Enforcement Casework Director

The Financial Reporting Council (FRC) mission is to serve the public interest by setting high standards of corporate governance, reporting and audit and holding to account those responsible for delivering them. We are the UK Competent Authority for audit. We also set the UK Corporate Governance and Stewardship Codes as well as UK standards for accounting, auditing and actuarial work, and monitor and take action to promote the quality of corporate reporting and operate independent enforcement arrangements for accountants and actuaries.

The FRC’s Enforcement Division is the independent disciplinary body for the accountancy and actuarial professions in the UK. It undertakes complex professional disciplinary investigations and prosecutions in cases involving accountants, accountancy firms and actuaries which raise important issues affecting the public interest in the UK. Many of the investigations are large, complex and high-profile and our cases regularly require liaison with other investigators including the Serious Fraud Office, the Financial Conduct Authority, the Insolvency Service, and the Pensions Regulator.

The Role: The Casework Director plays a key leadership and supervisory role alongside Executive and Deputy Executive Counsel in ensuring that the casework of the Enforcement Division is of the highest standard and that the reputation and credibility of the FRC in its Enforcement activities is maintained. This is a key role in supporting and promoting the success of the Division as a whole and representing the Division externally. The Casework Director provides expertise to, and assists with supervision, management and conduct of, the Enforcement Division’s casework and case strategy in complex and often high-profile investigations under the Accountancy Scheme, the Actuarial Scheme, and the AEP.

Responsibilities:

• Leading a multi-disciplinary case portfolio team to deliver a portfolio of investigations and enforcement proceedings
• Overseeing, supporting and constructively challenging case teams on the conduct, and management of their cases, achieving targets and deadlines and delivering timely, high quality Enforcement outcomes
• Framing case strategy and driving complex investigations forward
• Supervising, developing and working with more junior members of the team
• Working with forensic accountants to review complex accountancy, actuarial and audit material
• Collating, analysing and preparing evidence and developing case theory
• Instructing and working closely with counsel, independent experts and external solicitors
• Leading preparation for Tribunal hearings
• Providing high quality advice and analysis on legal and policy aspects of cases and of Enforcement Division work in general
• Overseeing case expenditure and taking responsibility for often very substantial case budgets

The Person: The successful candidate will be a solicitor or barrister with substantial experience of contentious regulation and/or white-collar crime or commercial litigation able to make a significant contribution to the oversight and management of the Division’s casework, and case related strategic decision making, risk management, policy issues and legal work. Candidates will be expected to demonstrate the competencies set out below:

• Excellent legal and analytical skills
• Excellent written and oral communication skills including experience of drafting complex legal materials of the highest quality
• A strong intellect and good judgement
• Extensive expertise in public and regulatory law and complex contentious proceedings
• Experience in driving forward a portfolio of complex cases with minimal supervision and through the implementation of creative solutions
• Demonstrable experience of robust project planning with effective trial management skills
• Experience in providing constructive support and challenge to senior professionals as well as skilled in team management, supervision, and development, to achieve results
• Determination and self-motivation to pursue matters and make fair and robust legal decisions under pressure and to deadlines
• Experience of change management and the ability to adapt in the face of a changing regulatory and procedural landscape

Previous experience working with, or acting for, a prosecuting authority, regulator or disciplinary body would be an advantage.

Rewards and benefits: The FRC offers remuneration packages, including 30 days annual leave, ability to buy extra leave. Generous employer pension contribution of 10%. Staff Employee Assistance Programme including confidential counselling and work life services. The FRC offers staff the opportunity to save at least 25% on the purchase of a new bike through the Cycle to work scheme. The FRC has a strong work/life balance ethos.

The FRC believes that equality of opportunity and diversity is important in the work that we do and we are strongly committed to being an inclusive employer. Our values of being fair and independent supports this commitment. Equal opportunities monitoring is an important means of demonstrating and implementing our commitment to promoting equality of opportunity and diversity. Completing our diversity form will assist the FRC to identify any barriers that prevent access to employment and career development for certain groups of people, and to develop solutions, such as action plans, new policies and practices. The FRC is a Disability Confident Employer and we welcome applications under the Guaranteed Interview Scheme from disabled people as defined by the Equality Act 2010 that meet the minimum requirements for the role.