Fintech Regulatory Innovation Internship

Overview

Become an intern with the Regulatory Innovation team at the Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance (CCAF) and work with regulators in their efforts to respond to regulatory challenges and regulatory innovation.

Duration:
Three to six months

Time commitment:
15-35 hours

Format:
Remote

The programme

The Centre’s Fintech Regulatory Innovation Internship Programme is primarily for those who want to build with specific knowledge or experience in regulating Fintech and/or regulatory innovation. We create research focused on supporting regulators to navigate the changing environment of digital financial services and Fintech, as well in understanding their efforts for regulatory transformation through innovation.

One of our main outputs is a regional regulatory survey that maps out regulatory opinion globally on specific issues relating to Fintech and regulatory innovation initiatives. The teams also contributes to the regulatory forum run by the CCAF the Regulatory Knowledge Exchange. The CCAF has initiated key programmes on regulatory innovation as regulators innovate in response to financial innovation. Part of the program is a comprehensive research on initiatives such as regulatory sandboxes, innovation offices and regtech.

The role

You will work with the regulatory innovation team. The team is responsible for delivering research on regulatory innovation, working closely with regulators across the world. The team is also responsible to engaging with regulators in the existing forum, the regulatory knowledge exchange. An advantage is given to those who have worked with or for a financial regulator on the subject of alternative finance/fintech, or students pursuing education in this area, or whose subject knowledge area is in law, statistics or empirical economics.

Over the course of the internship, successful candidates will work directly with the regulation team of experts at the CCAF in a dynamic, flexible research centre of excellence. They are to support the CCAF’s programmes and initiatives on the regulation of alternative finance, including but not limited to research, capacity building and education, and the development of digital tools. This is a great opportunity to work with the Centre’s network of influential collaborative partners across the world.

Main responsibilities

Research

A key focus of our team is regulatory innovation research:

Scoping and summarising of literature (including academic, regulatory, and industry-specific publications).
Ensuring our regulatory database of existing frameworks in 53 jurisdictions is up to date.
Expanding the regulatory database with more jurisdictions and/or fintech verticals.
Drafting surveys for regulators.
Engaging with specific parts of the data and literature and writing reports under supervision.

Liaison and communication

Stakeholder management (maintaining existing relationships).
Partner outreach (eg regulators and multinational organizations, individual experts and contributors).
Disseminating information on the Regulatory Knowledge Exchange platform.
Ensuring delivery of survey to regulators.

Benefits

As an intern you:

will gain practical research experience and insights into the inner workings of a leading research institute
learn on the current challenges facing regulators and the global trends in terms of regulatory innovation initiatives.
may be offered financial reimbursement for expenses (relative to your personal circumstances up to £800/month in case of full-time commitment and £400/month for part-time)
will work with a world-leading research institute and have access to the knowledge sharing sessions with peers and experts from the Centre
might be invited to be co-authors of research papers.
will receive a certificate upon successful completion of the internship programme to accelerate your career in digital assets by enhancing your CV.

Fintech regulation in Sub-Saharan Africa: detailing the current landscape for regulatory frameworks and regulatory innovation initiatives in sub-Saharan Africa. CCAF’s Finance Programme and Regulation
2020 Global COVID-19 Fintech Regulatory Rapid Assessment Study: Detailing the regulatory response to the COVID-19 pandemic, in partnership with the World Bank.
Legal and Regulatory Considerations for Digital Assets: providing a comparative study of cryptoasset regulation.

About you

We are a diverse team, which a range of characteristics, but we value the following qualities, skills and attributes.  In addition to our simple application form you are asked to provide a CV and cover letter demonstrating how your own experience meets these requirements. 

Essential characteristics

Experience in fintech, financial services regulation and/or regulatory innovation.
Direct experience of working with/for a financial regulator/central bank/relevant authority.
Bachelors, Masters or PhD with a background preferably in law, finance, economics or social sciences.
Driven and committed, demonstrating initiative, self-motivation, and eagerness to familiarise with new concepts.
Excellent time management and planning skills with a commitment to deliver and being held accountable.
Ability to work independently as well as being part of an interdisciplinary team in a collaborative project.

Desirable characteristics

Experience in conducting desk research, content analysis, data curation, user experience, and stakeholder management.
Strong writing and communication skills (English); able to organise ideas logically and effectively, while clearly communicating those that are interesting and important to specific underlying research-related topics.
Statistical skills, including modelling and data analysis.