Graduate Programme 2026
**Customer Operations graduate (2 years) **
The Customer Service function play a central role in delivering outstanding experiences to our customers and members across every interaction. As a Graduate, you'll gain a hands-on exposure to how we support customers through our Digital channels, in our Branch Network, over the phone with the Contact Centre, across our Mortgage Operations and through our specialist teams in Complaints and Customer Operation teams. This breadth ensures you not only understand how each area operates but also how they work together to provide a seamless and consistent service.
Throughout your placement rotations, you'll have the opportunity to contribute to different roles and be involved in projects that improve colleagues and customer experiences. You will gain insight into the different customer journeys as well as playing a part in improving operational efficiency.
We are looking for someone with leadership ambitions and a desire to understand and improve the experience of customers. You will need to be able to work at pace and be proactive in your approach. This is an exciting time to be joining the Customer Service function, so we are looking for someone up for the challenge and who wants to be a part of the journey.
You’ll get first-hand experience from several teams on your placements, which could include working on:
* Operational support and management in a contact centre environment
* Branch banking and providing support to customers in a branch environment
* Training and coaching, designing learning for operational roles and upskilling colleagues
* Complaints management and supporting with investigating complaints
* Involvement in projects that improve customer and colleague experience.
* Opportunity to understand how customers operate through our digital channels.
Graduate Programme: Key Information
- Programme Commences: 7th September 2026
- Programme Duration: 2 years
- Starting Salary: £29,500pa
- Location: Manchester/ Hybrid- you will also need to travel to Coventry when required.
- Applications: Please note we may withdraw this vacancy once sufficient applications have been reached.
Your placements
Placements will vary depending on business needs at the time as well as being tailored to your areas of interest. Each placement is designed to develop your commercial and strategic thinking, negotiation and influencing skills and understanding of how our Bank works. Our two and three year Graduate schemes provide a structured development programme. You’ll develop key leadership skills and competencies and gain knowledge and experience through a series of placements across your chosen business area.
Fantastic support
There’s much more to our graduate programmes than on-the-job experience. We’ll give you all of the tools we can to drive your career and develop you as a person. You’ll have access to all the support you need, but the ultimate responsibility for shaping your development will be yours. Your Business Sponsor will review and appraise your performance, providing feedback and coaching at every step of the way to ensure your success and personal growth. We’ll also assign you a senior leader mentor and work with you on a personal development plan to draw together technical training and personal and professional learning to help you grow your skills and gain a relevant apprenticeship.
Are you made of the right stuff?
We’re looking for commercial thinkers with real enthusiasm, energy and potential. Level headed with a mind full of bright ideas, you’ll crave responsibility and have the drive to see things through from start to finish. A great communicator who can connect with anyone – whoever they are, you’ll enjoy taking on new challenges and creating and developing new products and ideas that will shape the future of banking.
Graduate Programme: Application Process
What you’ll need
Above all you must be passionate about looking at things differently to shape the future of banking.
Entry Requirements:
- On course for, or have achieved a 2:1 degree or above in any discipline or a 2:2 degree with a Masters
- Eligibility to work in the UK
Our assessment process
We’ve designed our process so we can get to know each other better along the way. We’ll ask you to participate in:
- Online application and screening
- Video Interview
- Assessment Centre – weeks commencing 23rd-27th March (In person, located at our HQ in Manchester)
- Final stakeholder interview
We can only consider candidates with the right to work in the UK at this time.
Our Bank is passionate and committed to continuing to create a diverse workforce and an inclusive environment where all colleagues can fulfil their potential.
At the beginning of the year, The Co-operative Bank officially became part of the Coventry Building Society Group. Together, we have shared values and an ethical approach towards our members, customers and colleagues.
If you require more information or this document in a different format, please contact graduates@co-operativebank.co.uk
As a reputable employer regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, all offers of employment for this role are subject to a series of background checks, including criminal (DBS) and financial checks.
*Rated by Morningstar Sustainalytics in the Regional Banks sub-industry with a score of 11.2 as of 14 January 2025.