UK Finance represents nearly 300 of the leading firms providing finance, banking, mortgages, markets and payments-related services in or from the UK. Formed by combining most of the activities of the Asset Based Finance Association, the British Bankers’ Association, the Council of Mortgage Lenders, Financial Fraud Action UK, Payments UK, and the UK Cards Association, the new body is seeking to create a cohesive and highly functioning external affairs team that exemplifies industry best practice to deliver an outstanding service to its members and stakeholders across the financial services industry.
UK Finance has an important role to play in today’s modern, service-based economy, encapsulated by its CEO Stephen Jones:
‟For millions of people around the country, it is our contactless cards we reach for to pick up a coffee on the way to work and our mobile phones we use to check our bank balances on the go.
The traditional consumer behaviour of visiting a bank to make a deposit, of submitting a loan application by post and meeting a mortgage advisor in person does not mirror the 21st Century experience for many retail and SME consumers of financial services.
As the boundaries between different financial services have become blurred, one of the industry’s challenges has been to ensure products reflect and respond to the needs of all of customers.
These changes present new and fresh opportunities which require a coordinated voice to best support financial services going forward. UK Finance will be that fresh voice: representing around 300 companies in finance, banking, mortgages, markets and payment-related services across the UK and bringing together the expertise and reach of the constituent organisations to achieve the best outcomes for our members and their customers.
As UK Finance, we will push for the UK to retain its position as a world leader in financial services, in turn ensuring customers can access market-leading and innovative products and services in an environment hostile to fraud and resilient to cyber-crime.”
UK Finance aims to be inclusive and collaborative. It acts with one voice where it can, but respects, acknowledges and represents the diversity in the members and their needs, and in the members’ customers, as appropriate. Where it cannot represent the members and its customers with a single voice, it will not seek a lowest common denominator position but will reflect the plurality of views to policy makers.
About the UK Finance External Affairs team
CEO Stephen Jones has spent nearly thirty years working in financial services; including with Santander, Barclays, Citigroup, and Schroders.
In July 2017, Rebecca Park was appointed as UK Finance’s new Head of External Affairs. Previously, Rebecca was Executive Director at the British Bankers Association, and has experience in law, government affairs, and communications. Rebecca’s new role involves reviewing all aspects of UK Finance’s communications and external affairs activity, and she is building a market leading team to position UK Finance as the financial services industry’s go-to organisation, while providing effective representation for its members and their customers across the wider UK and EU regulatory and policy landscapes.
As part of the process of building a new External Affairs team, a number of positions have been created. The Ellwood Atfield team has been appointed as the recruitment partner on this exciting project.
the opportunities
Head of UK Government Affairs
Devise and run a new political engagement strategy for UK Finance. The Head of Government Affairs will build UK Finance’s relationship and profile with ministers and parliamentarians, becoming a trusted advisor to both colleagues and UK Finance’s members. This person will provide political advice and counsel in order to influence on behalf of one of the UK’s most vital industries at this critical time.
Senior Media Relations Manager
Working with the Head of Communications, design and implement the communications strategy for the association, ensuring alignment with the wider membership, and the policy and engagement strategy.
Promote the image of UK Finance and the industry through internal and external communications to enhance customer, member and employee satisfaction and support achievement of the business strategy.
Increase the organisation’s profile and enhance its reputation across all media, and with all relevant influencers and organisations, leading on media relations and including: liaising with journalists, preparing press releases and press briefings. Managing two team members, the Senior Media Relations Manager will also work closely with the Head of Communications to manage reactive issues and crisis communications for the sector.
Media Relations Manager
Work with policy teams and the Head of Communications to identify positive proactive stories to be briefed to journalists on priority issues for UK Finance to promote the industry, ensuring that UK Finance is regularly featured in all relevant media.
Support the Senior Media Relations Manager and Press Officers in handling reactive day to day media relations with a focus on managing the fraud and economic crime agenda including: responding to press calls and drafting reactive lines, coordinating broadcast media bids, preparing press releases and press briefings for the CEO and senior policy colleagues.
Act as a spokesperson for UK Finance on all media outlets and provide an out of hours media service as part of a rota system; and monitoring news and breaking stories and flagging to relevant internal teams.
Senior Press Officer
Support the Senior Media Relations Manager and press team in handling reactive day to day media relations: responding to press calls and drafting reactive lines, coordinating broadcast media bids, preparing press releases and press briefings for the CEO and senior policy colleagues, identifying opportunities to place proactive coverage particularly in trade and SME/business media. There will be ownership of projects so you’ll need to be organised and capable of juggling a varied workload to tight deadlines.
Act as a spokesperson for UK Finance on all media outlets and provide an out of hours media service as part of a rota system; and monitoring news and breaking stories and flagging to relevant internal teams.
Communications Coordinator
Develop and deliver a comprehensive internal and member communications plan for UK Finance working closely with colleagues across External Affairs and wider organisation as required. HR will be responsible for internal communications on all HR issues and the Coordinator will work closely with HR and other colleagues responsible for internal communications on operational issues to ensure all communications are coordinated and aligned with our Vision & Values. In addition, this role will also support the membership team and CEO office to write copy for weekly updates, member updates, newsletters, reports, blogs, etc. This role is a key role in the content and creative team to ensure first class communications material for internal and external use.
Content and Social Media Officer
Help promote the image of UK Finance and the industry through external and internal communications to enhance customer, member, and employee satisfaction, and support achievement of business strategy. This person will be responsible for producing and editing high quality relevant and timely content such as publications, reports, articles, blogs, and social media content.
Shared responsibility for coordinating social media output, producing content and helping with monitoring and evaluation. In addition to working very closely with press office colleagues, the Content and Social Media Officer will also provide back up support to the press office as/if required.
Please select the links below for more information:
Image of UK Finances’ offices, 1 Angel Court.