Senior Pensions Policy Adviser

Job title: Senior Pension Policy Adviser – 9 Month Fixed Term Contract/Secondment Opportunity

Division: Supervision, Policy and Competition
Department: Buy Side

• Salary: National (Edinburgh and Leeds) ranging from £52,400 to £68,500 and London from £57,700 to £80,000 (salary offered will be based on skills and experience)

• This role is graded as: Senior Associate - Regulatory

• Your recruitment contact is Riley Fox via [[email protected]]. 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).

The Buy-Side Directorate oversees asset management, funds, pensions and alternative investment firms, ensuring they operate with integrity, deliver fair value, and support healthy, competitive markets for consumers and the wider economy.

Role responsibilities

• Turn data and evidence into practical policy solutions, shaping decisions that are credible and outcome‑focused, delivering real benefits for people and partners

• Guide complex policy projects with clarity and confidence, using sound judgement to prioritise effectively, ensuring high‑impact initiatives land on time and with quality

• Build and nurture strong relationships across diverse stakeholder groups, creating trust and collaboration that accelerate progress and amplifies results

• Translate complex issues into clear, compelling messages, presenting insights with confidence so stakeholders understand, engage, and act with purpose

• Contribute to a positive, supportive team culture, adapting your approach to help colleagues succeed and driving collective achievement across shared goals

Skills required

Minimum:

• Prior extensive policy experience (for example, at a regulator, firm or other relevant organisation)

• Prior experience coordinating and delivering cross-cutting projects

Essential:

• Outstanding organisational skills, including the ability to proactively manage complex policy projects by planning, prioritising and managing competing tasks and deadlines

• Making good judgements and being open minded in approach

• Strong stakeholder management skills, building rapport and constructive relationships, taking a collaborative and flexible approach

• Excellent written and oral communication skills, including an ability to distil complex issues into succinct messages and presenting clearly and concisely to a variety of stakeholders

• Management capabilities or leadership skills, including confidence in working with members of the senior leadership team and responding positively to challenge from others

• Flexibility and the ability to deliver effective outcomes in an environment of dynamic change and complexity, by prioritising work and resources to successfully deliver at pace

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 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’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: 

• CV Review/Shortlist: 21st July

• First Interview: w/c 27th July

• Job advert close: 19th July

• 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.  

SC Clearance is required for this role (SC Guidance) - you will hold or will be required to obtain Security Check (SC) level vetting