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FCA Financial Services Consumer Panel

Vacancies for Panel Members

Help shape the future of financial services regulation in the UK. We are seeking experienced individuals who can bring an independent consumer perspective and provide robust challenge to the FCA’s most significant policy and regulatory decisions to join the Financial Services Consumer Panel (the Panel).

About the FCA

The Financial Conduct Authority is the conduct regulator for nearly 42,000 financial services firms and financial markets in the UK and the prudential supervisor for 41,000 firms, setting specific standards for 17,000 firms.

The FCA’s strategic objective is to make sure relevant markets function well and has outlined how it will achieve this in its 5-year strategy. Its operational objectives are to protect consumers, protect the integrity of the UK financial system and to promote effective competition in the interests of consumers. It also has a secondary objective to facilitate the international competitiveness and growth of the UK economy in the medium to long term.

The role of the Panel

The Panel is established under statute and is independent of the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). It represents the interests of consumers of financial services (including small business consumers) to the FCA. Its vision is for financial services markets to work well for consumers. Its role is to ensure that the consumer interest is considered as part of the FCA’s policy development and implementation.

Panel members offer constructive advice and challenge to help the FCA deliver its strategic and operational objectives throughout the policy cycle. They engage directly with the FCA at all levels, including the Chair, CEO and Executive Committee, to help shape the regulator’s policies, rules and responses to emerging issues that affect financial services consumers and small businesses. Through this work, Panel members have a genuine opportunity to influence regulatory thinking and improve outcomes for consumers across the UK. The Panel is supported by a Secretariat provided by the FCA.

Membership of the Panel is made by individual appointment. Panel members do not represent any one organisation or business.

Further details about the Panel’s work and its current membership can be found on the Panel's website.

The roles

The FCA is looking to appoint three new members to replace outgoing Panel members.

Successful candidates will be able to demonstrate significant expertise and a demonstrable track record of contributing to consumer, policy or financial services issues in one or more of the following areas:

• Mortgages and Consumer Finance

• Retail Investments

• Retail Insurance

We are particularly interested in hearing from current or former senior leaders, subject matter experts, academics, consumer advocates, policy specialists and professionals who have influenced decision-making at a strategic level. Relevant expertise may have been gained through professional practice, research, advocacy, entrepreneurship, public policy, lived experience or work with consumers and communities.

We are particularly keen to hear from applicants from the Devolved Nations to ensure the Panel benefits from a broad range of perspectives on how financial services policy affects consumers across all parts of the UK. We value insight into how financial services interact with devolved public services, consumer support systems and local economic conditions.

Most Panel activity can be undertaken remotely, enabling individuals from all parts of the UK to participate fully.

The roles require a strong and demonstrable affinity with the interests and concerns of consumers from across all socio-economic and demographic backgrounds and small businesses, and the ability to analyse new initiatives and policy across the breadth of the FCA’s activities from the consumer perspective.

Candidates do not need to have followed a single traditional career path: we welcome applications from people who can demonstrate credible insight, judgement and the ability to contribute constructively to strategic policy discussions.

In addition, they should be able to demonstrate:

• A strong interest in, or track record of representing the interests of consumers from across society, including those with vulnerable characteristics.

• Demonstrable experience of contributing to policy, consumer advocacy, research, financial services and related public interest issues, with a track record of providing advice, evidence and constructive challenge to senior decision-makers.

• A sound understanding of the FCA’s role and objectives and the impact of FCA policy and regulation on financial services and, by extension, on consumers, and the ability to quickly grasp a wide range of complex financial issues.

• Self-motivated and able to independently manage and prioritise their workload and time effectively.

• Strong analytical and drafting skills and the ability to engage, collaborate and communicate effectively with FCA and other stakeholders at all levels, including at Board and Executive Committee level.

• A commitment to diversity and inclusion and to reflecting the diversity of consumers’ lives.

• The ability to act in an independent advisory capacity and to respect the confidential nature of discussions.

We are proud to be a Disability Confident Employer, and therefore, people or individuals with disabilities and long-term conditions who best meet the 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. (To learn more about the Disability Confident Scheme Click Here)

Members are expected to attend twice-monthly formal Panel meetings (normally held on the first and third Wednesdays of each month, except in August) and other ad hoc meetings to discuss specific issues.

Meetings include in-person meetings at the FCA’s offices in Stratford and on-line meetings. With remote participation supporting members from across the UK. Members should maintain expertise in a particular subject area, develop relevant networks and be accountable for leading on consultation responses and discussions on issues relating to that area, representing the Panel within the FCA and contributing to projects and the Panel’s forward agenda.

Appointments are made by the FCA Board, usually for a term of three years. Successful candidates should expect to commit to no fewer than 35 days per annum and will be eligible for a fee of £16,500 per annum.

Additional Information

All applicants are required to demonstrate that they do not have other interests likely to conflict with their responsibilities as an appointment by the FCA. Any potential conflict of interest should be declared as early as possible in the selection process. As such, these positions are not suitable for those who are currently employed in FCA regulated firms, the financial regulatory family or consumer lobbying organisations.

Candidates should also be aware that legislation prohibits Panel members from receiving other remuneration from the FCA, the PSR, HMT, the PRA, or the Bank of England, including for other paid panels, advice, or consultancy work.

All Panel members are expected to read and comply with the Panels’ Conflict of Interests Policy and declare to the Panel Secretariat any interests/relationships that may give rise to any actual or potential conflicts of interest. With this in mind, candidates are reminded of the Seven Principles of Public Life: selflessness, objectivity, integrity, accountability, openness, honesty and leadership (more information can be found here).

Due diligence

Candidates undergo several rounds of thorough due diligence throughout the entirety of the selection process. Applicants must be able to demonstrate that they hold, and will need to maintain for the duration of the appointment, the right to work in the UK.

Initial due diligence undertaken throughout the assessment process may include, but is not limited to, reviewing publicly available information such as an applicant’s social media presence and media footprint, as well as conducting a Credit Check Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks. Data held by the FCA on applicants for regulatory purposes may also be referenced where relevant.

The appointment of successful candidates is subject to and dependent on further due diligence and security vetting to Security Check (SC) level. The National Security Vetting privacy notice explains how SC level data is shared and who the data controllers are.

The FCA Values & Diversity

The FCA’s ambition is to create a diverse and inclusive workplace that reflects the society we serve, helping us to be a better regulator. We serve the public and our decisions directly affect the wellbeing of people, businesses and the UK economy. So, our values matter. They represent the culture we aspire to every day, guiding our judgements, building trust and helping us to be ‘At our best’.

As a forward-facing organisation which is continually working to drive improvements for everyone who uses financial services, the FCA is looking for people who share our openness and determination. In addition to gender diversity, the FCA’s commitment to diversity and inclusion has a broader range which includes disability, ethnicity, LGBT and gender identity through to mental health and social mobility issues. Further details on the FCA’s diversity and inclusion targets can be found here.

The Panel is equally keen to achieve a more diverse and inclusive membership. We want the Panel to reflect the breadth of consumer experience across the UK, including different professional backgrounds, regions, communities and career stages. We therefore encourage applications from people who can bring fresh perspectives as well as established expertise.

How to apply

Please apply via the FCA Careers portal (www.fca.org.uk/careers) including a CV and a covering letter which sets out the vacancy you are applying for, your interest in the role and encapsulates the aspects of your experience relevant to the required criteria.

Application Support

We want to remove any possible barriers and are committed to providing a wide range of reasonable adjustments so that you can keep the focus on your conversations and be at your best.

If you have an accessibility requirement, disability, or condition that means you might require changes to the recruitment process, please contact your recruiter to discuss this further. Our aim is to make your application as easy as possible, and your recruiter will be happy to work with you to make any necessary arrangements where possible.

The closing date for applications is 18 September 2026.

To help us manage interviews efficiently, we may begin interviewing candidates before the closing date and therefore encourage applications to be submitted as early as may be convenient to you. However, applications will be considered throughout the recruitment period, and we welcome submissions at any time up to the closing date.

Following receipt of your application you will receive an email inviting you to complete a Diversity Monitoring Form. This will assist the FCA in monitoring selection decisions to assess whether equality of opportunity is being achieved. Any information collated from the Diversity Monitoring Forms will not be used as part of the selection process and will be treated as strictly confidential.

If you would like to discuss any of the roles further, please contact the Panel Secretariat at Enquiries@fs-cp.org.uk.

The FCA processes your personal data in line with UK GDPR, DPA 2018 and the Equality Act 2010. For further information, please read our privacy notice available here.