• Job Description

  Req#: JR0018078

  Lead Associate (Lawyer, International Technical Assistance)

  Posting – Fixed Term Contract. Please note this role is an externally funded, fixed term position, initially until April 2026. There is no guarantee of extension beyond April 2026.

  Division – Enforcement Legal, Legal Division

  Department – Law and International Team, Law Policy and International Department

  Salary – National (Edinburgh and Leeds) ranging from £68,900 to £91,766.67 and London £75,00 to £100,900 per annum (Salary offered will be based on skills and experience)

  About the FCA

  The FCA regulates the conduct of 45,000 firms in the UK to ensure our financial markets are honest, fair and competitive. Follow this link to find out more About the FCA .

  Legal Division

  The Law and International Team (L&I) sits within the Law, Policy and International Department, which is part of Enforcement Legal in the Legal Division. L&I provides strategic, legal and policy advice on international aspects of Enforcement investigations and on related aspects of confidentiality, disclosure of information and international collaboration.

  This role is a secondment which has been developed in conjunction with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). The purpose of the secondment is to provide regulatory technical assistance to developing economies which are eligible to receive official development assistance and increase the number of signatories to the International Organisation of Securities Commissions Multilateral Memorandum of Understanding (IOSCO MMoU).

  The proposal for this 12-month secondment is to work with a Technical Specialist lawyer to support two international regulators with their applications to the IOSCO MMoU.

  Throughout this secondment, the Lead Associate will be supporting the Technical Specialist to work with the applicants to review legislation against the IOSCO MMoU’s standards, supporting legislative change where necessary and liaising between the applicant and IOSCO and its committees as needed.

  What will you be doing?

  • Work within an internationally driven framework, engaging with global regulatory matters

  • Liaising with foreign regulators to support cross-board compliance and collaboration

  • To provide updates and reports to the international division and foreign offices

  • To track travel-related expenses and manage invoicing for foreign regulatory activities

  • Support finance in monitoring and processing FCA-issued quarterly invoices

  • Ensuring legal principles are effectively implemented in operational practices

  What will you get from the role?

  • Opportunity to travel and engage in international assignments and collaborations

  • Gain valuable experience in global regulatory cooperation and policymaking

  • Have the opportunity to build strong connections with foreign regulators and key stakeholders and work closely with diplomatic professionals and global institutions

  • Develop expertise in managing central government funding processes

  • Gain exposure to central government and work alongside government agencies and policymakers on strategic initiatives

  Which skills are required?

  We are a Disability Confident Employer; therefore, disabled people or individuals with long-term conditions who best meet the minimum criteria for a role will go through to the next stage of the recruitment process. (To learn more about the Disability Confident Scheme Click Here)

  Minimum

  • Solicitor or barrister qualified in England or Wales, or holder of an equivalent foreign legal qualification, with substantial post-qualification experience

  • Strong knowledge of financial regulations, banking laws, international investigative procedures and international cooperation or development

  Essential

  • Proven experience in roles requiring expertise in international cooperation or cross-border investigations

  • Ability to apply sound legal reasoning to complex and unfamiliar scenarios

  • Strong judgement, including the confidence to recommend courses of action to senior leaders and make well-founded decisions in uncertain or evolving circumstances

  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills, capable of conveying complex legal and regulatory concepts clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences

  • Highley developed analytical and problem-solving abilities, with a strategic approach to tackling challenges

  • Adaptability and resilience, able to thrive under pressure in dynamic and unpredictable environments

  • Strong interpersonal and stakeholders’ engagement skills, supporting the development of effective relationships with internal teams, external partners and senior management

  Our Values & Diversity

  We are proud to be an inclusive employer and our ambition is to cultivate a culture for all employees that respects their individual strengths, views, and experiences. 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.

  Within the workplace you will have access to various employee resource groups which aim to promote and achieve a healthy work / life balance and support our diversity ambitions.

  Did you know? 50% of our Executive Committee were the first in their family to attend university.

  Benefits of working at the FCA

  • 25 days holiday per year plus bank holidays

  • Hybrid working (work from home up to 60% of your time)

  • Private healthcare with Bupa

  • A non-contributory Pension of at least 8% of basic salary each month (there are several contribution levels that increase depending on your age – up to 12% a month once you reach age 35)

  • Life assurance of eight times your basic salary

  • Income protection

  We also have a competitive flexible benefits scheme which gives you the opportunity to create a personalised benefits package, tailored to suit your lifestyle.

  We welcome applications from candidates who are looking for flexible arrangements. Many of our staff work flexibly including working part-time, staggered hours, and job shares. We can’t promise to give you exactly what you want but we can explore what might work best for both sides.

  Follow this link to see what life is like at the FCA - Life at the FCA

  Application Support

  We are dedicated to removing barriers and ensuring our application process is accessible to everyone. We offer a range of adjustments to make your application experience as comfortable and straightforward as possible.

  If you have an accessibility need, disability, or condition requiring changes to the recruitment process, please contact your recruiter using the details below and they will be happy to discuss this further with you.

  Useful Information and Timeline

  • This role is graded as Lead Associate – Practising Legal

  • Advert Closing Date: Sunday 1st June

  • CV Review/Shortlist: Wednesday 4th June

  • Case Study Assessment: WC 9th June

  • Competency Based Interview, WC 16th June

  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.

  Got a question?

  If you are interested in learning more about the role, please contact Rumana Hussain at Rumana.Hussain@fca.org.uk

  Applications must be submitted through our online portal. Applications sent via email will not be accepted.

• About the company

  The Financial Conduct Authority is a financial regulatory body in the United Kingdom, but operates independently of the UK Government, and is financed by charging fees to members of the financial services industry.

Notice