UK Retail Business Leadership

Due to an overwhelming number of applications our RBS UK Retail Business Leadership programme is now closed. If you would like to be considered should any places become available at a later date, please complete our expression of interest form.   

At a glance

• Entry criteria – 2:2 degree in any discipline and at least 260 UCAS points excluding General Studies or international equivalent
• Experience of working in a sales environment is preferred
• Closing date for applications – 31st March, 2010
• Locations – UK Wide – geographic mobility is a pre-requisite

Could you lead from the front?
The mission of this programme is simple: we want to create the future leaders of our front-line banking operation. Our network encompasses some of the most recognisable banking brands on the high street and internet – names like NatWest, The Royal Bank of Scotland, The One Account and Direct Line Financial Services. This programme will give you hands-on management experience in one of our branches. You’ll deal with real people and real business issues at the front-line. You’ll also turn your hand to a number of key banking projects. By giving you all-round exposure, you’ll have all the tools needed to become a credible leader in this highly competitive sector.

Not just about current accounts
Retail banking is hugely diverse. Our products include market-leading savings, loans, mortgages and award-winning insurance. We’re also the second largest issuer of credit cards in the UK and have one of the largest network of bank branches and ATMs. If we are to continue to succeed, however, we need to understand our customers and provide them with innovative products and services – and that’s exactly where our retail leaders come in.

Turning apprentices into leaders
Our two-year rotational programme has been designed to give you a thorough grounding in retail banking. For the first six months, you could be based in any one of our 1,640 NatWest or 650 Royal Bank of Scotland branches across the UK. During that time, you’ll get to grips with a variety of projects and gain a broad understanding of how our branch network operates, as well as our wider retail business.

The next 18 months will consist of more specific work, tailored to your capabilities, performance, aspirations and development needs. This period will see you taking on three consecutive project or people management based placements lasting six months each. These placements could be based within our banking network, or in more specialised areas like Retail Products or Financial Planning – the exact route you take will be very much down to you. Certainly, the variety of placements graduates undertake at this stage is immense. One placement could find you driving credit card sales in your local network; another could find you helping us enact regulatory changes.

Once the programme is complete, most of our trainees will take on a position within the banking network. From there, they will continue their professional qualification studies and progress in their management careers.

One programme, limitless possibilities
The programme has been designed to stretch your potential and prepare you for a leadership role. It means you’ll have a people engagement and management mindset and be able to embrace constant change, handle early responsibility, learn quickly and use your initiative. If you rise to the challenges, you can expect to be involved in very diverse work. It could be that you’re running a student campaign at Freshers’ Fayres, leading individual projects to boost branch sales, or getting involved in national schemes to improve sales and service. There really are no limits.

Support you can count on
At RBS, we’re proud of our open, helpful culture. As well as your placement line manager, you’ll have an individual graduate manager looking after your longer-term development as well as a buddy from the previous year’s graduate intake. You’ll also have the chance to develop a support network with other graduates, both from the retail scheme and other schemes within the Group. In addition, the senior people within our business will take an active interest in your development, providing insights, advice and guidance.

Qualified to succeed
The experience you’ll gain here will be incredibly varied – you’ll have the chance to get involved in product design, project management, coaching and developing teams and assisting in the running of one of our branches. You’ll also get to study towards a professional qualification with the Chartered Institute of Bankers. It’ll be hard work and we’ll expect you to steer your own development with the option to take advantage of the wide range of support available and stretch yourself on a variety of projects.

What we are looking for
We expect a good academic record, although the subject of your degree discipline is of less importance. If you already have some sales experience or a general awareness of the kinds of products and services financial institutions offer, that would be an advantage but certainly isn’t essential. You need to be able to demonstrate a proactive approach, a real desire to learn and develop, and plenty of fresh ideas. The presentation, group discussion and report writing skills you’ve gained through your studies will also be really useful, however, it’s your communication abilities that are the most important. You’ll have the opportunity to work with and influence everyone from branch staff and customers through to Regional Directors and external partners.