Senior Trading Policy Associate

Financial Conduct Authority; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 57,000 - 79,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading regulatory body in the UK is searching for a Senior Trading Policy Associate to drive policy reforms within financial markets. The role involves collaborating with key stakeholders, developing complex policies, and addressing market risks. Ideal candidates should have substantial regulatory experience, strong communication skills, and the ability to manage multiple initiatives. This position offers a hybrid work model and a comprehensive benefits package including private healthcare and generous annual leave.

Benefits

25 days annual leave plus bank holidays

Hybrid model with up to 60% remote work

Non‑contributory pension (8‑12%)

Private healthcare with Bupa

Paid volunteering annually

Flexible benefits scheme

Qualifications

• Significant regulatory experience and the ability to manage complex projects effectively.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills to convey complex issues succinctly.
• Strong stakeholder management skills, capable of building relationships with senior management.

Responsibilities

• Deliver policy reforms for the Wholesale Markets Review with stakeholders.
• Develop end-to-end policy reforms including drafting documents.
• Identify and mitigate future areas of risk in trading and conduct.

Skills

Regulatory experience in financial services

Project management

Written and oral communication

Policy issue handling

Stakeholder management

Job description

Senior Trading Policy Associate

Division: SPC Infrastructure & Exchanges

Department: Market Intervention Trading Venues

Salary: National (Edinburgh and Leeds) ranging from £52,400 to £71,200 and London from £57,700 to £78,300 (salary offered will be based on skills and experience)

This role is graded as: Senior Associate Regulatory

Your recruitment contact is Steve Christopher via . 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 Infrastructure & Exchanges directorate the MI Trading Venues Department integrates the supervision of key market infrastructure and corporate finance firms with the development of policy frameworks for trading venues aiming to promote fair, orderly and transparent markets across a broad range of asset classes and venue types.

Role responsibilities

• Be part of a team delivering the Wholesale Markets Review, a joint initiative with HM Treasury to assess and improve the UK’s wholesale financial markets while developing in‑depth expertise on the wholesale financial markets and their regulation.
• Develop policy reforms end to end, including drafting consultation documents and public statements.
• Play a key role in shaping policy reforms by working closely with internal and external stakeholders, including our newly formed secondary markets advisory committee where you and your outputs will have high exposure across FCA.
• Identify and mitigate future areas of risk in the trading and conduct landscape.
• Horizon scan the relevant markets to identify issues and risks to our objectives; this includes extracting, analysing and interpreting quantitative information to support policy development.
• Provide policy advice, including drafting policy papers and briefs for internal stakeholders, contributing directly to the delivery of our ambitious objective to improve the UK’s secondary markets.
• Provide ongoing policy support to FCA teams supervising trading venues and trading firms.

Minimum qualifications

• Prior significant regulatory experience in financial services and/or other sectors.
• Proven experience managing and delivering complex projects or initiatives, managing multiple stakeholders and navigating challenging environments to achieve successful outcomes.
• Prior experience demonstrating excellent written and oral communication skills, including the ability to support the team to distil complex issues into succinct messages & present with assurance to a variety of internal and external stakeholders.

Essential qualifications

• Proven experience of dealing with complex policy issues relevant to consumer protection in regulated industries.
• Good understanding of the UK and EU regulatory landscape with the ability to navigate complex frameworks.
• Evidence of reviewing large amounts of complex information, identifying key themes, drawing logical conclusions and developing and implementing strategies.
• Demonstrable ability to acquire knowledge, including by sourcing, manipulating and reviewing data quickly and on own initiatives.
• Strong interpersonal and stakeholder management skills; able to build and maintain relationships with senior management, other regulators and staff at all levels.
• Ability to work independently, use sound judgement and escalated issues appropriately.
• A curious and inquisitive mindset and a motivation to deliver in the public interest.

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.

Our values and culture

Our colleagues are the key to our success as a regulator. We are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive culture: one that is 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. 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. In cases of high application volumes we may progress applicants whose experience most closely matches the role’s key requirements.

Useful information and timelines

Job advert closes: 9th November 2025

CV Review / Shortlist: 11th November 2025

First Interview: WC 17th November 2025

Second Interview: TBC

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.