General Counsel Placement

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

Job summary

A reputable UK bank is seeking undergraduates for their Placement Programme 2026 in the General Counsel function. This role provides critical experience across legal teams in providing advice, ensuring compliance, and handling data protection. Candidates should be proactive and organized, pursuing a minimum 2:1 degree. Interns will receive necessary business support and feedback, with potential consideration for future graduate roles. The position is hybrid, based in Manchester, with an annual salary of £24,500.

Qualifications

• Must be an enthusiastic, proactive, and organized individual.
• Have excellent communication skills and attention to detail.
• Ability to respond to challenges confidently.

Responsibilities

• Provide legal advice across various areas of the Group.
• Ensure compliance with governance and statutory obligations.
• Conduct legal research and review processes.
• Support the team in advising business areas.

Skills

Communication skills

Attention to detail

Negotiating skills

Commercial thinking

Strategic thinking

Education

Undergraduate in penultimate year of study

On track for a minimum 2:1 degree

Job description

Placement Programme 2026 – General Counsel

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.

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.

General Counsel

We are looking for an enthusiastic, proactive, organised individual with excellent communication skills and attention to detail. On a placement in the General Counsel Function you will spend time working across all areas of the Function as follows:

• The Legal Team – providing advice to all areas of the Group including commercial contracts, consumer products, corporate and commercial banking and litigation
• Corporate Governance and Secretariat – providing governance and secretariat services to the wider Group, ensuring that its legal, statutory and regulatory obligations are met
• Data Protection Compliance – ensuring the Group’s data protection obligations are met
• Legal Operations including Legal Risk - identifying the legal obligations that exist across the Group, enabling these risks to be proactively managed and mitigated
• Public Affairs and Policy

Your work will include: reviewing legislation and regulations; legal research; reviewing processes and procedures; and supporting the team to advise a variety of different business areas across the Group.

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.