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172,000+ live jobsBusiness Operations & Improvement Development Programme - People
On-site in Swindon·Added 11 days ago (last checked 28 Oct)
173 open roles
Our summary
- Work mode
- On-site, Swindon
- Holiday
- 25 days holiday


Skills
Requirements
What we're looking for
We're looking for driven, curious people with high standards and a genuine interest in building a career in HR.
You don't need previous HR experience or an HR-related degree. What matters more is your curiosity about people and organisations, your willingness to learn and your motivation to make a positive difference.
To succeed on our Business Operations & Improvement Development Programme, you'll need to show:
Curiosity about how people, culture and HR contribute to business success.
Confidence analysing information and using insight to support decisions
An interest in solving people and business challenges through practical solutions
- The ambition to keep growing, take on new challenges and build towards your next career step
A logical, methodical approach, with the ability to understand both the detail and the bigger picture
The confidence to build relationships and work with colleagues across the business
Drive, high performance and a commitment to learning from feedback and setbacks
A determination to push for better and put customers first in the decisions you make
- Feel what customers feel - We step into our customers' shoes, using their feedback and insights to empathise with them and to understand their needs, so that every decision we make starts and finishes with our customers in mind
- Say it straight - We are brave in speaking out and saying what we think - we're honest and direct with good intent, openly sharing diverse perspectives to reach the best conclusions and using language everyone can understand
- Push for better - We don't settle for mediocrity, we challenge the status quo, taking responsibility for continuous improvement and personal development
- Get it done - We prioritise what will have the greatest impact, we are decisive, and we take accountability for delivering brilliant customer outcomes.
Pay & benefits
What you'll get
- Structured learning, personalised development and hands-on experience to help you build future-ready skills and progress your career in banking
- 25 days holiday each year, which increases over time to 30. Plus, you can 'buy' up to 10 extra days
- The opportunity to earn an annual bonus based on your performance
- Private medical insurance to help you access additional healthcare when you need it
- Wellhub access to a range of free and paid fitness and wellbeing options, plus free on-site gyms at selected locations
- A highly competitive pension to help you start building your financial future
- A great selection of additional benefits through our salary sacrifice scheme
- Up to 14 paid hours each year to volunteer for a cause that matters to you
- Life assurance to provide additional peace of mind for you and the people who matter to you
The role
If you're ambitious, curious and enjoy working with people, our Business Operations & Improvement Development Programme - People provides a structured route into a rewarding career in HR. Build broad HR expertise through varied placements, meaningful projects and experience across different People specialisms. Help create a great colleague experience while developing the commercial, people and problem-solving skills needed for a future HR career. Looking for a rewarding career in banking? Good things this way.
People are at the heart of Nationwide's success. Through this programme, you'll gain first-hand experience of how HR helps colleagues develop their careers, perform at their best and deliver great outcomes for customers.
What you'll do
What you'll be doing on our Business Operations & Improvement Development Programme, People
Over two years, you'll complete rotations across different teams within our People function. Each placement will introduce new HR disciplines, business challenges and ways of working.
As your experience grows, you'll take on increasingly complex work and greater responsibility. Regular feedback and development conversations will help you understand your strengths, build new skills and take ownership of your development.
Alongside your placements, you'll benefit from role-specific technical training and structured development experiences. There will also be opportunities to attend external conferences and events and receive support towards a CIPD qualification.
No two days are the same. One day could involve analysing people data and preparing insight for a leadership discussion. Another could see you meeting stakeholders, supporting a People initiative or working on a project designed to improve the colleague experience.
You'll also gain exposure to the technologies changing HR. This could include Microsoft 365, collaboration platforms, People systems, reporting tools and emerging technologies such as AI.
Throughout the programme, you'll develop skills in:
Business and commercial awareness
Stakeholder engagement and relationship management
Consulting and influencing
Critical thinking and problem solving
Data literacy and insight generation
Project and change management
Ethics and professional judgement
Digital working and emerging technology
The breadth of the programme means you'll encounter unfamiliar topics, new stakeholders and changing priorities. You'll learn how to work through ambiguity, balance competing demands and build confidence where there isn't always a straightforward answer.
This isn't a programme spent watching from the sidelines. You'll work on meaningful projects, contribute to decisions that affect colleagues across Nationwide and build practical experience from the start.
How you'll work
Our Business Operations & Improvement Development Programme begins on 6th September 2027.
Additional information
Who we're looking for on our Business Operations & Improvement Development Programme, People
Additional information
Our customer first behaviours put customers and members at the heart of how we work together. They are the set of behaviours that every colleague needs to display, in every role:
The extras you'll get
High performing and purpose-driven colleagues deserve a rewarding career and competitive benefits to match. We offer you:
Banking - but fairer, more rewarding, and for the good of society
We forge our own path at Nationwide.
As a mutual, we're owned by our members - those customers who bank, save or have a mortgage with us. We challenge the financial sector status quo. We don't see customers as the engine of our own profit. We share our profits with them and put their needs first. Always there when they need us. Supporting them and their lives.
If you're inspired by fairer finances, passionate about making a meaningful impact, and truly care about our customers, you're one of us.
At Nationwide, you are challenged to grow and rewarded for doing so. Valued. Recognised. Inspired to be your best. As a community we want our working lives to count. As a team, we celebrate what we achieve. As a standard-setter, we work for the good of customers, communities, and broader society.
We are purpose-driven. Uncompromisingly customer. Unstoppably Nationwide.
What to do next
If this role is for you, please click the 'Apply Now' button, where you'll be asked to answer a few quick questions for us.
We'll send you our online assessments to complete and there will also be a short video interview to find out more about you. If you are successful, you could be selected to attend one of our assessment centres which run from January 2027.
Visa sponsorship information
As a UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) approved sponsor, we have a responsibility to comply with the applicable Immigration Rules and guidance (which are subject to change). The Skilled Worker route has specific requirements relating to skill level of the role and minimum salary expectations. As such, our ability to employ individuals who require sponsorship for immigration purposes is limited or may not be possible for some programmes.
VISA Sponsorship cannot be offered on this programme.
All successful applicants with need to demonstrate their right to work in the UK on commencement of employment and for the duration of the programme applied for without requiring sponsorship.
If you have any further questions, please contact us at Early.Careers@nationwide.co.uk
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