Career Returner’s Programme 2025

Candidates with a minimum of a two-year career break are eligible to apply for a role on our Career Returners Programme. You may have taken time out for childcare or eldercare, for relocation, or for other reasons. You may have been working on a small-scale basis to fit around your other commitments or have not done any paid work for a number of years.

Professional work experience is necessary as you will be operating and influencing at a senior level. The right skills are more important than the right background. Financial experience is not essential for all roles, though would be beneficial. The current Bank of England teams include people from a range of backgrounds such as finance, science, government, civil service and the military.

We are still finalising the areas of the Bank who will be welcoming a career returner this year but in previous years we have recruited into the following areas:

• Monetary Analysis
• FSSR (Financial Stability Strategy and Risk)
• FMID (Financial Market Infrastructure)
• PRA Risk and Ops
• Legal
• PRA ARTIS, Insurance & UKDT
• PRA Prudential Policy (PPD)
• Resolution

The programme is 12 months in duration and is offered on a fixed term contract basis. There is the possibility of a permanent role at the end of the 12-month period, but this is not guaranteed. 

Applications will open on 27 August 2024. The link to apply will be added onto our website, for now we would encourage you to register your interest.  

Register your interest

Yes, you may apply for more than one position.

The adverts will close on 27 September 2024; however, we will be reviewing applications on a rolling basis during this time.

The application process for this programme is as follows:

• Online application: this collects personal information, education & work history and some screening questions. Applications will be sifted in line with the minimum criteria and, if successful, you will be invited to the next stage.
• First stage interview: This will be with the hiring areas and consist of motivation, behaviours, skills and experience-based questions. It is likely this will be virtual.
• Additional interview/assessments: If successful, you may be invited to an additional interview/assessment dependent on the role.
• If you get through to interview stage, we will also provide some support resources to help you to prepare for the interview and showcase your skills and attributes.

The salary bracket may vary depending on the hiring area. This will be clearly advertised in each job advert, so please look out for this.

In addition to your salary, you will receive:

• A non-contributory, career average pension giving you a guaranteed retirement benefit of 1/95th of your annual salary for every year worked. There is the option to increase your pension (to 1/50th) or decrease (to 1/120th) in exchange for salary through our flexible benefits programme each year.
• A discretionary performance award based on a current award pool.
• A 8% benefits allowance with the option to take as salary or purchase a wide range of flexible benefits.  
• 26 days’ annual leave with option to buy up to twelve additional days through flexible benefits. 
• Private medical insurance and income protection.

As an employee on our Career Returner Programme, you will also receive:

• Group coaching sessions from a 'Career Returners' qualified coach
• A buddy from your immediate business area
• A mentor (Bank colleague from a different area of the Bank – possibly a previous returner)
• Dedicated support from the Programme Lead throughout your programme
• Participation in and support from our Career Returner community (you will join as part of a cohort of up to 20 Returners)

The start date for this programme will be Monday 3 March 2025. This is a set start date to ensure all Career Returners join as a cohort.

You will be contracted to either our Threadneedle Street, Moorgate or Leeds office.

For most roles where work can be carried out at home, we aim for colleagues to spend half of their time in the office, with a minimum of 40% per month. Subject to that minimum requirement, individuals and managers should work together to find what works best for them, their team and stakeholders.

Yes, the Bank has a focus on employee wellbeing and as such we welcome applications from candidates who want to work flexibly around their other commitments. There are different flexible working options available depending on the role and the area of the Bank.

This programme is a tailored development programme run in partnership with Career Returners. This will include a bespoke induction, dedicated coaching sessions, a career returner mentor and ongoing support from the programme lead.

Yes, we are looking to recruit a cohort of career returners for the March start date. Numbers are fluid at this stage but may be shared during the interview process.

We're proud to be a member of the Disability Confident Scheme. If you wish to apply under this scheme, you should check the box in the ‘Candidate Personal Information’ under the ‘Disability Confident Scheme’ section of the application.

Please email CareerReturnersRecruitment@bankofengland.co.uk for any questions that are not answered here.