IMPACT: The Local Government Graduate Programme in Barnsley

This is an opportunity for local candidates (or those with a local connection) to apply to become a Graduate Management Trainee as part of Cohort 29 of Impact: The Local Government Graduate Programme on a fixed-term contract until Autumn 2029 for Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council. Local applications will progress in the same timeframe as Impact’s national recruitment process, and local candidates will be assessed alongside national candidates. By applying as a local candidate, you will be guaranteed an interview with us if you reach the final stage of the recruitment process. Please be aware that local candidates will interview only with their local authority.

The Role

Impact: The Local Government Graduate Programme is a fast-track graduate programme for bright and passionate individuals who want to make a difference while excelling in their career. It offers the chance to work directly with communities, but also to influence policy at a senior level. All while earning a graduate salary and completing a leadership and management qualification. We are looking for the next generation of leaders who have the passion and skills to navigate the biggest challenges facing communities and the sector. From sustainability, homelessness and unemployment to town centre regeneration, social care, and education, local councils are at the forefront of delivering real change.

As a Graduate Management Trainee on the Impact programme, you will work for two years at Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council on a minimum salary of £33,673 (this may increase pending pay negotiations). Over a minimum of three different placements, you will have the opportunity to work on challenging projects in key areas of council life where you can make a real contribution and gain valuable, career-shaping experiences. You will be supported in these roles through mentoring and a fully-funded learning programme, culminating in a qualification from the Chartered Management Institute.

Impact is a national graduate programme specifically for local government and has a high record of success with many graduates moving into management positions in councils after they complete the scheme. If you want a career leading change in the public sector, this is the programme for you.

About Us

Barnsley is a high performing, ambitious council that is bold, brave and innovative. We are the UK's first ever Tech Town, have influenced national policy to address economic inactivity with our trailblazing Pathways to Work programme and are helping to shape the future of the NHS with our Health on the High Street initiative. Our success was reflected in Barnsley Council being the first and only council to do the 'double', being crowned Council of the Year at both the LGC and MJ Awards in 2023, recognising our success in transforming our town centre including the development of the Glassworks.

We are ambitious for our graduates and encourage them to develop as future leaders whilst exploring their career interests. All graduates complete a placement within our Chief Executive's Office which provides an opportunity to work directly alongside our renowned Chief Executive. Alongside this we provide our graduates with the flexibility to choose their remaining placements, enabling them to align these with their aspirations, whilst supporting key council projects and frontline services.

We recruit three Impact graduates every year and so far, we have a 100% success rate in graduates securing roles after the scheme, with over 92% of these roles secured within Barnsley Council. This means we have a strong alumni network within the organisation to provide support and guidance.

Here at Barnsley, we live and work by four important values: honesty, teamwork, excellent service, and taking pride in what we do. As part of our team, you can be sure we'll do all we can to support you in being truly excellent. We offer lots of benefits and rewards to support you to thrive and grow, like flexible working, employee discounts, mentoring, support for your health and wellbeing, and opportunities for learning and development to grow your career and develop your skills.

We are one of the biggest employers in the borough, supporting around 250,000 people. There's lots of exciting changes and so much happening in our thriving borough, and your talent and skills will support us to really make a difference to people's lives, helping our council and residents to be the best they can be.

We know there is more to do to change perceptions amongst the private sector and the public outside Barnsley, to demonstrate the impressive transformation we have undertaken in recent years, and we want our graduates to be part of this journey. If you want to join a forward-thinking and exciting organisation who'll support you to grow your skills and develop a rewarding career, choose Barnsley and help us to make Barnsley the place of possibilities.

Here at Barnsley, our main priorities are tackling child poverty, strengthening our communities, improving our roads and highways, growing our economy and reducing health inequalities, and we are looking for up to two candidates from (or with a close connection to) the local area to help influence on these priorities.

About You

The Impact programme is passionate about recruiting graduates from all different backgrounds, universities and degree disciplines: our aim is to reflect the diverse communities that our partner councils serve. We are looking for people who have the right values and attitudes and who can demonstrate their motivation for a career in the public sector. No prior knowledge or experience is necessary, and additional support is available for under-represented groups during our assessment processes, so all candidates have a fair chance of showing us their full potential.

The Requirements

• You will have obtained a minimum 2.2 undergraduate degree by August 2027.
• You must have the right to work in the UK for the duration of the 2-year programme. Unfortunately, we cannot sponsor visas.
• Successful applicants will need to demonstrate their understanding of our key skills and behaviours through a competitive, multi-stage application process.

Impact runs one national recruitment process each year and supports councils to run local and internal recruitment campaigns. In addition to the above, you must also meet the following eligibility criteria in order to be considered for this local campaign:

• Have lived in Barnsley for at least 2 years; or
• Have studied (at a secondary or further education establishment, including school, college, PRU) in Barnsley; or
• Be a Barnsley Care leaver; or
• Have been a Barnsley Council employee for more than 1 year; or worked for another Barnsley organisation for over a year.
• Have close family connections with Barnsley, such as a grandparent.

Evidence of Local Eligibility

Candidates who progress through the recruitment process may be required to provide evidence that they meet the local eligibility criteria for this campaign. We will advise shortlisted candidates of the evidence required and the deadline for submission. Candidates who are unable to provide satisfactory evidence may not be progressed to interview for this local recruitment campaign.

Please Read Before Applying

As part of the application process, you are required to complete a Situational Judgment Test which is the only assessment you need to complete at this stage. The Situational Judgement Test (SJT) presents you with 24 realistic scenarios that someone might experience in a role on the programme, along with multiple ways of responding. The SJT will appear after you have completed your application questions and you will need to complete the SJT before you can submit your application.

Instructions For The Test

This test is untimed, but we anticipate that it will take you around an hour on average to complete. We suggest you complete the test in one sitting, when you have at least 1-2 hours to spare, to avoid putting yourself under unnecessary pressure. If you want to take a break during the assessment, you will be able to do so after answering a question and before proceeding to the next question. You can log back in at any time to complete the entire situational judgement test by the application deadline. You will be taken to the assessment page after answering your application questions. You will need to read each scenario, then provide an effectiveness rating for each of the provided response options. There are detailed instructions within the form.

If you have any questions or require support completing your application or situational judgement test, please do not hesitate to contact us before starting your application or test.

Closing date: 12.00pm midday, Wednesday 6 January 2027. Please note: You can only apply for one Impact programme per year.