Posted:
7/25/2024, 5:00:00 PM
Location(s):
London, England, United Kingdom ⋅ England, United Kingdom ⋅ Scotland, United Kingdom ⋅ City of Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom ⋅ Leeds, England, United Kingdom
Experience Level(s):
Junior ⋅ Mid Level ⋅ Senior
Field(s):
Legal & Compliance
Workplace Type:
Hybrid
Enforcement Investigator
The current salary range is £41,800 to £68,900 (Regulatory) and £47,200 to £73,600 (Practising Legal)
The FCA’s Enforcement and Market Oversight (EMO) is recruiting for investigators (including Lawyers and Accountants) at Associate level. There are vacancies in each of the EMO investigation departments; Retail and Regulatory, Wholesale and Unauthorised Business.
About EMO
EMO investigates misconduct in financial services that impacts UK consumers and the financial markets. We bring regulatory, civil and criminal cases against firms and individuals to punish wrongdoers, deter others from wrongdoing and change behaviours. Effective, fair and impactful enforcement is critical to the success of the FCA.
The FCA receives reports from many different sources that indicate potential misconduct, and we are continually presented with challenging and intellectually stimulating cases. Our cases involve critical issues that matter to consumers and market participants and attract large scale media attention. Our work covers a diverse range of issues including fraudulent conduct, systems and control and, corporate governance failings, market abuse and product mis-selling.
Working in EMO at the FCA is a great career option if you have a strong sense of public duty and are motivated to do the right thing and make a positive difference to the lives of consumers and the UK financial market generally.
The team / departments
Retail and Regulatory Investigations (RRI)
RRI investigates potential misconduct by regulated firms, and individuals working within those firms, involved in retail banking, stockbroking, asset management, mortgage broking and lending, insurance intermediation, financial advice, consumer credit and payment services. We take action against firms that sell unsuitable products or services to consumers, mishandle client money and assets, or have governance and systemic issues. We also investigate financial crime matters including fraud and misconduct related to AML systems and controls.
Wholesale
The Wholesale department ensures that suspected wrongdoing in the wholesale financial markets is investigated and where serious misconduct by firms and/or individuals is identified they are held to account. Our investigation teams undertake criminal, civil, and regulatory investigations spanning insider dealing, market manipulation, misleading statements by listed companies and systems and controls failings.
Unauthorised Business Department (UBD)
UBD investigates firms that are not authorised by the FCA but are carrying out activities that require authorisation. Unauthorised firms pose a significant risk to consumers – UBD has civil and criminal powers to tackle these firms and protect consumers. UBD cases typically involve high-loss investment/Ponzi type frauds, illegal trading schemes and boiler room operations.
What you will be doing (the role)
Associates are involved at every stage of the investigation process, supporting your team, developing your knowledge and sharing your expertise, which includes;
Taking on differing degrees of responsibility for a mixture of cases depending on their nature and complexity. This could range from running smaller cases with management oversight, to working as part of a wider team on larger more complex cases
Progressing a portfolio of investigations, managing your work to meet competing deadlines. Obtaining evidence through the use of appropriate tools and powers and developing the case team’s understanding. Exploring detailed evidence and making recommendations
Drafting all forms of case documents (which may include witness statements, civil orders, statutory notices, and papers going before the Regulatory Decision Committee) and correspondence with investigation subjects, their legal representatives and witnesses
Participating in challenging interviews of subjects and witnesses using compulsory powers, on a voluntary basis and under caution
Preparing for, and presenting cases at, internal case committees when required
Legally qualified candidates in this role would also be expected to provide legal advice to the case team and where appropriate take responsibility for the preparation of privileged correspondence.
What you will get from the role:
Exposure to some of the most fascinating, challenging and rewarding investigations in the UK
A chance to work with colleagues from across EMO and other parts of the FCA
Satisfying, worthwhile and responsible work with the opportunity to use your skills in complex situations
Exposure to a range of senior internal and external stakeholder
Working in a high-energy and stimulating Division, within a supportive environment
If you are successful, we will set you up for success. Your manager will work with you to help you meet your professional goals. In your first six months you will attend a three-week investigators foundation course which will ensure, if you are new to investigations or have displayed your investigation skill set in a different setting, you can apply your skill set safely in the context of the FCA’s approach to investigations.
Our competitive flexible benefits scheme gives you the opportunity to create a personalised benefits package, tailored to suit your lifecycle. You can use this allowance to purchase additional benefits such as dental or cycle to work or you have the option top up your base salary by taking this as cash.
Core benefits that you will receive as standard are:
25 days holiday per year plus bank holidays
Private healthcare with Bupa
A non-contributory Pension of at least 8% of basic salary each month (there are several contribution levels that increase depending on your age – up to 12% a month once you reach age 35)
Life assurance of eight times your basic salary
Income protection
We support hybrid working which means you will be able to work from home up to 60% of the time over a month with the remainder of your time in one of our three office locations.
The skills and experience you will have
Minimum criteria
We are a signatory to the Government’s Disability Confident scheme. This means that we will offer an interview to disabled candidates entering under the scheme, should they meet the minimum criteria for a role.
Experience of analysing large amounts of information and producing summaries which make conclusions and draw out key findings
For Lawyer applicants you must hold a valid practising certificate issued by the Solicitors Regulation Authority for England and Wales (if a solicitor), or the General Council of the Bar for England and Wales (if a barrister) (or a similar internationally recognised qualification)
Essential criteria
Support and progress investigations or projects involving large volumes of information
Build and maintain strong and effective relationships with colleagues and with key contacts
Work collaboratively and inclusively with colleagues from different perspectives and backgrounds across a portfolio of projects and workstreams
Communicate clearly, with experience of making oral and written presentations
We will be hosting three Q&A sessions, this will give you an opportunity to find out more about the roles, please see Teams links below
Tuesday 6th August – 12:00-13:00 - WUBI/RRI Campaign - Q&A Session
Meeting ID: 395 179 353 814
Passcode: mNGJAY
Wednesday 21st August – 12:00-13:00 – WUBI/RRI Campaign – Q&A Session
Meeting ID: 364 005 650 684
Passcode: Hpj46y
Monday 2nd September – 13:00-14:00 – WUBI/RRI – Q&A Session
Meeting ID: 320 422 933 883
Passcode: E2dmpt
About the FCA
The FCA regulates the conduct of nearly 45,000 firms in the UK to ensure our financial markets are honest, fair and competitive. We do this to make sure markets work well for individuals, businesses and the economy as a whole. For more information on what we do, our three-year strategy can be found here.
The FCA's Values & Diversity
Our ambition is to cultivate a culture of inclusion for all employees that respects their individual strengths, views, and experiences. 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.
The FCA is committed to achieving greater diversity across all levels of the organisations. Given this, we particularly welcome applications from women, disabled and minority ethnic candidates for our Senior Associate role.
Flexible working
We welcome applications from candidates who are looking for flexible arrangements. Many of our staff work flexibly including working part-time, staggered hours, and job shares. We can’t promise to give you exactly what you want but we won’t judge you for asking.
Multi-location
As part of the FCA’s on-going commitment to develop our national presence, most of our vacancies are now open to working in our Edinburgh, Leeds, or London offices. This means that as part of the application process you will be able to select your preference of which office location you would like to work from.
Useful information
Applications for this role close at 23:59 on the 8th September 2024
This role is graded as Associate - Regulatory / Practising legal
Got a question?
If you are interested in learning more about the role please contact:
For internal applicants, please contact Michael Wood, [email protected]
For external applicants, please contact Asha Gladis, [email protected]k
What to expect from our interview process
This will consist of a one stage process involving a case study and a one hour technical and competency based interview.
Application support
We want to remove any possible barriers and are committed to providing a wide range of reasonable adjustments so that you can keep the focus on your conversations and be at your best.
If you have an accessibility requirement, disability, or condition that means you might require changes to the recruitment process, please contact your recruiter to discuss this further. Our aim is to make your application as easy and comfortable as possible, and your recruiter will be happy to work with you to make any necessary arrangements where possible.
Website: https://fca.org.uk/
Headquarter Location: London, England, United Kingdom
Employee Count: 1001-5000
Year Founded: 2013
IPO Status: Private
Industries: Financial Services