Enforcement Policy lawyer

The Endorsement Board; Birmingham; Hybrid; GBP 80,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

30 days annual leave

Pension contribution 10%

Employee Assistance Programme

Cycle to work scheme

Hybrid working

Job summary

The Financial Reporting Council (FRC) is recruiting a solicitor or barrister with extensive public and regulatory law experience. You will join a multi-disciplinary Enforcement Division in Birmingham, contributing to enforcement policy, investigations, and high‑level legal advisory work.

You will draft policy papers, provide analyses to senior management, and collaborate with government bodies. The role requires strong judgment, resilience, and excellent communication within a hybrid working

Qualifications

• Qualified solicitor or barrister with substantial public or regulatory law experience.
• Demonstrated ability to provide high‑level legal analysis and policy advice.
• Experience in complex litigation or regulatory investigations is desirable.

Responsibilities

• Work as part of a multi-disciplinary team on enforcement policy and investigations.
• Provide high quality legal and policy analysis to support enforcement decisions.
• Draft legally robust papers for senior management and government bodies.
• Instruct specialist counsel on complex enforcement matters.

Skills

Legal analysis

Written communication

Oral communication

Public/regulatory law

Project management

Working under pressure

Education

Qualified solicitor or barrister

Job description

The Financial Reporting Council (FRC) purpose is to serve the public interest and support UK economic growth by upholding high standards of corporate governance, corporate reporting, audit and actuarial work. We monitor and take action to promote the quality of corporate reporting and operate independent enforcement arrangements for accountants and actuaries. Further information about our role can be found at www.frc.org.uk.

As the UK Competent Authority for audit, the FRC’s Enforcement Division conducts investigations and takes enforcement action into breaches of audit standards under the Audit Enforcement Procedure (AEP).As the independent disciplinary body for the accountancy and actuarial professions in the UK, the Division also undertakes professional disciplinary investigations and enforcement action under the Accountancy and Actuarial Schemes (the Schemes) 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. Examples of recent case outcomes can be found on our website.

More information on the work of the Division can be found in our Annual Enforcement Review 2026.

The Role:

To work as part of a multi-disciplinary team, alongside forensic accountants, lawyers, and legal assistants on enforcement policy issues concerning complex investigations under the AEP and the Schemes. The role will also involve collaboration and engagement with colleagues in many of the FRC’s other Divisions including the Legal Services Team. The role will include:

• Supporting work streams which develop and implement Enforcement Policy
• Providing high quality advice and analysis on legal and policy aspects of cases and of Enforcement Division work in general.
• Supporting the maintenance and development of the Division’s know-how resources
• As part of a wider team of FRC colleagues, working with lawyers and policy advisers from Government Departments, agencies, and professional bodies on enforcement legal and policy matters
• Drafting legal and policy advice papers for FRC senior management or for presentation to other Government Departments or agencies; and
• Instructing specialist counsel when seeking advice on enforcement legal and policy issues of high complexity or risk.

The Person:

The successful candidate will be a solicitor or barrister with significant experience of public and / or regulatory law, with experience of relevant litigation and/or contentious practice (typically in excess of six years).

Experience of advising on policy matters is highly desirable, for example from within Government or another regulator.

Candidates will be expected to demonstrate the following competencies:

• Excellent legal and analytical skills
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• A strong intellect and good judgement
• Significant expertise in public and /or regulatory law and complex contentious proceedings
• Proactive and effective project management skills
• Determination and self-motivation to pursue matters and make fair and robust legal decisions
• Ability to work well under pressure and to deadlines
• Enthusiasm for conducting important regulatory work in the public interest
• A good team player ethic
• Experience of change management and the ability to adapt in the face of a changing regulatory and procedural landscape.

Rewards and benefits

• The FRC offers remuneration packages, including 30 days annual leave, flexible bank holidays plus 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. We're a signatory to the Government's Disability Confident scheme, which means that we guarantee an interview to any disabled candidates entering under the scheme, should they meet the minimum criteria for a role.

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 role is based in our Birmingham office. The post holder should be able to work flexibly to support the team’s activities and also provide cover within the FRC as necessary. The FRC operates a hybrid working arrangement, with a expectation that40% per month of a person's working time will be located at one of our offices,with precise arrangements to be agreed between the employee and the line manager

We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and communities, and in particular those that are currently under represented in our workforce. This includes, but is not limited to, Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) candidates, candidates with disabilities, and female candidates.