managing the delivery of intelligence to internal (and external) stakeholders feeding in the whole system approach at tackling serious and organised crime
• Developing further intelligence leads generated by other parts of the Specialist Intelligence Department and the FCA
• Researching, preparing, and disseminating intelligence products (including profiles, reports (logs) and assessments) for both internal and external customers, appropriately handling and disseminating sensitive intelligence
• Working with other teams within the Specialist Intelligence Department to record and disseminate intelligence records where appropriate
• Sharing ideas, completing some early intelligence development, and acting as a collaborative team member.

Skills required

• Minimum: Proficiency in storing, sharing, handling and using sensitive intelligence effectively and securely, including managing records systems, tools and confidentiality
• Prior experience in managing an incoming flow of intelligence and information from a variety of sources with the ability to triage effectively for further action
• Demonstrable experience in completing some early intelligence development work

• Essential: Capability to manage a variety of competing tasks and issues, prioritising appropriately and escalating where necessary
• Knowledge of the financial services sector and/or UK Economic Crime landscape, the National Intelligence Model and gateways and information sharing processes
• Undertake continuous professional development which would include working towards the Intelligence Professionalism Pathway (IPP) certification (if not already held) for Intelligence Researcher or Intelligence Officer
• Knowledge of legislation relevant to the specific role (FSMA, RIPA, CPIA, PIDA etc.)
• Advocates for the FCA, EMO and the FCA mission, operating for the benefit of consumers
• Work collaboratively as part of a team and can effectively engage with stakeholders, valuing different perspectives and backgrounds, and working with other departments and divisions to minimise silos
• Open to learning, challenge and change, and be prepared to be flexible to new tasks and responsibilities
• Ability to exercise own judgements and defend those judgements where necessary and appropriate

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 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

Timeline: Job advert closing: 26th July at 11:59pm

CV Review/Shortlist: 28th July

First Interview: w/c 10th August

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.

SC Clearance is required for this role (SC Guidance) - you will hold or will be required to obtain Security Check (SC) level vetting with a willingness to obtain Developed Vetting (DV) level clearance once in role (DV Guidance)