Summer Student - Pension Management Services in Leeds

Barnett Waddingham (part of Howden) is a leading UK professional services consultancy advising on risk, pensions, investment and insurance. Our core purpose is based around empowering people to secure better futures. We are a sustainable and thriving client, and people focused organisation, committed to doing the right thing. We pride ourselves on being a friendly, supportive and inclusive firm and are committed to our core purpose.

We empower everyone that works for us by educating, inspiring and enabling so that everyone can reach their full potential and grow their career. As a “Best Companies Top 100 Best Large Companies to work for in the UK” and being recognised as one of the best places to work in the UK in 2024, people who join us tend to stay, thriving in a professional learning environment and caring, inclusive, friendly culture.

Students who complete our eight-week Board Management Services (BMS) summer internship could have the opportunity to continue to develop their career with us after university as part of our graduate programme. Look at what a recent summer student and current graduate in the team have to say: “My time as a Summer Student with the Board Management Services team at Barnett Waddingham was an incredibly rewarding experience that offered real insight into the world of both pensions and corporate governance and regulatory advisory. From supporting client meetings to researching landmark legislation such as the Football Governance Act and the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act, I was trusted with meaningful responsibility from day one. The blend of analytical challenge, supportive mentorship and exposure to high impact client projects made it a truly engaging place to develop both technical and professional skills. The entire BMS were invaluable across my experience and provided continuous support and guidance throughout my time at the company, and I have left the internship with a far stronger grasp of pensions and corporate governance, greater confidence in my analytical abilities and a genuine enthusiasm for pursuing a career in this area.” (Summer student 2025)

We offer an eight-week paid summer internship programme that offers first class training and work experience enabling you to gain an excellent understanding of the role a Board Management Services Consultant undertakes within the firm. You will gain an understanding of how our business operates and the opportunity to learn from our Management Committee and dedicated team members. The internship within our BMS team presents an exciting way to learn new skills and development opportunities.

An indication of the types of work the team carry out, along with the types of work you will have opportunity to be involved in can be found below:

• The BMS team offer tailored governance services to Trustees and sponsors of Defined Benefit and Defined Contribution pension schemes.
• We offer first class support, delivered by a diverse and highly experienced team who are experts in their field.
• Summer interns joining the BMS team will be involved in research projects on a variety of hot topics within the pensions industry.
• Work with our senior consultants with meeting and client management requirements.
• As well as traditional services offered, there are opportunities to be involved in building up your capabilities in other exciting areas of the firm through business development.

The BMS team work with a range of organisations including pension schemes, corporates and charities supporting on governance matters and other services. You will gain exposure in a wide variety of areas including client work and producing and presenting tailored governance advice. We were recognised as being one of the ‘best places to work in the UK’ in 2023 and 2024 and pride ourselves on creating a professional, caring learning environment. Coupled with our industry renowned friendly culture, our aim is to support and nurture individuals embarking on a Summer Internship programme with us!

Who are we looking for?

Applicants should be in their penultimate year of study and be on track for a minimum 2:2 degree, or Master’s degree programme, graduating in 2027. Applicants should demonstrate a strong and proven interest in the professional services industry. We require dedicated individuals with a strong academic background who are dynamic, proactive, resilient to change and have excellent communication skills. Do let us know if any extenuating circumstances have prevented you from achieving the above qualifications, there will be opportunity for you to share this information as part of our screening process.