Innovation Services Specialist - 12 Month Fixed Term Contract

Financial Conduct Authority; Leeds; Hybrid; GBP 52,000 - 72,000; Full time

Job summary

A regulatory body for financial services in the UK seeks an Innovation Services Specialist to lead innovation cases and collaborate with internal and external stakeholders. This role focuses on analysis related to emerging technologies and regulatory approaches. Ideal candidates will have strong analytical skills and experience in managing diverse workloads. The position offers a salary range from £52,400 to £71,200 depending on skills and experience.

Benefits

25 days annual leave plus bank holidays

Hybrid model with up to 60% remote work

Non-contributory pension

Private healthcare with Bupa

35 hours of paid volunteering annually

Flexible benefits scheme

Qualifications

• Minimum experience of managing a varied caseload and resolution of matters.
• Experience of applying strong analytical skills to interpret large volumes of numerical and written information.
• Building strong internal relationships across departments.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage innovation services cases.
• Collaborate with colleagues across the Innovation Lab.
• Engage with external stakeholders to foster collaboration.

Skills

Experience of managing a varied caseload and resolution of matters

Strong analytical skills

Building and maintaining stakeholder relationships

Job description

Innovation Services Specialist (12 Month Fixed Term Contract/Secondment)

Division: Data, Technology & Innovation

Department: Innovation

• Salary: National (Edinburgh and Leeds) ranging from £52,400 to £71,200 and London from £57,700 to £78,300 per annum (salary offered will be based on skills and experience)
• This role is graded as: Lead Associate - Regulatory
• Your recruitment contact is Benjamin via [e-mail]. 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.

Sitting within DTI, the Innovation team identifies trends and encourages testing and experimentation of innovative ideas to inform policy and regulatory work.

As part of the Innovation Department within the DTI division, you will lead pioneering work essential to driving growth and innovation.

This year, we are focusing on AI, tokenisation, open finance and financial inclusion.

Role responsibilities

• Lead and manage innovation services cases, conducting detailed analysis and presenting findings to the monthly innovation panel
• Collaborate with colleagues across the Innovation Lab to shape regulatory approaches that respond to emerging technologies
• Build strong internal relationships across departments including Authorisations, Policy and Legal, influencing strategic discussions
• Engage with external stakeholders such as firms, trade bodies and innovation networks to foster collaboration and thought leadership
• Coordinate innovation efforts across teams to ensure seamless integration of applications and alignment of workstreams
• Contribute to strategic decision making and regulatory evolution by applying insights from industry advancements and emerging technologies

Skills required

Minimum:

• Experience of managing a varied caseload and resolution of matters
• Experience of applying strong analytical skills to interpret large volumes of numerical and written information
• Experience of building and maintaining productive stakeholder relationships, underpinned by a solid understanding of regulatory frameworks

Essential:

• Appl ying strong analytical skills to interpret and evaluate substantial volumes of numerical and written information
• Buil ding and maintain ing productive relationships with internal and external stakeholders to support collaborative outcomes
• U tilis ing a solid understanding of regulatory frameworks to inform decision-making and guide case progression

Benefits

• 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays
• Hybrid model with up to 60% remote work
• 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 timelines

Timeline:

• Advert Closing Date: 16 November at 11:59pm
• CV Review/Shortlist: 17 November
• Interviews: w/c 24 November

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.