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The finance pathway of Impact – the Local Government Graduate Programme is a unique four-year opportunity for graduates looking to build a career in public-sector finance.
During your time on the programme, you will be working at a participating London council, gaining hands-on experience through rotations in areas such as financial systems, budget management, payroll, pensions, treasury, internal audit, and accounting.
Alongside this practical work, you’ll study for the CIPFA Level 7 qualification, including the Chartered CIPFA Professional Accountancy Qualification (PAQ)—the recognised qualification for public finance professionals.
Local councils deliver essential services that shape daily life and respond to emerging challenges. As a graduate finance professional, you'll support innovative, sustainable solutions that strengthen communities. If you're passionate about making a meaningful and measurable impact, this programme is the perfect starting point.
About you
We are committed to building a diverse cohort that reflects our communities. Graduates from all backgrounds, universities, and degree disciplines are welcome. What matters most are the values and attitudes you bring, alongside a passion for a career in public service. No prior finance experience is required, and we provide additional support during the assessment process to ensure that underrepresented groups have every opportunity to succeed.
The requirements
The Finance Pathway welcomes graduates from all backgrounds and areas of study. Our only requirements are:
- A minimum 2.2 undergraduate degree by August 2026
- GCSE Maths and English (Level 4 or above) or equivalent.
- You must have the right to work in the UK for the duration of the four-year programme. Unfortunately, we are not able to sponsor visas.
For more information on eligibility and right-to-work requirements, please visit our website.
Successful applicants must demonstrate their understanding of our key skills and behaviours through a competitive, multi-stage application process.
Please read before applying
As part of the application process, you must complete a Situational Judgment Test and a Numerical Reasoning Test, the only assessments you will need to complete at this stage.
The Situational Judgement Test (SJT) presents you with 24 realistic scenarios that someone might experience in a workplace environment, along with multiple ways of responding. The Numerical Reasoning Test (NRT) assesses your ability to work with numbers and interpret numerical data. It consists of 15 questions aimed at testing your numerical skills. The SJT and the NRT will appear after you have completed your application question, and you will need to complete both before you can submit your application. We would encourage you to complete both in one sitting.
Instructions for the test
The SJT and NRT are both untimed and should be completed in one sitting. Candidates are expected to complete them within 20 – 30 minutes each. After answering your application questions, you will be taken to the assessment page.
For the SJT, you will need to organise each scenario into the order of response, depending on what you are most appropriate or least appropriate to do for each of the 24 questions. For the NRT, you will be presented with multiple-choice questions and must select one correct answer from each question's options.
Successful candidates from the initial stage will be invited to complete a video interview. Candidates successful in the video interview will proceed to a virtual assessment centre. Only successful candidates at the assessment centre will be invited to interview at a participating council.
If you experience any difficulties and require an accessible version of the application and test, please contact [email protected] , who will provide this.
For further information, please visit our website.
Interview date
April/May 2026
