Business Operations & Improvement Industrial Placement - People

Our 12-month placement combines practical experience with role-specific training, regular feedback and support. You'll build knowledge across talent management, succession planning and leadership development, taking on more responsibility as your confidence grows.

In Talent Management & Succession, you could analyse talent data, research topics and prepare materials for stakeholder discussions. You might support talent and succession activity, help coordinate senior recruitment activity or track actions and help resolve delivery issues.

In Leadership Development, you could help plan and deliver targeted development activity, analyse feedback, prepare materials and take ownership of smaller pieces of project work. Across both teams, you'll develop communication, stakeholder engagement, critical thinking, data literacy and project management skills.

You'll use tools including Microsoft 365, Teams, PowerPoint, Word, Excel, Power BI and Oracle PeopleCloud to collaborate, analyse information and manage activity. Priorities and deadlines can change, so you'll learn to balance tasks, get to grips with unfamiliar topics and ask for guidance when you need it.

You'll be encouraged to take ownership, use data and insight thoughtfully and look for ways to improve how things are done. Demonstrating our Customer First Behaviours, building strong relationships and delivering high-quality work all matter. Regular feedback and performance conversations will help you recognise progress and identify what to develop next.

There's no formal qualification attached to this placement. You'll return to university with practical experience, transferable skills and a clearer understanding of careers in HR, talent and learning and development. It's a foundation for your final year and future applications for graduate or entry-level opportunities, rather than a guaranteed role.

You don't need previous HR experience or an HR-related degree to make a strong application.

We're looking for curious, motivated people who want to understand how we identify, support and develop colleagues. You'll enjoy working with others, exploring different perspectives and learning as you go. Experience from university, part-time work, volunteering, extracurricular activities or elsewhere can all help you show what you'd bring.

To succeed on our People Industrial Placement, you'll need to show:

• An interest in how organisations identify talent, support careers and develop colleagues and leaders.

• Curiosity, a willingness to learn and the confidence to ask questions or raise issues when you need support.

• Good organisation, attention to detail and the ability to adapt when priorities or deadlines change.

• Initiative and personal accountability, taking ownership of your work and contributing as your confidence grows.

• Confidence working with data and information, using insight and sound judgement to explore problems and suggest improvements.

• Strong communication and relationship-building skills, with a collaborative approach to working across teams.

• Openness to feedback and new experiences, with a commitment to learning and continually improving.

Eligibility: You must be studying towards an undergraduate degree in any discipline.

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:

• 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.

Spend 12 months with our People function and discover how we identify talent and help it grow. You'll see how we support colleagues to build rewarding careers while developing the skills Nationwide needs for the future.

You'll experience two connected sides of talent. Your first six months will focus on identifying talent and supporting succession planning. In your second six months, you'll explore how we develop senior talent and build leadership capability.

You'll contribute to real activities and projects, learn from experienced colleagues and build confidence as you go. Alongside your team experience, you'll work on a central project with other Industrial Placement participants, building business skills, a wider network and connections with your cohort.

Our People function helps colleagues build rewarding careers while developing the skills and leadership capability Nationwide needs for the future. This placement brings together two teams focused on identifying talent and helping it grow.

For your first six months, you'll join Talent Management & Succession within our Talent Management & Inclusion department. You'll see how we identify talent, support succession planning and help colleagues move through the organisation. You'll then spend six months with Leadership Development in Development, Learning & Skills, supporting targeted development for our most senior talent. Across both teams, you'll discover how data, insight and technology help shape our work.

Across both teams, you'll work with colleagues and stakeholders from across People and the wider organisation. Regular team meetings, cross-functional work, volunteering opportunities and networking groups will help you build connections and feel part of the team.

At Nationwide we offer hybrid working wherever possible. More rewarding relationships are supported through our hybrid approach, bringing colleagues together across our UK wide estate, whilst also supporting generous access to home working. We value our time in the office to solve problems, to learn, and to feel connected.

For this job you'll spend at least two days per week, based at our Swindon office.

If we receive a high volume of relevant applications, we may close the advert earlier than the advertised date, so please apply as soon as you can.

High performing and purpose-driven colleagues deserve a rewarding career and competitive benefits to match. We offer you:

• 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

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.

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