Company Description

The Personal Investment Management and Financial Advice Association (PIMFA) is the trade association for firms that provide investment services and financial advice to everyone from individuals and families to charities, pension funds, trusts and companies. 

PIMFA was created in 2017 as the outcome of a merger between the Association of Professional Financial Advisers (APFA) and the Wealth Management Association (WMA), with a history as a trade association since 1991.

We are a small team with a culture of collaboration, innovation and excellence, who were recently named as one of the best small places to work in the UK by the Sunday Times survey. We have a can-do attitude, which makes PIMFA a great place to work.  Our team consists of hardworking, fresh-thinking people of all ages who are friendly, good-humoured and dedicated.

Our members look to us for sector-specific strategic direction and analysis of market trends and changes, policy and regulatory advocacy, insights and implementation support, networking, and learning and development.

We lead industry, government and regulatory engagement on a broad range of topics, such as building a culture of retail savings and investments in the UK, new technology and its impacts, cybersecurity and resilience, social impact and ESG, regulatory change, and political and government affairs.

www.pimfa.co.uk

Job Description

The Senior Policy Adviser is a role that requires substantive leadership and hands-on interaction with a broad range of stakeholders across our membership, regulators and government, drawing on their significant experience working within regulatory compliance within the wealth management industry. Operating with autonomy, the role requires the ability to understand and lead key groups of stakeholders within the PIMFA membership, providing expert opinion on matters of regulatory compliance and interpretation to member firms and advice on the practical application of policy as it is developed.

Qualifications

As Senior Policy Adviser, you will:

• Report to the PIMFA Director of Government Relations, and the PIMFA Head of Public Affairs
• Work within the PIMFA Policy Team, acting as the senior policy and regulatory lead on all matters of importance affecting wealth management and intermediary distribution, including DFMs and platforms. This will include:
  • Developing and driving forward a clear strategic roadmap and book of work with members across a wide range of focus areas. For example, recent areas of focus have included Consumer Duty, product/costs and charges disclosures, regulatory structure and post-Brexit rulebook changes to fund and Model Portfolio Services (MPS) regulation
  • Leading and facilitating member and external stakeholder meetings, workshops, and roundtables, including agenda setting, minutes and actions 
  • Independently drafting consultation responses, policy papers, briefing notes, presentations and reports
  • Responding to member queries and facilitating best practices and benchmarking within the membership, such as addressing compliance obligations or regulatory interpretation
  • Engaging with third parties, such as PIMFA Associates members or other industry providers, to bring expertise and value-add to members (such as consultancy, legal, compliance and tax expertise)
• Collaborate with members and the PIMFA Policy Team to identify strategic and tactical areas of policy and regulation where influence or technical support is required to advance the interests of firms, consumers, and the sector
• Support the discreet DFM Connect  and UK Platform Group (UKPG) membership groups to develop a collective voice on matters of shared importance, to support collaboration across these interdependent sectors and to ensure connection within the broader PIMFA membership and Committees and Working Groups
• Build and maintain relationships with key stakeholders within the regulator, government and other relevant industry organisations and trade associations
• Represent PIMFA at virtual and in-person conferences, seminars and roundtables
• Assist other PIMFA business areas in growing our reach and membership, such as strategic partnerships, communications, events, and learning and development
• Keeping up to date on key developments in the UK concerning regulatory change and the interest of the members, sharing relevant knowledge and analysis with members and the PIMFA Policy Team

Requirements

The successful candidate will be highly experienced, credible and knowledgeable within the UK wealth management industry, including the DFM and intermediary and/or investment platform sector, having worked extensively in regulatory compliance, operations or intermediary sales roles.

The successful candidate must demonstrate the following key requirements for the role:

• Significant experience working within the wealth management, intermediary and/or investment platform industry in the UK (min 10+ years’ experience)
• Extensive knowledge of the front-to-back business and operations of DFMs and/or investment platforms
• In-depth knowledge and experience in navigating, understanding, and interpreting the FCA Handbook as it relates to wealth management and/or investment platforms
• A deep knowledge of regulatory compliance, technology and operational issues and challenges within the wealth management sector
• Excellent verbal and written communication, analytical and research abilities, and presentation skills
• Proven ability to build, sustain and influence positive relationships across a broad range of senior stakeholders and conflicting interests
• Meticulous attention to detail, self-initiating, well-organised and capable of managing multiple projects and delivering on time
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced environment and able to deliver and adapt under pressure, giving clear direction and holding others to account for delivery
• Proven ability to work with peers and within a small team, demonstrating excellent team collaboration and a positive, can-do attitude
• Act as a mentor and role model within the PIMFA Policy Team and broader organisation, taking action to support the wider business in other internal projects or commercial activities
• Enthusiastic, with a demonstrable interest in policy and the importance and role of retail financial markets

Additional Information

What is in it for you? 

• A full-time or part-time opportunity with a competitive annual salary
• Annual discretionary bonus (on completion of probation and based on individual and firm performance)
• Workplace pension scheme (on completion of probation)
• Option to join a medical scheme (on completion of probation)
• Life assurance
• 25 days holiday plus Christmas/New Year closure
• Genuine work-life balance with flexible working offered. Predominantly home-based but expected to attend regular internal and external meetings as required (expenses and per-diem allowances for all travel from home base); drop-in space available in London but with hubs in other UK cities (Manchester and Reading)
• Continuous learning and development. Opportunity to grow with a supportive management structure to help you realise your potential
• Holistic support
• PIMFA is an equal opportunities employer and was voted in the top 100 best places to work, small businesses by the Sunday Times 2023

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