Operational Management Apprenticeship 2018 - UK

Operational Management

Fidelity International Operations are on the front line of our external services and ensure the smooth running and delivery of the business.

What do we do?

Distribution Operations is a global enterprise comprising myriad functions that support the success of the business, including Project Management, Business Analysis, Brokerage and Process Automation to name but a few.

UK Customer Operations

The UK Customer Operations is responsible for a broad range of operational processes on behalf of the European retail business. The team controls a series of vital operational functions including the automated and manual dealing, pricing of our onshore, offshore and platform fund ranges, transfers, re-registration, client account management and retirement.

Retail Pensions

Based in Kingswood and India, the Retail Pensions team are responsible for the administration of the Fidelity Retail Self-Invested Personal Pension (SIPP) from an operational perspective. The team handles transfers in/out, annuities, trivial commutations, divorces, deaths and corporate actions.

Pensions Operations

Pension Operations aims to deliver customer service excellence to Fidelity's institutional and Workplace Investing (WI) customers. Each touch point during the customer's journey is important; from the transitioning of a pension scheme through to the guidance we provide to members at retirement.

Operational Development

This department project manages Retail Operations, Pension Operations, Client Services and Shared Services in the UK Ireland and India. This includes managing activities such as gathering business requirements, creating / re-engineering processes and procedures, delivering training, completing business contingency planning, introducing operational controls, providing questions and answers for the customer facing teams.

What will I be doing?

Over your two year apprenticeship programme, you will be based in either our Kent or Surrey offices, where you’ll not only learn how operations is pivotal in making our organisation work seamlessly, but also build your knowledge of the wider business itself. Within the wider operational management area we have apprenticeships in either in investment operations, retail pensions operations or banking, reconciliation & controls.

Investment Operations

This team is responsible for identifying and monitoring open and executed orders through the lifecycle of a trade. This will involve ensuring best execution, timely settlement as well as all trade and settlement costs. A key part of the role will be liaison with third party vendors as well as the specialist brokerage team in client services.

Retail Pension Operations

The retail pension operations department is currently one of the fastest growing areas of the business. The team is responsible for processing the core element of Self-Invested Personal Pension (SIPP) administration including transfers in and out, benefit calculations and payment, death, divorce cases, investment transactions and the day to day management of the SIPP.

Banking, Reconciliations & Control (BRC)

Banking, Reconciliations & Control (BRC) is responsible for the receipt and payment of monies to / from investors / intermediaries followed by reconciliation of cash and stock positions for Fidelity's European based funds and FundsNetwork (fund supermarket business). In addition, BRC includes the processing of fund distributions, tax & interest accrual processing and various other control related activities for Customer Services. 

Training

You will either be on a level 4 investment operations specialist apprenticeship or a level 3 investment operations technician apprenticeship. At every stage, your development will be underpinned by the best training and professional certified courses with the aim of employing you full-time once you have completed your apprenticeship qualification. You will spend one day a week offsite as part of your apprenticeship programme, fully focused on your learning and development.

What we look for

We want people that are interested in both the industry and the sector but ultimately those that are looking for a career which will reward them in both job satisfaction and development.

Career Driven

You will be highly driven with the intellectual curiosity for progression. You don’t need to have a numerical or economics related background, but an interest in people, customer satisfaction and problem solving are attributes we admire.

Build Networks

You will have the ability to build rapport and networks with fellow employees internally and customers externally.

Keen Learners

We value candidates who still have an interest in learning and who want a career that rewards them financially as well as with job satisfaction. We will invest in your career for the long-term.

Academic Standard

We look for candidates to have a minimum of two C’s at A level or equivalent and to have already obtained at least five GCSEs between A*-C, two of which we prefer to be English and Maths.

Learning and development

Unlike other firms that hire on a volume basis, we take on a select number of apprentices. You will be highly valued here, so your development is heavily invested in from day one.

Qualifications

Both the investment operations role and the retail pension operations role are on a level 4 investment operations specialist apprenticeship. The banking, reconciliations & control role is on a level 3 investment operations technician apprenticeship.

Salary and Benefits

We invest a lot of time and resource into our apprentices, ensuring you receive a really strong remuneration package including salary and lifestyle benefits. Apprentices on a level 3 apprenticeship receive a starting annual salary of £17,500 and those on a level 4 apprenticeship receive £20,000 annual salary. All apprentices receive a £500 welcome bonus upon starting as well as a bonus after year one of £1,000 provided that you are on track with your qualification.

Application process

We like candidates with multiple skillsets, which is why the recruitment process will look to have assessments and questions that will aim to highlight your work ethic, personality and potential.

Online application

We value the different ways that people think. Don’t tell us what you think we want to hear - it’s not what you choose to write about that matters but how you articulate your thoughts. We will be looking for you to provide your answers via previous examples from school, college, employment, voluntary work or societies, sports or clubs you may have been involved with. You don’t have to do this all in one go – you can save and log in as many times as you want with your username and password.

You will need to:
- answer three questions to support your application
- provide an up-to-date CV

Online testing

There is one online, deductive reasoning test to complete. The test is focused on your ability to tackle and identify problems or errors in passages of business text.

Phone interview

If your application is successful, we will ask you to complete a motivation-based telephone interview, lasting approximately 30 minutes. We’ll ask you why this apprenticeship within Fidelity International appeals to you the most, asking you which of the three options in this area appeals to you the most, as well as learning more about your interests, background and skills, and how you have previously used these to good effect.

Assessment centre

The top applicants overall will be invited to the final stage, the assessment centre. During this one day assessment, you will be one of seven other candidates involved in a combination of a group exercise, an in-tray exercise and an interview with the business.

Offer

Stand out at the assessment centre and we’ll offer you a place on our apprenticeship starting in late September 2018. You’ll have two weeks from the day you receive your offer to make a decision. We will assign you a current apprentice as a buddy to help with your decision making. This person will continue to be on hand to support you throughout your apprenticeship at Fidelity.