Graduate Analyst

Graduate Programme 2025

Application Deadline: Friday, 24 January 2025, although we may close applications earlier depending on the number received.

An Opportunity to Make a Difference

Are you looking to start your career at an organisation where you can make a positive difference to people and our planet? Are you curious, numerate, keen to learn, a self-motivated team player who loves reading and researching? Can you develop ideas into strong proposals backed by data?

If this sounds like you, then we’re keen to hear from you. Whether or not you\’ve already considered working in Financial Services, we’re looking for individuals that are excited by a challenge and ready to make an impact.

Our focus is to secure the futures of over a million local government employees – people who have provided valuable service to their communities and society. We’re a c.£60bn asset manager, the largest UK asset manager outside London or Edinburgh, and we provide innovative investments that deliver sustainable returns over the long term.

Our Graduate Programme: Now Open

The application process for our 2025 Graduate programme, starting in September, is now open. The programme provides a solid foundation for a career in investment management including training and accredited qualifications. Our Graduates join us on a permanent contract from day one. Following completion of the graduate programme, you would then progress into a full-time role as an investment analyst.

Diverse thinking is essential for great investment outcomes, so we encourage applications from graduates of all degree backgrounds (and we don’t require a 2:1 or higher). At Border to Coast, we believe investment skills can be taught. Our only pre-requisite is that you have an interest in investment.

About Us

As a customer-owned and customer-focused organisation, integrity is one of our values, as is our collaborative and sustainable approach.

Border to Coast is the largest LGPS (Local Government Pension Scheme) pool in the UK. It is owned by 11 Local Government Pension Schemes (‘Partner Funds’). The Partner Funds represent 3,100 employers and over a million members. The Partner Funds are Bedfordshire, Cumbria, Durham, East Riding, Lincolnshire, North Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, Surrey, Teesside, Tyne and Wear, and Warwickshire.

The Partner Funds have c.£64bn in investments, of which Border to Coast is responsible for managing £47.9bn (as of 31 March 2024). Border to Coast also provides support and advice on a further £8.2bn, primarily invested in index funds, which sit outside of the pool.

Our purpose is to make a difference for the LGPS. We seek to do this by providing cost-effective and innovative investment opportunities delivering returns over the long term for Partner Funds, their employers, and over 1.1 million LGPS members.

Border to Coast offers investment opportunities across equities, fixed income, private markets, and global and UK real estate. Responsible Investment is central to our work and is embedded in how we invest across our range of assets.

Since launch, Border to Coast has been awarded many industry accolades and in 2024 became a Sunday Times Best Place to Work.

What You’ll Be Doing

The Border to Coast graduate programme is focused on developing knowledge, skills, and behaviours in different areas of investment to make a difference to our Partner Funds’ investment outcomes.

Hands-On Experience

Our graduate trainees are immersed in and gain hands-on experience of multiple investment concepts and teams to build skills, knowledge of the industry, what our customers need, and how to develop ideas into compelling proposals.

Over the course of the programme, our Graduate Analysts rotate through functions within our investment team. This includes a foundation rotation in Equity and Fixed Income research working closely with Responsible Investment and learning about Portfolio Risk and Portfolio Management. Graduate Analysts then rotate through teams leading manager selection, Customer Relationship Management, and Alternative Investments. You will work alongside expert colleagues with a wealth of experience in each field to gain first-hand experience.

Qualifications

Personal and professional development are key features of the programme. We provide opportunities for you to further your development with on-the-job training and formal qualification opportunities that complement the programme – namely the Investment Management Certificate (IMC) Level 1 and 2, and the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Levels 1, 2, and 3. Paid study leave is available.

Ongoing Career Development

You’ll have support throughout the programme to set you on the path for success. We commit to the long-term career development of our graduates throughout the programme and beyond. Ongoing training in other skills – communication, personal, professional, and career development – is also provided.

Following completion of the graduate programme, you will then progress into a full-time permanent role in one of the investment teams.

Pay and Reward

As a Border to Coast graduate trainee, you will receive competitive remuneration and have access to excellent benefits:

• Hybrid working
• Onsite gym
• Cycle to work scheme
• Holidays: 30 days per year plus Bank Holidays
• Sustainable travel plans and public transport discounts
• Stunning Leeds city centre location only a short walk to the train station
• Range of discounts for Leeds gyms, shops, and restaurants
• Critical Illness Cover
• Life Assurance of 6 times of salary
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Pension scheme
• Vitality Health Insurance for all employees

There’s also more information about pay and reward, careers at Border to Coast, and how we work on our website Careers – Border To Coast – Work With Us.

Applying for the Graduate Programme: Next Steps

We welcome applications from graduates of all degrees and backgrounds. We value diversity of thought. We are committed to creating an inclusive and engaging workplace, ensuring that colleagues maintain a work-life balance. We encourage colleagues to progress, be themselves, and be their best through both personal and professional development.

We are committed to creating an inclusive and engaging workplace. If you have a disability, or if you have a condition that you believe may affect your performance during the selection process, we are happy to discuss making reasonable adjustments for you. Please contact our recruitment team at recruitment@bordertocoast.org.uk. We’re looking for people with the right values, behaviours, skills, and experiences. If you’re interested in our graduate programme, we’d welcome your application.

Our Recruitment Process

The application process for the 2025 Graduate Programme is now open. Apply online through the links on this page.

Step 1: Initial Application

Complete the online application form. The closing date for applications is Friday, 24 January, although we may close applications earlier depending on the number we receive.

Step 2: Online Aptitude Assessment

You’ll receive an email with instructions to complete a TestGorilla online assessment. This will take around 40 minutes to complete and assesses numeracy, verbal reasoning, and critical thinking.

We have a holistic approach to the selection process and take into consideration your application form, CV, aptitude assessment, as well as the personal statement. So, if you stumble on a question in the tests, please keep going! You will have 2 weeks to complete this.

Step 3: Personal Statement

You will then be emailed with a brief, asking you to write and submit a short personal statement (300-500 words). Again, you will have 2 weeks to submit this document.

Step 4: Graduate Assessment Day

Next, there\’s an in-person assessment day at the Border to Coast offices in central Leeds. You\’ll know by 28 February if you\’ve been invited to attend. The assessment days take place on Tuesday, 11 March, and Wednesday, 12 March, although you will only need to attend on one of these days. You\’ll receive full details in advance about what to expect and how to prepare for the assessment. Please reserve the date in your diary.

Step 5: Following the Assessment Day

After the assessment day, you\’ll find out by 21 March if you\’ve been successful. Your start date will be 1 September 2025. If you\’re not successful this time around, you\’ll receive helpful feedback on how you did at the assessment day and are welcome to apply again.

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