There's a vast number of opportunities for bright graduates in Financial Services. We've pulled together some of the top firms in the sector.
Admiral
The only company to have been voted as one of the best to work for every year since 2001, Admiral’s award-winning service is based on exceptional people and their unique company culture. Admiral Group is based in Wales, with its head office in Cardiff. It also operates in several other countries.
What can Admiral offer you?
Admiral was named 6th best big company to work for by the Sunday Times in 2016, and pops up on this kind of list incredibly often. There’s even an official company organisation called the Ministry of Fun. It organises celebrations, events and entertainment, and is dedicated to making sure everyone at the company has a good time. Admiral’s philosophy is that people who like what they do, do better.
Admiral runs a popular graduate scheme covering areas like renewals, marketing and business support. Graduates work towards a recognised management qualification. Admiral also offers internships for penultimate year students.
American Express
The world’s largest credit card issuer, American Express has earned its reputation for quality. Now it’s seeking a broad range of employees to continue its mission to better serve its customers.
What can American Express offer you?
American Express offers graduate positions across Technology, Marketing, Finance, Operations, Risk and Consultancy. Our full-time and internship positions, also known as Spring insight weeks are designed to strengthen your skills, hone your natural talents and advance your career journey.
Bank of America Merrill Lynch
One of the world’s largest financial institutions, Bank of America offers the full range of banking, investing, asset management and other financial and risk management products and services.
What can Bank of America Merrill Lynch offer you?
They have a range of global opportunities for graduates in the US, Canada and the Middle East, from corporate banking analysts, sales and trading associate programmes and technology analysts. Their inclusive workplace allows all employees to be themselves, achieve personal success and contribute to the responsible growth of the company. The company also has a long heritage of supporting women’s economic empowerment and leadership, both through external partnerships and in-house. This has seen them gain recognition as Euromoney’s 2017 World’s Best Bank for Corporate Social Responsibility and the 2016 World’s Best Bank for Diversity award.
Bank of England
Bank of England is dedicated to maintaining the monetary and financial stability of the UK. They offer bright minds the chance to work on high-profile and high-impact projects while learning from world-leading professionals.
What can Bank of England offer you?
Unusually, the Bank of England offers a 6-week internship for first year students. It also offers the more traditional penultimate year internships. These run for 8 weeks and focus on collecting and analysing data.
The 2-year graduate programme is open to all degree disciplines. It focuses on developing the skills you need to become an expert analyst. You’ll have a chance to choose the area of work that interests you the most.
The Bank of England’s goal isn’t to make money – it’s to provide the best analysis to help make decisions for the country’s economy. Although you’re in the financial realm, you have some of the satisfaction you might find working at a non-profit organisation. See Bank of England's employer profile.
BGC Partners
BGC Partners is a pioneering global brokerage company servicing the financial and real estate markets. Their employees are central to their business strategy and they know the importance of recruiting and retaining top-tier talent.
What can BGC Partners offer you?
With opportunities across the globe, BGC offers a range of graduate jobs that will kick-start your career in this sector. When you're working at BGC Partners, you'll find that you will have direct influence over technology choices progressing the firm forward with its objectives to service all-tier banking needs. The company also strives to have a friendly, social and collaborative working environment that employees can thrive in.
Bloomberg
Delivering critical information to the world’s key decision-makers sees that Bloomberg’s role in world affairs is never underestimated. Minds looking for a fast-paced environment are always in demand.
What can Bloomberg offer you?
Bloomberg has a range of graduate schemes such as data analyst, analytics and sales to Russian speaking data specialists. They also encourage work experience with their insight weeks which are a great opportunity for students to learn what a professional environment is like. Their ever expanding array of technology, data, news and multimedia services afford employees the opportunity to expand their skills and connect with smart, driven colleagues from diverse backgrounds.
Financial Conduct Authority
The FCA is crucial in ensuring consumers are provided with appropriate products and that the financial industry is run with integrity. Graduates can expect the opportunity to make a difference while learning from industry experts.
What can Financial Conduct Authority offer you?
They offer a variety of graduate programmes in data science, economics, human resources and strategy and competition. Along with their 10-week summer internships that offer you the chance to work and learn alongside industry professionals - if successful, you could be offered a place on one of their 2022 graduate programmes.
They look for individuals with the skills and tenacity to see a problem and create a solution, along with those who aren’t daunted by big businesses and tackle challenges.
The experience you gain working with them would be invaluable, so no matter whether you’re passionate about regulation or would like to pursue a career in finance further down the line, a grounding at the FCA is a great place to start.
Greensill
With a team comprised of experienced finance professionals operating on three continents, learn from the best and build an excellent career specialising in structured trade finance, working capital optimisation, speciality financing and contract monetisation.
What can Greensill offer you?
Greensill offers a range of exciting opportunities for interns, graduates and MBA students, providing you with the flexibility to choose a path that works for you, and to create a future that's more fulfilling for us all. Their diverse, global offices combine bright thinkers from different backgrounds working autonomously and creatively to find new ways to re-invent the industry.
They emphasise on their flat company structure, which means that if you're an intern or graduate, you'll get the opportunity to learn alongside senior leadership, network with peers and receive structured feedback on progress.
Guernsey Financial Services Commission
The Guernsey Financial Services Commission (GFSC) is the regulatory body for the finance sector in Guernsey. The Commission’s primary objective is to regulate and supervise financial services in Guernsey, with integrity, proportionality and professional excellence, and in so doing help to uphold the international reputation of Guernsey as a finance centre.
What can Guernsey Financial Services Commission offer you?
Their Graduate Development Programme ensures employees receive all the skills they need to supervise and develop the Guernsey finance industry with integrity and efficiency. During the programme the graduate will also undertake and learn general tasks such as writing reports and letters, project research and making recommendations, on-site visits plus many more aspects of the role.
Lloyds Banking Group
Lloyds Banking Group is focused on retail and commercial financial services, they look for passionate individuals with the drive to innovate. Help customers achieve their goals and dreams, in their home lives and their businesses.
What can Lloyds Banking Group offer you?
Lloyds Banking Group offers graduates a wide range of opportunities to make a real impact through brands like Lloyds Bank, Halifax, Scottish Widows and Bank of Scotland. They also offer a friendly and supportive work environment, where balance is valued, flexible working patterns and ongoing well-being support are championed, and everyone feel free to be themselves.
Overall, graduates will be given opportunities to make a real difference for customers, communities and colleagues.
London Stock Exchange
One of the world’s oldest and largest stock exchanges. Its information services division supplies real time prices and trading data. The London Stock Exchange Group is headquartered in London, and has offices in several other countries including the USA, Italy and the UAE.
What can London Stock Exchange offer you?
LSEG offers graduate programmes in both business and technology, which prepare you for a leadership role. You’ll complete 3 distinct 6-month rotations, getting a broad understanding of the business. Some rotations may be overseas.
The 9 week summer internships are tasters of the graduate programmes. They offer a chance to show what you can do and be considered for a spot the following year.
As a central part of the London financial markets, an LSEG position will look fantastic on your CV and provide you with contacts you can use throughout your career. It’s a working environment where your skills are developed and your performance is recognised.
MOODY’S
Moody’s is recognised for the important role it plays in shaping the thinking of participants in credit-risk sensitive markets. Its employees provide products and services that make a difference in global and local markets.
What can Moody's offer you?
As a graduate with Moody’s Investors Service, you’ll join a business with over 100 years of expertise in credit ratings and research. And, you'll be part of a team of innovative and insightful professionals to develop cutting-edge products, and help tackle complex credit risk management challenges.
They look for smart, talented, driven individuals from all backgrounds. Whether you are a student or a recent graduate, there are plenty of opportunities across their different businesses and locations to start your career and make an impact.
Morgan Stanley
A household name with unbeatable opportunities for graduates. Morgan Stanley offers a variety of programmes, ensuring graduates are fully aware of the depth and variety of the firm’s work.
What can Morgan Stanley offer you?
They believe that their greatest asset is their employees. They value a commitment to diverse perspectives and a culture of inclusion across the firm. A career at Morgan Stanley means belonging to an ideas-driven culture that embraces new perspectives to solve complex problems. Graduates and students will have the opportunity to make meaningful contributions at Morgan Stanley with their wide range of apprenticeships, internships and graduate schemes.
MUFG
Japan’s largest bank, MUFG provides consumer, corporate and investment banking. Its investor services arm offers commentary and analysis focusing mostly on the foreign exchange market. MUFG is based in Tokyo and has offices around the world. Its UK branches are in London and Birmingham.
What can MUFG offer you?
MUFG offers a Global Analyst Programme for recent graduates, designed to provide a strong foundation in business and finance. The programme begins with a formal training programme and 1-2 years learning on the job, and ends with a 3 week boot camp in Japan. It’s designed primarily for people with a business-related degree.
At MUFG you can expect to work with market-leading professionals, and also enjoy something of a family atmosphere. Departments tend to be friendly and close-knit.
Nationwide Building Society
A British mutual financial institution and building society that runs for the benefit of its customers. At Nationwide, they believe it is important to help motivated graduates with good communication skills kickstart a meaningful career.
What can Nationwide Building Society offer you?
Their two-year graduate scheme allows you to use your current skillset, learn new things and build on your expertise. There’s plenty of variety - the programme is designed to help you get a broad understanding of Nationwide, as well as in-depth knowledge of specific areas. The programme is offered in several areas, such as product and marketing, human resources and supply chain management.
Numis
An independent stockbroker and corporate advisor, raising capital for successful businesses. They’re looking for candidates with drive and ambition to continue Numis’s strength and success in all areas.
What can Numis offer you?
When you join Numis, you will become an integral part of our vibrant, agile organisation. They believe in the pursuit of individual and team excellence, rewarding people who demonstrate a passion for both the business and culture. They care about individual career progression and internal mobility, building strong teams in the process.
Their annual eight-week Summer Internship provides an opportunity for top junior talent to experience Financial Services. Interns can thrive on having real responsibility and the opportunity to make meaningful impact and, through a combination of desk work, collaborative projects and classroom training, you will be equipped with a genuine feel for a career in Finance at Numis.
Redburn
Tailored exclusively for institutional investors, Redburn's independence allows complete client focus and superior customer service. Combining innovative research and industry expertise, there’s no better place to specialise.
What can Redburn offer you?
Those who join our team have the opportunity to help build the foundations for a new era for responsible capitalism, enhancing and popularising our cutting-edge methodology for analysing and evaluating sustainability success factors. Redburn offers summer internships in their London office within Equity Research, Sales and Execution. These are paid, eight-week opportunities during July and August.
S&P Global
The world looks to S&P Global for essential intelligence. Their data and insights provide clarity to complex systems so customers can make decisions with conviction. Join them and help make the financial world a better, more understandable place.
What can S&P Global offer you?
S&P Global offers summer internships in market intelligence, ratings, and Dow Jones indices. Graduate programmes include the Credit Ratings Excellence Development (CREDit) Programme, a three year programme beginning with four weeks in New York.
You can expect a steep learning curve and a lot of responsibility early in your career. As a global company, S&P Global offers many opportunities for travel.
Santander
A leading financial services provider in the UK, Santander’s winning combination is down to its focus on retail and commercial banking for clients of all sizes. Their graduate schemes provide a matchless gateway into retail banking.
What can Santander offer you?
Santander values your commitment to our shared success and you’ll benefit from a dynamic, fast changing working environment with opportunities for career development and ongoing training and support. They offer a range of graduate schemes in audit consulting, corporate and commercial banking, finance and retail.
They emphasise that every graduate scheme is different. Some last 18 months, others take over two years. Some might see you rotating across different parts of a business area; others might see you posted in different parts of the country. But one thing is certain. You’ll work with respected professionals on projects that matter.
Thomson Reuters
Offering not one but two graduate programmes in business and finance displays the importance of graduates to Thomson Reuters. This firm remains at the top of its game in providing intelligence to leading companies and individuals.
What can Thomson Reuters offer you?
Thomson Reuters offer a wide range of stimulating, developmental opportunities for students and recent graduates around the world. Their graduate programs offer a spectrum of paths that let you determine which direction to take your career. No matter which you choose, you'll have the opportunity to build your leadership skills and knowledge in an environment that celebrates performance.
Discover financial graduate opportunities
If you could see yourself working at a top finance employer, look at our list of finance graduate programmes to apply today.