Finance Trainee

You will join as part of the Investment20/20 programme.

Savills Investment Management (Savills IM) is an international real estate investment management firm which is majority owned by Savills plc, the global real estate services group. The firm has over 30 years’ experience, with over 400+ staff employed in 16 locations across 13 countries in Europe and Asia.

Our purpose is to build prosperity by investing in resilient real assets. Our vision is to be a trusted investment manager, respected for our expertise in restorative Real Estate investment enabling people, communities and ecosystems to thrive.

Our Group Finance team supports the business globally, with team members in London, Luxembourg, Milan, Madrid, Tokyo and Singapore, working on the financial control of the Savills Investment Management corporate entities.

Working at Savills IM

We are a people business, relying on our people for their expertise, skills and judgement. We look for a bright, diverse workforce, one that is forward looking, entrepreneurial in spirit and is passionate about creating sustainable future for our planet.

We are a committed equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all individuals, regardless of age, disability, gender, sexual orientation, race and religion. We are focused on fostering a culture and environment that allows for inclusion and diversity throughout our business. We have several employee led forums which provide support and guidance around Diversity & Inclusion such as LGBTQ+, Age, Gender and Disability.

Programme information

You will join as a trainee as part of the Investment20/20 programme. The Investment20/20 programme has over 60 investment management member firms and has supported over 2,500 young people to start their career in the industry.

As a Finance Trainee you will be introduced to investment management and you will gain industry knowledge, experience and develop relationships to progress your career and develop skills to secure a permanent role. As part of the Investment20/20 programme, you will have opportunities to meet and network with over 300 trainees across the industry and participate in socials and insight events.

Our trainee programme is a 12-month fixed term contract with a competitive salary £27,000 and will receive 25 days annual leave. This role is based in London in the Savills Investment Management office in Oxford Circus and will be 4 days per week in the office and 1 day per week working remotely.

The Team

The Savills Investment Management Group Finance team consists of 15 employees globally. You will have the opportunity to work closely with team members in the various regions and will directly support the Group Financial Controller, based in London. This will be a great opportunity to gain first hand knowledge and experience of the corporate finance function.

At Savills Investment Management career progression is important to us, so we will continue to invest in your development to enable you to have the skills and knowledge to progress within the business. Following successful completion of your traineeship, if there is an opportunity to provide you with a permanent role in the business we will seek to ensure to continue the development of your career in corporate finance.

Responsibilities

As a Finance Trainee you will be trained to provide assistance to the Group Finance accounting function in a hands-on role undertaking bookkeeping duties, processing payments, raising invoices and performing reconciliations.

Tasks will include:

• Assist and manage the Group team and Debt team Purchase Ledger function
• Assist with Group global projects such as the implementation of a global travel solution and expense solution
• Month-end and mid-month Group cash reporting to shareholder
• Assist the Group team with preparation of annual statutory UK financial statements
• Maintenance and analysis of employee expense accounts and UK disbursements ledgers
• Document and maintain Group policies and procedures

Skills and requirements

If you are a school/college leaver or graduate, who has a keen interest in beginning your corporate finance career within financial services and has the following attributes, we are interested in hearing from you:

• Good communication and inter-personal skills;
• Good technology skills; proficient in Excel and good working knowledge of other Microsoft Office packages;
• Enjoys learning to use new systems; you will be trained to use systems including Microsoft D365, Oracle Hyperion, Anaplan;
• Good analytical skills, with an eye for detail;
• Well-organised with the ability to prioritise and meet tight deadlines;
• Self-starter with a proactive attitude, willingness to learn and develop their skills and knowledge;
• Good written and spoken English;
• A team player who works for the benefit of the team as a whole.

How to apply

As part of your application, please apply online.

You will apply via our portal. As part of the online application process, we would like to know a little more about you. There are two parts to this:

• Video Question

Please submit a short video, no longer than 1 minute in duration, answering the question: Why are you applying for the Finance Trainee role at Savills IM?

This can be uploaded directly to our portal.

• Assessment Questions

You will be asked to upload your answers to the following questions in 250-300 words per answer.

• What is the most challenging situation you have faced and how did you deal with it?
• Tell us about a financial news story that you found interesting and why?

Please note:

The purpose of these questions is to give applicants an opportunity to share their personal experiences and thought processes with the hiring manager. Your application will not be considered if you do not answer the questions.

We are an inclusive employer. Please let the recruitment team know if you have a disability, condition or difference that may require us to make adaptations.

Key dates

• Online applications close Friday 7th June 2024
• Start date July 2024, or sooner if available

Please note we recruit on a rolling basis so you are advised to apply early.

Application Process

The second stage of the process will be a 30 minute online assessment. If you are successful in moving to stage two we will email you within one week of the closing date.

The interview process will then consist of 2 interviews with various members of the Group Finance and HR teams.

Unsuccessful candidates will be notified by email. If you are unsuccessful in your application, please go to our website in order to hear about other trainee opportunities that may be of interest to you.