Financial Conduct Authority |

We regulate the conduct of 50,000 firms in the UK to ensure that our financial markets are honest, competitive and fair.

Our role

Financial markets must be honest, fair and effective so consumers get a fair deal. We work to ensure that these markets work well for individuals, for businesses and for the economy as a whole.

We do this by:

• regulating the conduct of around 50,000 businesses
• prudentially supervising 48,000 firms
• setting specific standards for around 18,000 firms

Why we do it

Financial services play a critical role in the lives of everyone in the UK, from junior ISAs to pensions, direct debits to credit cards, loans to investments.

How well financial markets work has a fundamental impact on us all.

UK financial services employ over 1.1 million people and contribute about £75 billion in tax per year. Based on our policy and enforcement work, we estimate that we add at least £11 of benefits to consumers and small businesses for every pound we spend.

If UK markets work well, competitively and fairly they benefit customers, staff and shareholders, and maintain confidence in the UK as a global financial hub.

When you apply to one of our programmes, you'll go through the combination of tests and interviews.

• Submit application form

During this initial stage, we’ll confirm whether you meet the minimum requirements for our programme.

We’ll ask you to give details of your education and any previous work experience you may have had.

• Online tests

If your initial application meets our requirements, we’ll ask you to complete an online strengths-based assessment.

We strongly encourage you to familiarise yourself with the test format, practice and read the instructions carefully when it comes to the real thing.

• Motivational questionnaire

Next, you’ll be invited to fill out a motivational questionnaire.

This will ask for your reasons for applying to the FCA and your chosen programme area.

We’ll also ask you to demonstrate some wider commercial awareness by explaining the FCA’s role within financial services.

• Telephone interview

We’ll then ask you to undertake a 30-minute telephone interview which will cover your motivation, values and competencies.

Again, we’ll ask you to tell us in more detail why you feel you’re suited to a placement at the FCA and what you feel you can bring to the organisation.

We encourage you to look online for sample competency-based interview questions to help you prepare.

• Assessment centre

This is the final stage of the process. Our assessment centres last half a day and consist of 3 exercises.

Here, you’ll undertake an analysis task, a presentation exercise and an interview.

Useful tips!

We look for our values in all candidates. You should bear these in mind, especially during your telephone interview and at the assessment centre.

When you're asked for examples, try to give ones which relate to you and how you demonstrate them.

Our values represent the culture we aspire to every day, guiding us, building trust and helping us achieve our objectives.

We believe that the people we work with are just as important as the work that we do when it comes to a fulfilling career. Our people are what makes the FCA a great workplace, and listening to our people is central to our success.

We empower everyone to speak up, be curious and want to continuously improve. And our employee network groups play a huge role in shaping the environment we work in. Our networks cover physical and mental health, LGBT+, gender, race and ethnicity, nationality, faith, social mobility and carers and parents. Each group is autonomous and run by its members, with its own self-defined aims, objectives and personality.

Flexible working

We believe that giving our people greater flexibility fosters an inclusive culture and a healthy work-life balance.

We currently operate a hybrid working model, working up to 40% in the office each month (50% for senior leaders). This way of working applies in our Stratford and Leeds offices and will apply in our Edinburgh office once the office refurbishment is complete.

We also offer career and family leave provisions, generous annual leave so you can take time off when you need or want to, and a range of other benefits.

Your health and wellbeing

We want our people to be engaged and productive while at work, and your wellbeing is our priority. We're committed to creating an environment that enables you to do your best work.

Our wellbeing services include:

• private medical insurance
• Employee Assistance Programme
• GP doctor service
• annual health assessments
• occupational health services, including workplace assessments
• physiotherapy
• mental health first aid

On top of this, we organise monthly wellbeing events and seminars aligned to our wellbeing calendar. These sessions cover a variety of health and wellbeing topics, and accompany other awareness sessions and manager training that we organise.

We work best when we work together. We encourage our people to contribute fully and feel valued, to be innovative and creative by collaborating in an inclusive culture.

We're also committed to reflecting the diverse lived experiences of the communities we work in and the consumers we protect. We have a strategy to achieve a more diverse and inclusive workplace that is free from discrimination. This includes increasing the representation of women in our senior team to 50% and minority ethnic colleagues to 13% by 2025 – representative of the UK population.

We were recently voted 'Employer of the year' at the Women in Finance awards and our commitment to LGBT+ inclusion means we're recognised as a Stonewall Top 100 employer.