Risk
“I think the best thing about the graduate programme has been the network that I’ve built up. You move between different departments, between different roles, so that network not only involves people that you work alongside and the Senior Managers that you support, but also it’s the graduates that are around you.”
Managing risk is fundamental to our success, especially in today’s challenging market. By limiting the risks we take and addressing potential issues early on, our Risk team is able to safeguard our assets and reassure new and existing customers.
The team covers several different areas. Lending Risk oversees front-line risk management – including underwriting – to ensure that credit risk assessments are accurate and comply with regulations. Some of these front-line risk management activities include Commercial, Treasury and Retail Credit Risk.
Financing and Solvency Risk looks at risks that affect the solvency, earnings, liquidity and funding of Nationwide. This includes a market risk team who oversee interest rate and currency-based risk, ensuring that risks to the income of the society’s £200bn balance sheet are adequately assessed. A large portion of the liquidity and funding focus comes from recent legislation following the credit crisis of 2008. As a result, this team is working through the impacts of Basel III.
Compliance Risk ensures we sell and administer our products and services appropriately, while Business Risk manages the important non-financial risks we face in our everyday operations. Finally, there’s Modelling Management & Methodology, which promotes the effective use of data and statistical models within the division.
Graduates
Graduates should expect wide-ranging experiences in different areas of the business. This could mean reviewing a given aspect of a policy or methodology to benchmark against peers and regulations, discussing regulatory developments or identifying and assessing the society's key operational risks – ensuring these risks are known, fully understood and actively managed.
In identifying these risks, you’ll communicate regularly with the business about their risk profile, undertake root cause analysis of incidents and provide input to the risk committee reporting suite. Should you be based in Compliance Risk, you’ll also have the chance to provide consultancy and technical advice on all aspects of the regulation and voluntary code requirements for Nationwide’s products and services.
During your time on the programme you’ll be exposed to a variety of activities that will enable you develop specialist skills and gain an in-depth understanding of your business area. In addition, you’ll have the chance to undertake a placement in another business area to help you build a broader understanding of the division as a whole. We’ll also provide you with ever-present support from a buddy and a senior-level mentor, and aim to sponsor you to study for a relevant professional qualification.
Requirements
To join, you’ll need a 2:1 degree in Maths, Economics, Statistics, IT, Finance, Banking, Law, Engineering or Physics, and 260 UCAS points (preferably including A-level Maths, but excluding general studies).
Along with your high level of numeracy and ability to analyse data, you’ll be skilled at writing short, cohesive reports.
For further information, visit the Risk page on our main site.
