Meet Adil, a Software Engineer at Together Financial Services

What made you decide to apply to Together? 

I applied to Together because I wanted to begin my career somewhere that offered genuine learning, real responsibility, and the chance to work on systems that make a meaningful difference. Together had a strong reputation for supporting early career individuals, and the Together Academy made it clear that development wasn’t an afterthought - it was a priority.

I also liked the combination of a well-established business with a modern, evolving technology landscape. It felt like the right place to build a solid foundation while still being part of ongoing change and innovation – especially within FinTech.

Tell us about your career journey - what role did you start in, and how did you get to where you are now?

I joined Together as a Graduate Software Engineer, stepping into a world of financial systems that quietly power so many essential processes. At first, it was a lot to learn - how payments flowed, how files moved between teams, how data was validated - but I enjoyed understanding how everything connected. 

As I grew, I was trusted with more responsibility. Over time, two major systems became central to my journey:

1. File Transfer Service - This system sits at the heart of how financial information moves across the organisation and to our external partners. My work focused on strengthening the end‑to‑end process: simplifying how files are transferred, ensuring every movement is fully auditable, and introducing controls that protect the integrity of the data throughout its journey. I also implemented safeguards, so files are handled consistently and securely, even during unexpected events. Working on this service gave me a deep appreciation for how essential accuracy, governance, and operational discipline are when supporting critical financial operations.
2. Payment Instruction Gateway - My work centres on coordinating how payment files are created, protected, and monitored throughout their lifecycle, ensuring every instruction is handled safely, accurately, and consistently. Over time, I strengthened the gateway into a far more resilient and dependable service by introducing mechanisms that allow it to track the status of each file and confidently resume processing if anything unexpected occurs. This level of built‑in robustness ensures the system delivers with the same precision even under challenging conditions. Working on this service has given me a deep understanding of what it takes to design processes that must perform flawlessly the first time and every time, because the business depends on it.

How has being part of the Together Academy accelerated your development?

The Together Academy played a big role in helping me build confidence early in my career. It gave me structure, support, and the space to grow at a pace that matched my ambition.

The Academy helped me by:

• Giving me exposure to different parts of the business, helping me understand how my work fits into the wider organisation.
• Helping me build independence, including learning how to gather and reflect on 360‑degree feedback.
• Running workshops that strengthened soft skills and broadened my understanding of how different areas operate.
• Ensuring I developed the right capabilities for my role, not only technical skills, but also the visibility and confidence needed to contribute effectively across the organisation.

What is your biggest achievement so far?

My biggest achievement has been taking meaningful ownership of two core services that support not only payments, but also our wider financial processes such as the general ledger and reconciliation. Strengthening the File Transfer Service and the Payment Instruction Gateway has removed several manual operating standards, including payment files that previously needed to be manually keyed and replaced them with controlled, automated, and fully traceable workflows.

By improving data integrity, reducing operational variation, and introducing more resilient and predictable behaviours, the systems now provide a stronger foundation for downstream activities, from ledger accuracy to reconciliation efficiency. These improvements directly support key business KPIs around risk reduction, operational performance, and financial control. Knowing that my work contributes to safer, more reliable processes that the organisation depends on every day is something I’m genuinely proud of.

What advice would you give to someone looking to apply to the Together Academy?

My advice is simple: go for it. The Together Academy is an excellent place to start your career if you’re motivated, curious, and eager to grow.

Here are a few things I’d encourage:

• Ask questions – be curious, it’ll help you massively.
• Embrace challenge; the moments that stretch you are the ones that shape you. 
• Use the support around you.
• Stay enthusiastic and openminded.

If you want a place where you’ll learn quickly, contribute meaningfully, and be supported along the way, the Academy is a great choice. And if you’re someone who enjoys technical challenges - or you just want to understand more about the systems I’ve worked on, feel free to reach out to me.