Policy Advisor - Retail

BBA - British Bankers' Association

London, United Kingdom

The British Bankers’ Association (BBA) is the leading UK banking and financial services trade association and acts on behalf of its members on domestic and international issues. Our 213 banking members are from 50 different countries and collectively provide the full range of banking and financial services. They operate some 150 million accounts and together make up the world’s largest international banking centre.

The BBA’s high level strategic aims are:

1. To restore trust and confidence in banking
2. To be THE principal trade association for banking

Restoring Trust and Confidence in Banking

Trust and confidence in banking in the UK is at a low level and there is widespread hostility to banks among politicians, regulators, the media, consumer groups and some business groups. This makes it difficult for banks to get their legitimate concerns addressed. This represents a big opportunity to improve perception and understanding of the sector. The high level strategic aim of the BBA in 2013-2015 is to work with the banks to rebuild the reputation of the banking sector and of itself.

To achieve this, the BBA should seek to work with the industry to help make the changes necessary to increase public and political support for banking. This will help banks to reclaim public recognition and approval of their essential role in the economy and society more generally. It should aim for a greater appreciation of the benefits to the UK economy and the UK public of having a strong, customer-focussed internationally competitive banking sector, and wider acknowledgement of the very significant changes the industry has undergone since the start of the financial crisis. The ambition should be to restore confidence and trust in banking so that BBA members can fully contribute to the delivery of sustained economic growth and support customers and clients, and so that the sector is no longer a subject for political debate.

As such, the BBA should be seen, both by members and non-members, as an agent of change and part of the solution to the problems in banking, rather than as a defender of the status quo. It should not just react to specific announcements, or be seen to be defending the indefensible, but build on a strategic vision for banking.

THE principal association for banking

The BBA strives to be a highly respected industry association, seen to be working both for the interests of its members, and of the wider economy and the public. It should be an association that third parties are proud to partner with, and its views should command attention and respect. The BBA represents all those offering banking services in the UK, including small banks, private banks, foreign banks, mutuals and challenger banks, and should ensure that it serves all of them. It should actively review and monitor its membership offering to ensure it appeals to all sections of membership.

The BBA continues to lead on representing the industry on regulation, legislation or market infrastructures that either have the potential to, or in reality will affect banks and their customers, including co-ordinating industry wide consensus on both technical and non-technical issues. The BBA should also provide thought leadership in the changing regulatory and economic landscape of financial services and banking. This means looking beyond specific reforms, and providing high level strategic insight into the future of the industry. The BBA should be seen by members as an important first port of call for all non-competitive cross-industry initiatives.

The BBA represents industry views at UK, EU and international level and promotes the role of banking, and of the UK banking sector, across the EU, working in partnership with the European Banking Federation.

To support the BBA’s high level strategic aims, it has a number of high level operational objectives, including;

1. Helping customers
2. Promoting growth
3. Raising standards

A Summary of the Current Vacancy

Vacancies have arisen within the Retail Banking Team for two Retail Policy Advisers, which presents a superb development opportunity for ambitious candidates looking for depth insights in retail banking and C-level exposure for their portfolio responsibilities. These are demanding and high profile roles under consistent media scrutiny, with frequent interaction with retail banks’ leadership teams and within the political and regulatory conduct community. 

The Retail Team is structured to closely align with the core retail banking activities of taking deposits, providing loans and making payments and reports to the Retail Policy Committee, comprising the Heads of Retail Banking for the UK’s largest retail banks. The broad focus of the roles will centre around policy related activity focussed on the BBA’s strategic aims, both in the UK and abroad. 

The successful candidate will therefore be expected to:

• Act largely on their own initiative (a ‘self-starter’) to challenging timelines;
• Support the formulation of compelling policy approaches that support the BBA’s strategic aims and high level operational objectives;
• Establish and retain effective relationships with individuals and bodies within and important to the industry by building networks of domestic and pan European contacts to provide insights and support BBA policy thinking;
• Develop the necessary thinking that influences debates and enables the BBA’s executive to negotiate effectively to embed this thinking across the sector;
• Develop key messages that enable the BBA to communicate effectively to a range of stakeholders, including the media and general public.

In a more generic sense, the main duties – for which experience would be preferred – are to:

• Gather intelligence on banking policy and regulatory issues of importance to members by liaising with key stakeholders both in the UK and Europe. This would include monitoring closely and advising colleagues/members of all EU Commission, Council and Parliamentary activities that impact on retail banking. Travel to Brussels and Strasbourg and other European cities for meetings and other key events is a part of the roles;
• Identify specific issues and legislative proposals that are of interest or concern to the BBA and its members. These will be predominantly in the areas of economic, monetary and social/consumer affairs;
• Formulate, by consensus, an ‘industry-view’ on issues and risks;
• Help the BBA to gain an influential audience for ‘industry-views’ that achieves outcomes in their best interests;
• Give best advice and support to members to enable them to cope with legislative and regulatory change;
• Produce top quality reports/recommendations to be presented orally or in writing.

Management/Supervisory responsibilities

Direct Reports: None

Education and Experience

Qualifications/education required

• A good standard of education including possibly a professional or other qualification;
• Membership of a professional body preferred.

Experience required

• Familiarity with financial markets;
• Familiarity with the regulatory and legislative framework for banking.

Knowledge/skills required

• Problem solving abilities;
• Strong analytical skills;
• Appreciation of personal financial services;
• Negotiating skills and persuasiveness;
• Diplomacy and political awareness.

Personal attributes

• Strong inter-personal skills;
• Team working skills;
• Mental flexibility and agility;
• Imagination and creativity (original thinking);
• Dynamism and hard-work ethos;
• Goal oriented and high sense of commitment;
• Tolerance of frustration and a sense of humour;
• Strong presentations skills – in writing and speaking;
• Computer literacy.

Applications no later than 12th June to recruitment@bba.org.uk.