Associate, Market Practice and Regulatory Policy (Buy-side)

Closing Date for Applications: 14 September 2026

Reporting to: Senior Director, Market Practice and Regulatory Policy (Buy-side)

Location: London (with travel as required)

Eligibility to work in the UK: Applicants must already have the legal right to work in the UK at the time of application and throughout their employment. ICMA is unable to provide visa sponsorship for this role. Applications from candidates who require current or future sponsorship will not be considered.

About ICMA

ICMA promotes well-functioning cross-border capital markets, which are essential to fund sustainable economic growth. It is a not-for-profit membership association serving around 630 members in 71 jurisdictions globally. Its members include private and public sector issuers, banks and securities dealers, asset and fund managers, insurance companies, law firms, capital market infrastructure providers and central banks.

ICMA provides industry-driven standards and recommendations, prioritising three core fixed-income market areas: primary, secondary, and repo and collateral, with cross-cutting themes of sustainable finance, FinTech, and digitalisation. ICMA works with regulatory and governmental authorities to help ensure that financial regulation supports stable and efficient capital markets.

The International Capital Market Association (ICMA) is looking to recruit an Associate to support its buy-side proposition across a range of market practice and regulatory topics relevant to the issuance and trading of bonds in the capital markets. The role is based in London and presents an exciting opportunity for a driven and capable individual, preferably with some capital markets and legal or regulatory experience, to develop and progress their career within an expanding and dynamic international organisation.

About the Role:

The Associate will support ICMA's global buy-side proposition within the Market Practice and Regulatory Policy team, helping to deliver member-led market practice initiatives and support buy-side stakeholder engagement. The role is primarily Europe-focused, with wider international coverage as required, and will be based in London. The successful candidate will report to the Senior Director, Market Practice and Regulatory Policy and work closely with colleagues across the function.

The MPRP team consists of three core 'vertical' pillars, Primary, Secondary and Repo & Collateral. In addition, the role requires working closely and cooperatively with ICMA's two key "horizontal" Teams of FinTech & Digitalisation (FTD) and Sustainable Finance (SF). These cross-cutting themes are becoming increasingly critical in terms of market development and structural evolution and are becoming ever more prominent in the focus and work of the three vertical pillars.

Responsibilities include:

Member engagement and buy-side proposition development

• Support delivery of agreed activities in executing ICMA's buy-side strategy, as directed by the Senior Director, including engagement with non-traditional asset managers and investors and representation of buy-side perspectives in best practice and standard-setting discussions.
• Assist buy-side member outreach: preparing call notes, mapping stakeholders, tracking engagement and supporting new member and existing member interactions alongside other colleagues.
• Gather and analyse member input from surveys, interviews and roundtables, summarising key themes and proposing actions for inclusion in team workplans and external outputs subject to senior review and approval.

Assist Committee and working group secretariat (buy-side work streams)

• Support the planning and delivery of buy-side related meetings and working groups, including agendas, papers, attendance, logistics and follow-up actions.
• Take detailed notes and prepare draft minutes, action logs and member communications in co-ordination with the secretariat and relevant ICMA colleagues.
• Maintain accurate distribution lists and committee membership records, supporting relationship communications with members and stakeholders.

Research, monitoring and drafting (market practice)

• Monitor and synthesise developments affecting buy-side participants (e.g. market structure, growth trends and cross-cutting themes such as digitalisation and sustainable finance).
• Support ICMA advocacy work by undertaking research and preparing initial drafts of consultation responses, calls for evidence and briefings for senior review.
• Contribute technical content and initial drafts to ICMA publications, Quarterly Report articles, podcasts and other outputs ensuring accuracy and clarity before senior review and publication.
• Support