Banking Leadership Placement

Co-operative Bank plc.; Manchester; Hybrid; GBP 25,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading banking institution is seeking Placement interns for their 2026 Banking Leadership Programme in Manchester. This one-year program offers hands-on experience across various projects while fostering your development in strategic thinking and commercial skills. Interns will engage in significant projects and receive mentorship for personal growth. The role offers a competitive salary of £24,500 pa and requires candidates to be undergraduates in their penultimate year aiming for at least a 2:1 degree.

Benefits

Access to mentorship and support

Opportunities for networking

Experience on impactful projects

Qualifications

• Undergraduate in penultimate year of undergraduate study.
• Passionate about creativity and ambitious in personal goals.
• Ability to handle responsibility and respond to challenges.

Responsibilities

• Gain vital experience working on significant projects.
• Develop negotiating and influencing skills.
• Participate in sustainability projects to meet ESG goals.

Skills

Creativity

Ambition

Fast learning

Communication

Commercial focus

Education

On track to achieve a minimum 2:1 degree in any discipline

Job description

Placement Programme 2026 – Banking Leadership

On our Placement programme, you will spend a year getting vital experience working on some of our biggest projects. All our projects have specifically been designed for this programme, enabling you to explore your different interests and opportunities available to you.

Each placement included in this program is designed to push you to perform at your best whilst being supported by our development programme.

You’ll gain a real insight and develop your areas of negotiating and influencing skills, commercial and strategic thinking and gaining an in depth knowledge of how our bank works.

If successful on the programme you’ll have the opportunity to be considered for our future Graduate Programmes.

We are looking for Placement interns across our Banking leadership Programme.

Placement Programme: Key Information

Programme Duration: 7th September 2026 (1 year)

Banking Leadership Placement Programme

Salary £24,500pa

• Location: Manchester/ Hybrid - you will also need to travel to Coventry when required.

Applications open: Please note we may withdraw this vacancy once sufficient applications have been reached.

Your placements

Placements will vary depending on business needs at the time as well as being tailored to the Interns areas of interest. Each placement is designed to develop your commercial and strategic thinking, negotiation and influencing skills and understanding of how our Bank works. Within Banking Leadership, you’ll have the opportunity to work on a number of projects such as:

Banking Leadership:

• Reviewing how we support our customers in branches and contact centres and how we can best service their banking needs
• Reviewing how we provide and ensure day-to-day delivery of trusted data, management information (MI) and reporting
• Reviewing how we continue to make our bank a great and inclusive place to work, where everyone is able to fulfil their potential
• Sustainability projects to help us achieve our environmental, social and governance (ESG) goals
• Business operations activities that allow our bank to run effectively
• Business-critical projects in our finance and commercial teams, requiring in-depth research, analysis and collaboration with different stakeholders across the bank

Fantastic support

Interns will have access to all the support needed.Business Sponsors will review and appraise your performance, providing feedback and coaching at every step of the way to ensure success and personal growth.We’ll also assign a buddy from our Graduate community who will provide support in building their network.

Are you made of the right stuff?

We’re looking for creative, ambitious and fast learning undergraduates who will grasp every opportunity with both hands. Ready to take on real responsibility from day one, a clear drive and enthusiasm will enable you to see projects through from start to finish. A confident communicator and commercially focused with a good head for figures, you’ll have the ability to respond to all kinds of challenge.

Placement Programme: Application Process

What you’ll need

Educational Requirements:

• Undergraduate in penultimate year of undergraduate study
• On track to achieve a minimum 2:1 degree in any discipline

Our assessment process

• Online application and screening
• Video Interview
• Assessment Centre – 23rd-27th March (In person, located at our HQ in Manchester)

We can only consider candidates with the right to work in the UK at this time.

Our Bank is passionate and committed to continuing to create a diverse workforce and an inclusive environment where all colleagues can fulfil their potential.

At the beginning 2025, The Co-operative Bank officially became part of the Coventry Building Society Group. Together, we have shared values and an ethical approach towards our members, customers and colleagues.

If you require more information or this document in a different format, please contact [e-mail]

As a reputable employer regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, all offers of employment for this role are subject to a series of background checks, including criminal (DBS) and financial checks.

*Rated by Morningstar Sustainalytics in the Regional Banks sub-industry with a score of 11.2 as of 14 January 2025.