Senior Associate Assistant Private Secretary to the Executive Director of Authorisations in London

This role is graded as: Senior 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. There are 2 roles available in this recruitment round: one in the Authorisations Division as an APS to the Executive Director of Authorisations, and one in Operations as an APS to the Chief Operating Officer. Both roles offer the opportunity to act as the second-in-command in the Private Office, reporting to the Private Secretary and working closely with them to ensure the smooth running of the office. You will play a key role in the effective running of the Private Office, ensuring the relevant senior leader is well briefed and supported for meetings, committees and events, and contributing to the smooth coordination and delivery of priorities across the division.

Role responsibilities:

• Prepare high-quality briefings for senior-level meetings, and review, question and advise on the development of committee papers.
• Support the prioritisation and delivery of the relevant senior leader’s external engagement, including drafting and coordinating briefings and providing on-the-day support at events.
• Attend meetings with, and at times on behalf of the Private Secretary, ensuring clear capture of key points and actions.
• Manage follow-up on actions for the relevant senior leader, work closely with Business Partners, Heads of Department, Directors and other Private Offices to ensure timely delivery.
• Draft and coordinate a range of communications on behalf of the relevant senior leader, ensuring clarity, accuracy and alignment with strategic messaging.
• Ensure the Division is appropriately informed of key issues and developments, and escalating matters at pace where required.

Skills required:

• Minimum: Experience supporting senior leaders and preparing briefings, papers or communications; Experience working in a demanding office, regulatory, policy, project, delivery or similar environment; Experience coordinating multiple priorities and delivering work through a range of stakeholders to tight deadlines.
• Essential: Ability to quickly assimilate information from a range of sources, understand context and implications, and identify emerging issues; Well-developed organizational, prioritization, and time management skills, with the ability to manage a demanding workload and deliver high-quality outputs to tight deadlines; Effective written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to present complex information clearly and tailor messaging to different audiences; Effective stakeholder management skills, with the ability to build effective relationships across a range of internal and external stakeholders; Demonstrated ability to engage professionally and effectively with senior stakeholders; Understanding of financial services regulation, the FCA's remit and the broader regulatory environment; Ability to handle sensitive and confidential information with discretion and professionalism; Strong personal integrity and sound judgement, particularly when managing complex or sensitive matters.

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).
• 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.

Useful information and timeline:

Advert Closing: 19th August (Midnight). CV Review/Shortlist: 21 August. First Stage Interviews W/C: 24th August (There may be a case study within the interview process). Second Stage interview W/C: 31st August.

SC Clearance is required for this role (SC Guidance) - you will hold or will be required to obtain Security Check (SC) level vetting or DV level vetting.