Graduate Trainee

**Join an award-winning financial services organisation that’s customer owned**

Want a truly valuable opportunity to start a rewarding career in your chosen field? We’re not driven by profit margins and share prices like the bigger banks. We’re owned by our customers, which means we put them at the heart of everything we do.

But don’t just take our word for it. We’ve been independently recognised with a Feefo Platinum award and a five-star Fairer Finance rating for our current account. We’re also one of the Top 75 Best Companies to work for in the UK, and one of the Top 15 Best Companies to work for in Financial Services..

**The first step on your career pathway**

The Governance, Legal & Secretariat (GLS) team provides relevant commercial support on corporate governance, legal and data protection matters. You will work alongside the GLS team and will also be able to work collaboratively with our two current Trainee Legal Counsel, who started our Graduate Entry Scheme in 2020 and 2022 respectively.

We will also be able to offer you support for training and qualifications such as:

- Graduate in Chartered Governance/Chartered Secretary;
- Certified Information Privacy Professional;
- Solicitor/Legal Executive.

Whilst this is a role in the GLS team, through the variety of the role you may find yourself drawn to other areas of the business such as IT/Technology, Marketing, Treasury, Finance, Underwriting, Group Risk, Internal Audit or Commercial Lending. We’re happy to support internal transfers to further your career journey.

**No two days will be the same**

The role is busy and varied, so no two days will be the same. Tasks include:

- ** Legal** - providing assistance to in-house solicitors, undertaking legal research, drafting non-disclosure agreements and contract variations, and advising the business on their day-to-day legal needs.
- ** Company Secretarial** - helping the Board to be effective by advising on the Society’s governance framework, managing board/committee agendas and packs, and minuting meetings. You’ll also assist with corporate administration including maintaining the registers at Companies House, and filing regulatory returns.
- ** Insurance** - helping manage the group’s insurance programme, by managing claims and supporting the renewal process.

**Collaboration and hybrid working**

Your development will be at the forefront of our minds, so you will work closely with and be mentored by the Head of Legal and Secretary, and the Data Protection Officer.

The Cumberland has adopted a hybrid working model, which means our teams work both in the office and remotely. GLS functions best as a collaborative “one-stop shop” for the wider business, working together to provide seamless support on all our areas of expertise. To offer the best service to our customers and the wider business, we spend at least three days a week in the office, and to make the most of the mentoring and development on offer, we’d like you to do the same.

We know from our current Trainee Legal Counsel that working alongside the team gives them so many more opportunities than they get working completely remotely, and we’d like you to benefit from the same. The great news is we’ve recently completed a top-to-bottom refurbishment of our head office, which means we now have access to collaboration spaces to support flexible working and learning, meeting spaces and chillout areas. It’s got easy transport access, free parking and complimentary refreshments
- definitely not your usual office space

**Location, location, location**

Our head office is in Carlisle, an ancient Roman city with one of the lowest costs of living in the country. A thriving university city, it’s got a buzzing independent café and restaurant scene. If that isn’t enough, Newcastle is only an hour away, and its location on the West Coast Mainline means direct trains to Glasgow or Edinburgh in just over an hour, Manchester in two hours, and London in less than three and a half.

If you’re into the great outdoors, Cumbria is home to three Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, two National Parks and two UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Some of the UK’s best hiking, climbing, wild swimming, cycling and water sports are on your doorstep. And our hybrid working means you can be on the fells or in the water straight after work, or even before if you’re feeling energetic

**Who are we looking for?**

You will be highly motivated and driven to deliver excellent outcomes beyond expectations, as well as being organised and able to manage a busy workload.

We will value your input and ideas, so you will be able to think critically and use your own initiative to achieve a desired outcome. You will need to be a team player and a confident communicator, with the ability to build effective and highly collaborative relationships with both internal & external stakeholders and customers.

**Qualifications**

You will have:

- D