Financial Advice Training & Competence Lead

Skipton Building Society; Skipton; Hybrid; GBP 40,000 - 49,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading building society in England seeks a Financial Advice Training & Competence Lead to ensure compliance with training standards and improve customer outcomes. This role involves strong stakeholder communication, adherence to regulatory guidelines, and innovative improvement of training processes. Candidates should have excellent communication skills and a Level 4 Diploma in Regulated Financial Planning. The position offers a hybrid working model and competitive salary, showcasing the company’s commitment to employee work-life balance.

Benefits

Annual discretionary bonus scheme

25 days annual leave plus bank holidays

Matching employer pension contribution

Private medical insurance

3 paid volunteering days per annum

Cycle to work initiative

Qualifications

• Ability to absorb and interpret information accurately.
• Adaptability to change and initiative in problem-solving.
• Experience writing complex Schemes and Policies.

Responsibilities

• Ensure adherence to the FCA's TC Sourcebook for Financial Advice.
• Act as Subject Matter Expert for Training & Competency across the Money business.
• Champion Data Protection practices aligned to Society policies.

Skills

Excellent communication skills

Use of initiative

Regulatory interpretation

Education

Level 4 Diploma in Regulated Financial Planning

Job description

Hours

35 hours per week, Monday to Friday, flexible and hybrid working can be considered with Head Office presence required multiple times a week.

Salary

£48,050 Per Annum (up to £48,050 depending on skills and experience)

Closing Date

Wed, 17 Dec 2025

We are looking for a detail conscious and curious individual to join us as a Financial Advice Training & Competence Lead. We need someone who is meticulous, able to write clearly and concisely, and able to proactively seek answers and identify risks and process pain points. Being a good communicator is crucial as you will be dealing with stakeholders daily and at all levels, up to and including Senior Leadership. We want a team player that can work effectively with others and manage their own priorities. The role will include building strong and lasting relationships with stakeholders championing the customer outcomes lens, whilst always looking for ways to improve processes at the same time as effectively managing risk appetite.

Who Are We?

Not just another building society. Not just another job.

We're the fourth biggest building society in the UK and what makes us a bit different is that we're a mutual organisation. We don't have shareholders; we're owned by our members.

Our colleagues say Skipton's a great place to work, and you could be one of them, bringing with you new ideas on how we can keep customers at the heart of what we do.

Whatever your background, and whatever your goals, we'll help you take the next step towards a better future.

You will be joining the Customer Outcomes – FA, T&C & Governance department, a team made up of 15 individuals who collectively use their understanding of financial advice, customer outcomes, training & competency and management information to collaborate and drive great outcomes for our customers. We work closely with teams across the whole Money business, and beyond, to ensure we identify and address emerging risks to both customers, and the Society. Whilst always putting a customer lens on what you do, when in this role you can make a real difference to our customers and help drive improvements in how we operate, day to day.

What’s In It For You?

Skipton values work/life balance and we are proud to support hybrid and flexible working, where possible. We have a newly refurbished head office which offers a vibrant and collaborative working space.

We have a range of other benefits available to you including:

• Annual discretionary bonus scheme
• 25 days standard annual leave + bank holidays + rising 1 day per year of service to a maximum of 30 days
• Holiday trading scheme allowing the ability to buy and sell additional annual leave days
• Matching employer pension contribution (up to 10% per annum)
• Colleague mortgage (conditions apply)
• Salary sacrifice scheme for hybrid & electric car
• A commitment to training and development
• Private medical insurance for all our colleagues
• 3 paid volunteering days per annum
• Diverse and inclusive colleague networks available for you to join including our Carers and Pride Alliance groups
• We care about your health and wellbeing – we provide a range of benefits that support this including cycle to work initiative and discounted gym membership

What Will You Be Doing?

The role is primarily focused around ensuring the Money business's Training & Competency Schemes are up to date and aligned to the FCA's TC Sourcebook, as well as wider industry standards, and reporting on adherence to them.

You’ll also :

• Act as a Subject Matter Expert on all things T&C across the Money business, working collaboratively with colleagues up to and including Senior Managers across Money & Homes to ensure alignment where needed, and disparity where appropriate, all whilst being cognisant of risk appetite and internal guidelines
• Ensure that the T&C framework has the Consumer Duty and ensuring good customer outcomes at its core, whilst at the same time recognising business need and commercial limitations
• Championing Customer Outcomes Data Protection, being accountable for ensuring the department's Data Retention practices are aligned to Society policies and guidance
• Lead on the Money business’s efforts, from a T&C perspective, in the space of automation, MI / data enhancements, and potential AI solutions to improve how T&C is managed.
• Support the Senior Manager – Customer Outcomes FA, T&C & Governance with the delivery of departmental goals, objectives, and progress against KPIs.

What Do We Need From You?

Skills

• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal – absorbing and interpreting information with accuracy and an attention to detail
• Use of initiative and the ability to adapt well to change
• Able to consider differing points of view with assertive decision-making, and provide effective challenge to stakeholders where appropriate
• Regulatory interpretation

Knowledge

• Working understanding of the FCA's TC Sourcebook.
• Clear understanding of the Consumer Duty, and how it applies to T&C matters.

Experience and Qualifications

• Level 4 Diploma in Regulated Financial Planning (or equivalent).
• Experience writing complex Schemes and Policies, e.g. T&C Schemes, Data Protection Policies, Quality Assurance Frameworks.
• Experience in the Financial Advice sector, with a working understanding of different tax advantageous products, e.g. ISAs, pensions, investment bonds.

This role may close early if we receive a high number of applications.