Operational/Cyber Resilience Technical Specialist

Job Title: Operational/Cyber Resilience Technical Specialist
Division: Supervision, Policy & Competition (SPC)
Department: Technology, Res​ilience​​ and Cyber (TRC)

- Salary: National (Edinburgh and Leeds) ranging from £74,900 to £86,000 and London £82,300 to £95,000 (salary offered will be based on skills and experience)

- This role is graded as: Technical Specialist – Regulatory

- Your external recruitment contact is Steve Christopher via [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]).
- Your internal recruitment contact is Katherine Whipps via [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]).
- We are recruiting for 2 x Permanent Positions
- 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 financial services in the UK.

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 Technology, Resilience and Cyber Department (TRC) provides specialist expertise across technology, cyber and operational resilience. We work closely with supervisors, policymakers and domestic and international authorities to improve resilience across the financial sector

We are recruiting for two Technical Specialist roles within the Technology, Resilience and Cyber Department (TRC):

- Technical Specialist, Critical Third Party (CTP) Oversight
- Technical Specialist, Operational Resilience

Both roles play a key part in advancing the FCA's operational resilience agenda and supporting a resilient UK financial services sector. Depending on your skills and experience, you may be considered for either opportunity. While the roles share many responsibilities and requirements, each has a distinct focus area. Candidates will be assessed against the opportunity most closely aligned to their experience.

Role responsibilities

- Shape and help guide the FCA’s approach to operational resilience, technology resilience and Critical Third Party oversight, helping safeguard the services that millions of consumers and businesses across the UK depend on every day
- Provide trusted specialist advice to senior leaders, supervisors and decision-makers, supporting regulatory policy, supervisory strategies and outcomes across a rapidly evolving risk landscape
- Lead and contribute to policy development, thematic reviews and resilience initiatives, helping to enhance the FCA’s oversight capabilities and future regulatory approach
- Build constructive relationships with firms and Critical Third Parties, providing challenge, guidance and feedback on resilience arrangements, regulatory expectations and emerging risks
- Play a pivotal role in the FCA’s response to significant operational incidents and disruptions, including periodic on-call responsibilities, helping to protect markets, firms and consumers when it matters most
- Partner with supervisors, firm leads and oversight teams to assess resilience capabilities, provide evidence-based recommendations and support meaningful supervisory action
- Collaborate with UK and international regulators, government bodies and industry partners to shape coordinated responses to resilience challenges and inform industry-wide actions
- Share expertise through coaching, learning and advisory activities, helping to build capability and improve resilience knowledge across the FCA

Skills required

Minimum:

- Prior experience of deep operational resilience, technology resilience, cyber resilience and/or third-party risk management within a complex organisation, ideally in financial services.
- Prior experience of assessing, implementing, overseeing or providing assurance on resilience capabilities, controls or frameworks.
- Prior experience of public speaking, with ability to explain complex issues in an accessible way

Essential:

- Demonstrated experience in one or more of the following areas: operational resilience, technology governance, technology assurance and risk management, third-party risk management, service mapping and design, service continuity and testing, operational resilience within cloud service provision, change management, AI and emerging technology, or Critical Third Party oversight
- Well-developed interpersonal, influencing and stakeholder management skills, with the professionalism and credibility to engage effectively with senior internal and external stakeholders
- Effective written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to translate complex technical issues into clear, engaging messages for senior committees and external audiences
- Advanced analytical capabilities, with the ability to evaluate complex issues, apply sound judgement and make evidence-based recommendations where information may be incomplete
- Ability to lead or deliver projects, including planning, delivery, risk management and stakeholder engagement
- Experience representing an organisation externally on technically complex topics, supported by knowledge of the UK financial system and the evolving operational resilience, technology risk and cyber resilience landscape
- A collaborative and professional approach, with keen attention to detail, resilience under pressure and the ability to respond effectively during incidents or significant events

Benefits

- 28 days annual leave plus bank holidays
- Colleagues spend a minimum of 50% of their working time in the office each month (60% for Directors and Executive Directors) across our London, Leeds and Edinburgh offices.
- 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:

- Job advert close: 8th November 2026 at Midnight

- CV Review/Shortlist:  w/c 9th November 2026

- Interviews: w/c 16th & 23rd November2026
- SC Clearance is required for this role (SC Guidance (https://eur01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gov.uk%2Fgovernment%2Fpublications%2Funited-kingdom-security-vetting-clearance-levels%2Fsc-guidance-pack-for-applicants&data=05%7C02%7CDemi.Scarsella%40fca.org.uk%7C9f3b6e9f0bd2403b467908dcaafda135%7C551f9db3821c44578551b43423dce661%7C1%7C0%7C638573253515600021%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=O4icJrVVef0RCaJA0LmORwcMSk3OpWU%2Bi74JVXscLlc%3D&reserved=0)) - you will hold or will be required to obtain Security Check (SC) level vetting
- 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