Overview
Financial Conduct Authority. Regulating financial services firms and financial markets in the UK. https://www.fca.org.uk/careers
Role Purpose
This pivotal leadership role combines strategic advisory responsibility at the highest levels of the organisation with leadership of a large and high-performing communications function. The Director will shape how the FCA delivers its strategy, communicates its priorities, provides thought leadership, engages key stakeholders and builds public confidence during a period of significant change for the organisation and the wider financial system. The Director leads internal communications at the FCA, engaging and inspiring our 5,500-strong workforce across London, Leeds and Edinburgh. The role sits as a central member of the FCA’s senior leadership community, with access to the Chief Executive, Deputy Chief Executive, the wider executive team and Board, requiring judgment, credibility and maturity to influence at senior levels inside and outside the FCA.
Note: Role previously stated as part of leadership within the organisation; this description preserves core responsibilities and expectations without introducing new claims.
What will the candidate get from the role?
- Joining the Director and Senior Leadership Team at the FCA during an exciting and challenging time of great change in financial services and its regulation and a fast-changing geopolitical context.
- Leading a directorate of talented and committed people with major operational responsibilities as well as a steady stream of significant projects.
- Exposure to strategic issues and key players in the world of finance, nationally and internationally.
- An opportunity to shape the deployment of technology, data and AI in a demanding and wide-ranging communications role in UK finance and regulation.
Key Responsibilities
- Strategic Advice and Senior Stakeholder Engagement
- Provide trusted counsel to the Chief Executive, Deputy Chief Executive, Board and senior leadership on communications, reputation and stakeholder strategy.
- Support senior leadership in navigating parliamentary, governmental and wider stakeholder scrutiny, including engagement with accountability bodies, industry stakeholders and consumer groups.
- Ensure timely, well-judged positioning and messaging on complex and high-profile issues.
- External Reputation and Narrative
- Shape and deliver a clear and compelling narrative for the FCA as a modern, forward-looking and effective regulator that operates across the UK and influences internationally.
- Lead engagement across media, public affairs, industry and consumer audiences.
- Ensure complex regulatory priorities are communicated with clarity, consistency and impact.
- Oversee the effective management of issues, crises and other high-profile communications activity.
- Oversee the teams responding to freedom of information requests and subject access requests.
- Enterprise Leadership and Strategic Evolution
- Lead the internal communications at the FCA as a role model who inspires and engages colleagues, working closely with the Chief People Officer.
- Contribute beyond the communications function to the FCA’s broader organisational leadership and decision-making.
- Support the delivery of the FCA’s strategy, ensuring communications effectively enable its priorities and direction, including driving the FCA’s strategy internally, particularly its focus on becoming a smarter regulator.
- Help position the FCA externally as a credible, authoritative and forward-looking regulator.
- Align internal and external communications to support organisational priorities and evolving ways of working.
- Leadership of the Communications Function
- Lead a directorate of approximately 120 professionals across multiple locations, including London, Leeds and Edinburgh.
- Work through a strong senior team to deliver high-quality outcomes across media relations, internal communications, digital content, public affairs and stakeholder engagement.
- Build capability in insight-led, data-informed and digitally enabled communications.
- Foster an inclusive, high-performing and collaborative culture.
Location: London, Edinburgh, Leeds
Contract type: Full time, Permanent
Profession: Communications, Director
Working pattern: Flexible working, Hybrid
Closing Date: 13/05/2026
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