Division: Corporate Governance
Department: Decision-Making Committees Secretariat
Salary: National (Edinburgh and Leeds) ranging from £69,700 to £86,900 and London from £76,600 to £95,500 (salary offered will be based on skills and experience)
This role is graded as: Lead Associate, Practicing Legal
Your external recruitment contact is Raimonda via raimonda.stankute@fca.org.uk
Your internal recruitment contact is Fizah via fizahfarouk.ibrahim@fca.org.uk
Applications must be submitted through our online portal. Applications sent via social media or email will not be accepted.
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.
The Decision-Making Committees Secretariat (DMCS) sits within the Corporate Governance Division, a central function at the heart of the FCA. Led by the Company Secretary, the division supports the FCA and PSR Boards, Committees and Independent Panels, ensuring that governance is effective and decision-making is well-supported.
The DMCS plays a critical role in ensuring that decision-making is robust, fair and legally sound. We work closely with senior stakeholders across the organisation, providing expert legal and procedural advice and facilitating effective governance processes.
This role focuses on supporting the FCA’s Regulatory Decisions Committee (RDC), as well as contributing to the wider decision-making committees framework (such as CDC, EDC). These committees determine contested regulatory matters on behalf of the FCA and PSR. As a Lead Associate/Legal Adviser, you will provide high-quality legal advice, lead case delivery and contribute to the quality and integrity of the FCA’s decision-making framework.
Role responsibilities
Leading the assessment and management of complex RDC cases, ensuring a sound legal basis, sufficient supporting evidence, timely progression and well-reasoned outcomes
Providing clear, high-quality legal and procedural advice to senior decision-makers, primarily RDC members, both in writing and during hearings and meetings
Drafting and reviewing statutory notices and other high-quality written materials, including briefing papers and formal communications, ensuring decisions are clearly articulated and accurately reflect representations
Building effective relationships with stakeholders, including Enforcement, and providing constructive challenge where appropriate
Delivering legal training and guidance to committee members and stakeholders to support effective decision-making
Adopting a flexible approach to changing casework demands while contributing to wider strategic and operational priorities.
Contributing to the continuous improvement of DMCS processes, enhancing consistency, quality and efficiency
Skills
Minimum:
Qualified lawyer (Solicitor, Barrister, Chartered Legal Executive, or overseas equivalent) with typically 5+ years' post-qualification experience (PQE) gained in-house, within the public sector, or in private practice
Experience of, or demonstrable expertise in, financial services regulation and regulatory investigations, with the ability to provide pragmatic, risk-based legal advice on complex regulatory matters
Essential:
Excellent communication skills with the ability to explain complex legal issues clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing
Demonstrable analytical capability, including the ability to assess evidence and identify inconsistencies in legal arguments and look at the big picture
Sound judgement, able to make timely, well-reasoned decisions in complex and high-profile cases
Stakeholder management skills, with the ability to build credibility and challenge constructively internally and externally
Ability to manage competing priorities and a varied caseload effectively, working at pace where
Collaborative approach, with the ability to work effectively across teams to support departmental and organisational objectives
Commitment to sharing knowledge and contributing to continuously improving team and divisional capability and processes
Flexible and adaptable, responding positively to change and new challenges
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
For a full list of our benefits and our recruitment process as a whole visit our benefits page.
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 closes: Midnight, 14th June 2026
CV Review/Shortlist: 16th June 2026
Interview including Case Study (interview will be conducted face-to-face at our London office): w/c 22nd June 2026
This role is 12-month fixed term contract or a secondment opportunity
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
Contact Details:
Financial Conduct Authority Recruitment Team
