Financial Services Economic Consulting Director

Every day our teams help people in businesses and communities to do what is right and achieve their goals. Our Economics practice provides specialist economic analysis across all our legal, corporate, energy and utilities and public sector clients. Frequently working alongside colleagues from across Grant Thornton, we advise on high profile issues in all major sectors of the economy including financial services which is a key strength of our firm.

We work on an advisory and independent expert basis for regulators e.g. FCA and PSR, financial services institutions e.g. high street banks, asset managers and payment operators and their advisors on regulatory, competition and strategic matters. Examples of our projects in the financial services and payments sector include:

• Independent report for a leading high street bank being investigated by the Financial Ombudsman for potential mis-selling
• Independent expert on securities litigation matters (FSMA90/90A)
• Advising banks and asset management firms on complying with consumer duty requirements
• Support to the FCA and PSR on some of their key areas of interest
• Supporting a financial services firm responding to an FCA market study
• Developing and reviewing regulatory costing models for assessing the fair value of financial services products
• Options analysis for an international payments operator
• The design of financial services strategies
• Supporting financial institutions to appraise the value of their investment products and services as part of complying with consumer duty regulations

We’re happy to talk flexible working and consider reduced hours and job shares, we’ll support you to balance your work and life.

Responsibilities: As a Financial Services Economic Consulting Director within our team, you will be:

• Responsible for a portfolio of economic projects for clients, leading economic analysis on large cases or a portfolio of cases.
• Driving forward business development including drafting thought leadership material and building relationships with clients.
• Ensure the quality and robustness of economic analysis, guiding teams to source and interpret diverse data, manage large and complex models, and produce evidence-based insights for senior stakeholders.
• Provide authoritative challenge and direction on analytical methodologies, strengthening modelling assumptions, data interpretation and communication of economic concepts.
• Lead horizon scanning and regulatory analysis, evaluating the impact of emerging policies, supervisory developments and market trends on client strategies and market dynamics.
• Oversee and refine high quality deliverables, including Board level presentations, formal reports and strategic memorandums, and present findings directly to executive stakeholders.
• Act as a senior relationship owner, maintaining strong client partnerships, providing strategic engagement updates, and ensuring successful commercial outcomes.

Qualifications: Joining us as a Financial Services Economic Consulting Director, the minimum criteria you’ll need is significant experience as an Economist within the financial services sector, a strong reputation in the market and a track record of leading high-performing teams, winning work, and delivering high-quality engagements in the financial services sector.

It would be great if you had some of the following skills, but don’t worry if you don’t tick every box, we’ll help you develop along the way:

• Deep understanding of the financial services and/or payments regulatory landscape, including the economic and commercial implications of evolving policy and supervisory expectations.
• Experience leading and overseeing fair value assessments, cost modelling, and other complex economic analyses, ensuring robust methodologies and high-quality outputs.
• A proven record of converting opportunities into successful engagements, including leading pitch teams, developing commercial proposals, and achieving agreed revenue targets.
• Strong leadership capability, with experience guiding multi-disciplinary teams, developing talent, and fostering a high-performance culture.
• Excellent client relationship skills, with the ability to engage senior stakeholders, build trusted advisor status, and represent the firm with credibility in the market.
• Demonstrated delivery of high-impact economic consulting projects, managing complex workstreams and ensuring seamless execution across teams.
• A reputation for quality and thought leadership, contributing to the firm’s market presence through insightful analysis, publications, and external engagement.

Benefits: We’re happy to talk flexible working and consider reduced hours and job shares to support work-life balance.