Director, Advocacy

AFME is looking for a highly motivated and experienced financial services advocacy professional with a strong interest in the development of European capital markets to join our advocacy team.

The focus on the role will be securities markets regulation, and in particular EU & UK MIFID/MiFIR, although this and other aspects of the portfolio may vary over time depending on business needs.

You will play a key role in AFME’s advocacy team which designs and implements tailored advocacy strategies on behalf of our membership. The team is responsible for navigating the dynamic and complex policy making environments in the EU and UK, as well as for ensuring AFME messages on proposed policy initiatives are delivered to official sector stakeholders in a targeted, effective and coherent manner, taking the wider political agenda into account.

Based in Brussels and active across the EU and UK, you will draw on your deep understanding of market functioning, EU & UK securities regulation and rule-making processes as well as your political acumen to promote policymaking which supports capital market development. You will work closely with member firms and AFME’s policy experts to shape and convey our messages to policymakers and will have exposure to a wide range of official sector stakeholders and other trade associations.

Key Responsibilities

• Drive AFME’s MIFID/MiFIR related advocacy work: partner with members and policy teams to establish clear advocacy objectives for our work in this strategic area for the organisation, in both the EU & UK. Formulate and deliver tailored positions, supporting analysis and tailored outreach plans with respect to relevant official sector stakeholders and private sector partners.
• Develop and execute advocacy plans in other policy areas depending on the evolution of the financial services policy landscape and the organisation’s priorities
• Working closely with our communications team, drive public communication strategies across key regulatory issues.
• Actively shape AFME’s strategic advocacy priorities and contribute to AFME-wide initiatives to relay these to senior official sector stakeholders; provide high-level briefings to senior management and relevant member committees as needed.
• Leverage and grow a network of contacts including relationships within the European Commission, the European Parliament, ESMA, Member States, NCAs and UK authorities.
• Build industry collations with trade associations representing the financial service industry and beyond, including the buy-side, financial market infrastructures, corporates and civil society, understanding their positions and objectives.
• Represent the association’s views in various associations, fora, at conferences, etc.
• Contribute to our international engagement as part of GFMA, AFME’s global umbrella organisation.

Skills, Knowledge and Expertise

Essential:

• 10+ years’ experience in European financial services policy acquired within the EU institutions or other relevant authority (e.g. securities regulator, etc.), a top tier financial institution or financial market infrastructure, trade association or similar.
• Demonstrated knowledge of the EU & UK regulatory framework for equities and fixed income trading (MIFID/MiFIR) and of EU & UK legislative/regulatory and/or supervisory processes.
• In depth understanding of European capital markets landscape and the role of AFME’s member banks therein.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English and one additional EU language.
• Ability to distil complex, technical issues into briefings for senior management and impactful political and/or public communication.
• Familiarity with the relevant European trade association landscape.
• Highest professional integrity, strong self-motivation, collaborative attitude and intellectual curiosity.
• Ability to function effectively and calmy in a challenging, fast-paced team environment.
• Proven ability to work across a wide range of policy issues and rapidly develop technical understanding of new areas.

Desirable:

• Demonstrated experience of the regulatory/supervisory environment within one or more Member States

Benefits

• 27 days Annual Holiday Allowance
• Additional 1 day Birthday Holiday
• Additional 3 days Christmas Holiday
• Hospitalization Insurance
• Dental Insurance
• Pension Scheme – AFME contributes 10% of an employee’s basic salary
• Life Assurance of 4x base salary
• Disability Protection
• Worldwide Business and Leisure Travel Insurance
• Meal and Eco Vouchers
• Cycle to Work Scheme
• 4pm Friday Finish
• Hybrid working 3x office days and flexi-start/finish times