Early Talent
Salary £24,000 (pro rata)
Starts June 2025
Duration 12 months
Qualifications required On course to achieve a 2:1 degree
Our role is to make sure we’re doing the right thing as an organisation – for our people and our customers. Risk management allows us to strike a balance between taking risks and reducing them.
It’s our responsibility to manage risk across the bank, ensuring we have the right culture, strategy and rules in place. We also manage interactions with key regulators, providing trusted advice to the colleagues who are serving our customers.
Every area of our business is different – they each need their own skillsets, their own challenges, their own nuances. What better way to find out what working in a business area is like, than from the people who already work there?
See what Sonia thinks about their experience in Risk.
Speaker: Sonia Klein
Tell us about your experience as a risk graduate
Sonia: Hi, my name is Sonia and I’m from Connecticut in the U.S.. Before I started the Risk Graduate programme and started my career journey at NatWest, I didn’t quite realise how far-reaching the Risk function was, and how many different teams there were within risk – the diversity of different roles and skills that were necessary to be a good Risk Manager. I was quite excited to build the quantitative side, but also a bit nervous about that side of things because it’s not my strength. But actually in Risk, it’s really important that you have a full suite of skills, and they help you build all of those during the Graduate programme, and it’s really encouraging and really great because it means that there’s going to be a place in the bank, especially within Risk, for anybody.
Tell us about the support you’ve received on your Graduate programme?
Sonia: There’s a huge array of people who are in place to help support you, especially in the Graduate programme. You’ve got a grad coach, you’ve got your line manager, and of course you’ve got your graduate buddy, so any problems that you’ve got, or any difficulties you’re having, you’ve always got someone to reach out to no matter big or small. At the end of the day, you’re not going to be running the bank as a graduate, so it’s a really great kind of scot-free opportunity to get stuck in and make mistakes, and learn as much as you can.
Why should I apply for the Graduate programme?
Sonia: The main objective of any graduate program is to teach you and train you. It is for you to take interest and to learn as much as possible. Our colleagues in general are incredibly receptive to change and they’re always looking to make improvements, so just by being your own advocate, or advocating for others, you have the power to really make change and improve things. It gives you a lot of opportunity as a risk employee to to learn and grow, and to learn about how the different areas of the bank function and interact, and how you as a risk employee can help all of those functions to work better and to work more seamlessly, and protect the interests of our customers and the interests of the bank.
Do you like to use your problem solving and critical thinking abilities? Do you like the idea of analysing data, compliance, policy and frameworks to protect our business and customers? Our 12 month Risk Internship programme could be the place for you. This is a chance to learn about the models and practices we use for managing risk throughout our business.
The aim of this Internship is to give you a taste of what it’s like to work here, along with valuable skills and experiences that you’ll bring into your future career.
For the duration of the Internship, we’ll pair you with a ‘buddy’ and a line manager, who’ll support you in gaining valuable experience to help guide your career choices.
Your dedicated guide and supporter, they’ll help you answer all your questions and build your network within the bank.
Your dedicated mentor and guide, they’ll work alongside you to set your goals, offer feedback and support your growth.
Your support network who are on the same journey as you.
At the end of the placement, we’ll assess you on what you’ve learned. Complete this successfully and you could be offered a place on our 2026 Risk Graduate programme, where you can carry the skills you’ve learnt forward and take the next step in your career.
Find a role that’s right for you
A work scenarios assessment
A problem solving, numerical and reasoning skills assessment
Record your response to questions about experience and potential
A full day of virtual activities
Feedback on the outcome of your application
Explore our step by step application guide for top tips and advice to support your success.
We all bring our own uniqueness to work, and why shouldn’t we. We’re encouraged to do so. Meet our colleagues and find out a little more about the people you could be working with.
