Innovation Associate

Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom

7/10/2025

Division – Digital, Technology and Innovation (DTI)

Department – Innovation

Salary – National (Edinburgh and Leeds) ranging from £43,100 to £57,000 and London £47,300 to £63,000 pro rata (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.

You’ll Join The Innovation Department In The DTI Division, Helping Shape Forward-thinking Initiatives That Foster Inclusive Growth. This Year, We’re Focusing On Open Finance, AI, Tokenisation And Financial Inclusion. Together, We Aim To

• Support FCA colleagues with insights on emerging technologies
• Build trusted relationships with UK and global stakeholders
• Empower firms through guidance and collaborative engagement
  
  

We work in partnership with a wide range of stakeholders—from firms and trade bodies to innovation networks and international organisations—while nurturing strong connections across the FCA.

What will you be doing?

• Supporting the UK’s transition to Open Finance by contributing to the Smart Data Accelerator and collaborating across Innovation teams
• Designing and delivering open finance use case testing through sprints, co-design sessions and stakeholder engagement
• Conducting research and analysis to generate insights on technologies that enable secure, effective data sharing
• Building strategic partnerships with industry, academia and internal teams to scale the impact of smart data initiatives
• Coordinating cross-functional efforts to ensure timely delivery of Smart Data Accelerator outputs, publications and updates
• Contributing to evolving strategic priorities through research, programme support and input into future direction-setting
  
  

What will you get from the role?

• Be at the forefront of UK innovation, gaining deep insight into emerging technologies, business models and their application in financial services
• Develop a strong understanding of how innovation interacts with current and future regulatory frameworks
• Contribute to high-priority FCA work by applying an innovation lens to regulatory challenges and opportunities
• Engage directly with a diverse range of stakeholders, including pioneering firms and thought leaders in the innovation space
• Collaborate across the Innovation department and wider FCA teams on strategic initiatives
• Play a key role in shaping the FCA’s approach to innovation—informing, influencing and supporting change across the financial ecosystem
  
  

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

• Prior experience carefully analysing complex numerical and written information to support evidence-based insights and decision-making
• Prior experience in policy research and project management to support timely, impactful delivery
• Experience drafting clear, well-structured documents- including briefings, and communicating complex ideas in a way that fosters understanding, alignment and engagement with senior stakeholders
  
  

Essential

• Prior experience building inclusive, trust-based relationships with colleagues and external stakeholders to navigate challenges and deliver shared outcomes
• Genuine interest in technology and innovation, with awareness of developments in UK and global financial services
• Strong organisational skills and a collaborative, team-oriented approach, with a proven track record of contributing to multidisciplinary teams and achieving shared goals
• Sound judgement and analytical thinking, with a flexible, solutions-oriented approach to problem-solving
• Clear and confident communicator, able to explain complex ideas in an accessible way and build trust with varied audiences
• Ability to adapt and balance competing demands while supporting team goals with care and resilience
• Self-motivated and proactive, with a positive, can-do attitude and the ability to stay focused under pressure
  
  

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 (Pro rata)
• 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 Associate- Regulatory
• Advert Closing Date: Wednesday 23rd July 2025 (midnight)
• CV Review/ Shortlist: 25th July 2025
• Interview: w/c 4th August 2025
  
  

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 Steve Christopher on [email protected]

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