Risk Consulting Graduate Trainee - Financial Services - September 2024

At Mazars we have a wide range of opportunities for you to gain experience in a firm that truly cares about your aspirations. Our business is an engine for rapid and consistent career progression, and we are known for giving ambitious people early responsibility and exposure. 

Are you a graduate with strong interpersonal skills with a keen interest in building a career in risk management? Are you a credible and effective communicator who enjoys building trusted client relationships? This is a great opportunity to join a team that specialises in risk and regulation, providing expert services to banks, investment firms, asset managers and payment institutions. 

About the role 

The Financial Services Risk Consulting Team provides internal audit and other risk-based services to a range of financial services clients and is one of the largest providers within the sector. 

The Team works with clients across the sector including within asset & wealth management, banking, and insurance. Primarily, the team provides outsourced and co-sourced internal audit services, however also provides (or supports other teams with the delivery of) a range of risk-based engagements including ISAE & SOX audits, board effectiveness reviews and external quality assessments, to name but a few. 

The primary role of a Risk Consulting Trainee within Financial Services is to support or lead the delivery of internal audit engagements, reviewing a client's operations and providing recommendations that add value, proportionate, and in line with industry best practice. 

We are now operating a hybrid working model, so as a trainee you will split your time between working from home, visiting the office, client sites when required or studying for your professional exams. The team operates a ‘core days' approach, whereby everyone attends the office on either of the two core days defined 

During your first year you will: 

• Learn how to undertake fieldwork using a range of tools and methods in order to review and provide recommendations on the client's business operations. 
• In conjunction with other members of the team, perform internal audit fieldwork remotely and at client sites, testing and reviewing exposure to risk and the effectiveness of the controls in place to mitigate risks. 
• Prepare draft reports for management review. 
• Engage directly with clients in understanding the business processes, controls, and risks affecting their business. 
• Start to develop a thorough understanding of the nature of the clients' business, industry best practice, and applicable regulations. 
• Be able to obtain relevant information from clients whilst building effective rapport with clients' staff. 
• Attending and supporting opening and closing meetings. 

During your second year you will: 

• Develop greater autonomy and independence, leading audits under the guidance of a manager. 
• Lead on key client interactions such as planning on feedback meetings, liaising with a range of stakeholders including C-suite executives. 
• Support SMEs and senior member so the team with more challenging technical audits, including consulting engagements. 
• Undertake further training to enhance your skillset such as the use of data analytics tools. 
• Start to work with client managers to develop and plan assignments, developing a deeper understanding of our clients. 

As a Senior within the team, you will be expected to take responsibility for the end-to-end audit process, guiding more junior colleagues, leading on client interactions, drafting high quality reports and supporting client managers to contribute to overall engagement success. The breadth of the work undertaken by the Team and its close links to our consulting practice means there are a range of development opportunities for talented individuals. These including starting to develop client portfolio management skills or working with our consulting practice to delivery technical engagements. 

About the team 

The Advisory & Consulting Service Line is a rapidly growing, award winning, global group of successful teams working together to present a go-to-market differentiator whilst delivering the highest quality of work for our clients.  

If you are successful in securing a role on our training programme you will join a team of 600+ innovative specialists across a variety of sectors including Financial Services, Industry & Services, and Public Services with consultative expertise in Risk & Management Consulting, Internal Audit, Actuarial and all aspects of the Tech & Digital space. Our Advisory teams are at the forefront of large international infrastructure projects, global M&A transactions, high-profile forensic investigations, business valuations, corporate restructuring and creditor advisory services; all with the aim of adding value to clients by finding solutions to a range of financial issues as one collaborative team. 

The Financial Services Risk Consulting Team provides internal audit and other risk-based services to a range of financial services clients and is one of the largest providers within the sector. The Team works with clients across the sector including within asset & wealth management, banking, and insurance. Primarily, the team provides outsourced and co-sourced internal audit services, however also provides (or supports other teams with the delivery of) a range of risk-based engagements including ISAE & SOX audits, board effectiveness reviews and external quality assessments, to name but a few. 

About you 

We are looking for exceptional candidates to join our team who demonstrate the following:  

• Interpersonal skills; the ability to build client relationships with a foundation of trust and responsibility. 
• Communication skills: the ability to articulate your ideas and suggestions clearly and effectively in both verbal and written forms. 
• Analytical skills; the ability to think critically, research and solve problems. 
• Attention to detail and strong time-management skills. 
• Commitment to self-development & learning. 
• Affinity with our values; in particular, respect for individuals, diversity and integrity 

Strong academic performance is important; however, we understand that things don't always go to plan. Our recruitment process looks at your whole self – academic achievements as well as other experiences in which you have grown and developed. We balance your academic results alongside the aptitude assessment within our recruitment process to ensure that you will be successful in your role with us.   

Mazars & me: who are we? 

Mazars is a leading international professional services firm delivering exceptional quality in audit, tax, financial advisory, outsourcing and consulting. It's also a fun, fast-paced, positive place to work and make friends.  

At Mazars, we celebrate individuality and thrive on teamwork. We give people the freedom to make a personal contribution to our shared purpose. We support one another to deliver quality, create change and make an impact. So that everyone can reach their full potential. 

Every story is different at Mazars. Our people have amazing, personal experiences so the best way to learn about life here is to hear it first hand from them. 

Learning and development 

We offer a diverse range of experiences, with prestigious clients and dynamic projects across a range of sectors and geographies. We offer an excellent technical grounding and real responsibility from the start, with early exposure to clients and partners. We have a culture of coaching, feedback, mentorship and one-to-one support, so you will learn from working closely with accessible colleagues and leaders who have so much to share. Most importantly, we give our people the tools and support they need to define their own career path and realise their full potential. As part of your training, we offer the opportunity to gain a professional qualification whilst earning a competitive salary and gaining invaluable experience.  

This includes funding, time off to study, attend college and complete online courses. Your professional qualification is only part of the story at Mazars; we support all our trainees with a blended approach to training and development including classroom study, 1:1 coaching, and soft skills training. 

You will be supported by a mentor and an appraising manager to keep your career and aspirations on track. And you will be allocated a buddy who will support you to settle into the team and navigate your first year at Mazars.  We will fund your study towards either the ACA or IRM (International Certificate in Enterprise Risk Management and then the International Diploma in Risk Management qualifications), which will provide finance or risk expertise respectively. Completing any professional qualification requires a significant personal commitment and we expect you to give sufficient thought to your choice. You will be given the opportunity to decide which one prior to your start date and we encourage you to fully research both qualifications. 

Inclusion and diversity 

Being inclusive is core to our culture at Mazars; we want to ensure everyone, whether in the recruitment process or beyond, is fully supported to be their unique self and provided with a level playing field. To read more about our approach click here.  

Next steps

At Mazars, we are one diverse, multicultural, multi-generational team with a huge sense of connection and belonging. If you are looking to join a firm where you can take ownership of your career, get involved, believe in yourself and put your ideas into action, then we think you will be a great addition to our team.  

Roles will be closed as soon as we find the right people, so to avoid disappointment we encourage you to submit your application as soon as possible. 

International applications – Please note that the deadline to apply for international candidates who require visa sponsorship is 15 March 2024. Applications received after this date will not be progressed.