Job title: Supervisory Operating Model Lead
Division: Supervision, Policy & Competition
Department: Controls, Capabilities & Frameworks

• Salary: National (Edinburgh and Leeds) ranging from £60,700 to £80,000 and London from £66,600 to £85,000 (salary offered will be based on skills and experience)
• This role is graded as: Lead Associate - Regulatory
• Your recruitment contact is [email protected]. Applications must be submitted through our online portal. Applications sent via social media or email will not be accepted.

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.  

SPC oversees firms and individuals (supervision), creates and reviews the rules by which they operate (policy) and identifies and remedies ineffective competition in markets (competition). Sitting in the CCF (Controls, Capabilities & Frameworks) directorate, the Frameworks team design, explain, and continuously improve the Supervisory Model — the end‑to‑end approach that guides how every supervisor works to identify and stop harm. An effective Supervisory Model is essential to delivering our objectives and delivering our strategy.

Our vision is built on three core principles:

• Design – Build a clear, coherent and well‑structured supervisory approach
• Explain – Help colleagues understand how the model works and apply it with confidence
• Improve – Continuously refine the model so SPC becomes a smarter, more predictable and more effective regulator
   

As a Lead Associate, you will play a pivotal role in ensuring the Supervisory Model remains fit for purpose, continuously evolves, and enables us to deliver on our strategy. This role shapes not just individual firms or markets, but the way we supervise the entire financial services sector. It carries significant influence across SPC and the FCA, and we are looking for someone who wants to increase their impact.

Role responsibilities

• Ensure the model reflects how supervision operates in practice and supports effective, consistent decision‑making
• Identify where processes, tools or guidance create friction or inconsistency — and lead the work to improve them
• Use supervisory insights to ensure the model remains relevant, practical and easy for colleagues to apply, whilst implementing regular improvements into the Supervisory Model
• Prepare clear, concise and evidence‑based recommendations and papers for senior governance forums.
• Present analysis and options to senior stakeholders, helping them understand the operational impact of proposals.
• Represent SPC in cross‑FCA discussions to ensure the Supervisory Model connects well with Authorisations, Enforcement and Technology
• Help colleagues understand the Supervisory Model through guidance, training and practical support, promoting best practice and encouraging a consistent, professional approach to supervision
• Manage and coach a team of associates, supporting performance, wellbeing and development, helping colleagues grow and contribute meaningfully

Skills required

Minimum:

• Experience working in frontline supervision or a similar regulatory function, with an understanding of how supervision operates day‑to‑day
• Proven stakeholder management skills, including experience engaging senior colleagues
• Prior experience of the FCA’s regulatory tools, priorities and strategy

Essential:

• Clear written and verbal communication skills, including preparing concise analysis and high-quality papers
• Experience of breaking down complex problems and identifying clear, practical solutions
• Experience of delivering improvements or change in a regulatory, supervisory or operational environment
• Well-developed organisational skills, with the ability to prioritise effectively and deliver high-quality work at pace
• A delivery-focused approach, with high personal accountability
• Ability to build productive working relationships and work effectively with colleagues at all levels
• Comfortable providing constructive challenge and supporting effective decision‑making
• Ability to support, guide and develop team members through coaching, feedback and direction

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). Changing from September to a minimum of 50% in the office each month (expectation of 60% for Directors and Executive Directors) 
• 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

For a full list of our benefits, and our recruitment process as a whole visit our benefits page.

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. In cases of high application volumes  we may progress applicants whose experience most closely matches the role’s key requirements.
 

Useful Information and Timeline 

• Job advert close: Sunday 22nd February at 23:59pm
• CV Review/Shortlist: 24th February
• First Interview: w/c 2nd March
• Potential Second Interview: w/c 9th March
• Your Recruiter will discuss the process in detail with you during screening for the role, therefore, please make them aware if you are going to be unavailable for any date during this time.