Change Development Programme – Project Manager

Good things this way

If you're ambitious, curious and enjoy solving problems, our Change Development Programme provides a structured route into a rewarding career in banking.

You'll develop specialist skills to help deliver large-scale business and technology change, gaining hands-on experience that creates real outcomes for customers and colleagues.

Whether you’re a graduate ready to make an impact, or a career changer looking for a new challenge, you’ll gain hands-on experience, develop future-ready skills, and contribute to projects that deliver banking that’s fairer, more rewarding, and for the good of society.

You’ll follow a tailored learning pathway designed to build the skills you’ll need for the future of financial services. Through digital learning, interactive workshops, insights from leaders and industry experts, and hands-on experience in your role, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to put your learning into practice. You’ll also learn alongside colleagues from across Nationwide, helping you build your network and understand more about how our business works.

We’ll support your development through structured learning, personalised development and hands-on experience, helping you grow with confidence.

As part of the Change Development Programme, you’ll have the opportunity to build your career in one of our key change roles.  Here’s what you can expect as a Project Manager.

Project Manager

As a Project Manager, you will be responsible for the performance of the team delivering change initiatives. The key to your success will be your prioritisation, planning and decision-making abilities. In this role, you will:  

• Help to motivate change teams and encourage collaboration amongst colleagues.

• Identify risks, assumptions, issues, and dependencies (RAID) within a project and develop solutions to these problems.

• Plan & deliver using the most appropriate change methodology and have the ability to recognise when something does not work.

• Facilitate meetings with our stakeholders and technical experts and ensure there is clear communication and continuous improvement.

Where you’ll be working 

You'll join our Change teams, helping deliver strategic programmes, technology initiatives and business improvements. Working with experienced change professionals, you'll support projects, analyse business needs and turn ideas into reality. With £600 million invested in change each year, you'll see how change is delivered at scale.

Location 

At Nationwide we offer hybrid working wherever possible. More rewarding relationships are supported through our hybrid approach, bringing colleagues together across our UK wide estate, whilst also supporting generous access to home working. We value our time in the office to solve problems, to learn, and to feel connected.

For this job you'll spend at least two days per week, based at our Swindon or Glasgow offices.

If we receive a high volume of relevant applications, we may close the advert earlier than the advertised date, so please apply as soon as you can. 

What you’ll be doing on the Change Development Programme 

The Change Development Programme is a two-year programme, with the next intake commencing in September 2027.

During the programme, you'll join high-performing teams that support Nationwide's transformation and strategic priorities.

You’ll start with an induction programme before joining our dedicated Change Academy. Here, you'll learn more about Nationwide, connect with colleagues and build the foundations for your role. You'll also complete a personalised learning pathway combining role-specific training, digital learning and interactive workshops. You'll hear from leaders and industry experts, who will share fresh perspectives and practical ideas.

The Change Academy will build your core change and delivery skills before you progress into a specialist pathway in Project Management. Once you've completed the Academy, you'll join your team, where you'll gain hands-on experience and apply your skills to real business challenges.

Throughout your 2 years on programme, you will gain experience across different change initiatives and the chance to apply your learning on projects and programmes.

Depending on your role and placement, you'll use tools such as Microsoft 365, Jira, Confluence and Visio to support planning, collaboration, analysis and delivery.

No two days are the same. You could support workshops and analyse business processes. You might gather requirements, manage project plans or review risks. You'll also work with stakeholders to help deliver change. Gaining experience of how major programmes are planned and delivered, you'll manage competing priorities and changing deadlines. You'll tackle complex requirements and build confidence in asking questions and constructively challenging others.

You'll develop skills in stakeholder management, communication, problem solving, planning, prioritisation and change delivery. You'll also work towards industry-recognised foundational qualifications.

Many participants progress into Project Manager roles. From there, you'll have opportunities to further develop your expertise across change and transformation.

Who we’re looking for on the Change Development Programme

We're looking for ambitious people with high standards and a passion for change. You'll share our commitment to putting customers first and improving how we do things. Whether you're starting your career, returning to work or changing direction, you'll gain the skills and experience to build a rewarding career in banking.

To succeed on our Change Development Programme, you'll need to show:

• An interest in project delivery.

• Confidence solving problems and working through complexity.

• Genuine curiosity about how organisations deliver change and transformation.

• The ambition to keep growing, take on new challenges and build towards your next career step

• A logical, methodical approach, with the ability to understand both the detail and the bigger picture 

• The confidence to build relationships and work with colleagues across the business.

• Drive, high performance and a commitment to learning from feedback and setbacks 

• A determination to push for better and put customers first in the decisions you make

Our customer first behaviours put customers and members at the heart of how we work together. They are the set of behaviours that every colleague needs to display, in every role:

• Feel what customers feel - We step into our customers’ shoes, using their feedback and insights to empathise with them and to understand their needs, so that every decision we make starts and finishes with our customers in mind

• Say it straight - We are brave in speaking out and saying what we think – we’re honest and direct with good intent, openly sharing diverse perspectives to reach the best conclusions and using language everyone can understand

• Push for better - We don’t settle for mediocrity, we challenge the status quo, taking responsibility for continuous improvement and personal development

• Get it done - We prioritise what will have the greatest impact, we are decisive, and we take accountability for delivering brilliant customer outcomes.

The extras you’ll get

High performing and purpose-driven colleagues deserve a rewarding career and competitive benefits to match. We offer you: 

• Structured learning, personalised development and hands-on experience to help you build future-ready skills and progress your career in banking

• 25 days holiday each year, which increases over time to 30. Plus, you can ‘buy’ up to 10 extra days 

• The opportunity to earn an annual bonus based on your performance

• Private medical insurance to help you access additional healthcare when you need it

• Wellhub access to a range of free and paid fitness and wellbeing options, plus free on-site gyms at selected locations 

• A highly competitive pension to help you start building your financial future 

• A great selection of additional benefits through our salary sacrifice scheme

• Up to 14 paid hours each year to volunteer for a cause that matters to you

• Life assurance to provide additional peace of mind for you and the people who matter to you
   

Banking – but fairer, more rewarding, and for the good of society

We forge our own path at Nationwide.

As a mutual, we’re owned by our members - those customers who bank, save or have a mortgage with us. We challenge the financial sector status quo. We don’t see customers as the engine of our own profit. We share our profits with them and put their needs first. Always there when they need us. Supporting them and their lives.

If you’re inspired by fairer finances, passionate about making a meaningful impact, and truly care about our customers, you’re one of us.

At Nationwide, you are challenged to grow and rewarded for doing so. Valued. Recognised. Inspired to be your best. As a community we want our working lives to count. As a team, we celebrate what we achieve. As a standard-setter, we work for the good of customers, communities, and broader society.

We are purpose-driven. Uncompromisingly customer. Unstoppably Nationwide.

What to do next 

If this role is for you, please click the ‘Apply Now’ button, where you’ll be asked to answer a few quick questions for us.   

We’ll send you our online assessments to complete and there will also be a short video interview to find out more about you. If you are successful, you could be selected to attend one of our assessment centres which run from January 2027.

Visa sponsorship information 

As a UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) approved sponsor, we have a responsibility to comply with the applicable Immigration Rules and guidance (which are subject to change). The Skilled Worker route has specific requirements relating to skill level of the role and minimum salary expectations. As such, our ability to employ individuals who require sponsorship for immigration purposes is limited or may not be possible for some programmes. 

VISA Sponsorship cannot be offered on this programme.  

All successful applicants with need to demonstrate their right to work in the UK on commencement of employment and for the duration of the programme applied for without requiring sponsorship. 

If you have any further questions, please contact us at Early.Careers@nationwide.co.uk