At BII, we offer people the chance to do meaningful work, take on real challenges and be part of something special, because that’s what matters most.
About BII
We are the UK’s development finance institution and impact investor with a mission to help solve the biggest global development challenges by investing patient, flexible capital to support private sector growth and innovation.
We invest to create more productive, sustainable and inclusive economies in Africa, South Asia, Indo-Pacific and the Caribbean, enabling people in those countries to build better lives for themselves and their communities.
We invest every year in green infrastructure, technology and other sectors that need our capital the most.
We currently partner with over 1,500 businesses in emerging economies, and we have total assets of £.8.1 billion. We work with our investee partners to support them to succeed and grow impactful businesses.
We are at the heart of the UK Government’s international financing offer to emerging economies. That includes building partnerships with British businesses that operate in developing and emerging economies and who share our aims.
We are a key partner to emerging economies that are most vulnerable to the climate emergency. Over the next five years, at least 30 per cent of our total new commitments will be in climate finance, making us one of the world’s largest such investors in Africa.
BII at a glance
75 years supporting sustainable business growth in developing and emerging markets
£8.1 billion in net assets
1,400+ businesses invested in
950,000 workers in the businesses we support
£9 billion in new investments planned in the next 5 years
600+ people in our diverse global team
3 key development objectives: Productive | Sustainable | Inclusive
The programme
During your time on our Graduate Analyst programme, you will work across two key business areas: Impact and Investment. The two-year programme is designed to empower and support analysts in aligning their passions and strengths with BII’s mission and purpose. The programme is preceded by an eight-week training period to help you perform to the best of your abilities. Your rotations will include 12 months within the Impact group and 12 months within an Investment team, with the opportunity for international travel to the countries in which we invest. After completion of the programme, you will have gained unique exposure to our organisation and have the potential to be considered for a position within the Impact group or an Investment team.
The Impact team works alongside our Investment teams to assess, manage and evaluate the impact of our investments. We provide impact-focused investment and look at how we can make a positive economic, environmental or social impact. This approach creates deals teams, who have the capability and expertise to deliver our development impact objectives whilst making a financial return. Impact us at the heart of what we do, and our Impact team have developed a world-class framework for impact management based on international standards.
Our Investment teams have two key objectives, to support private sector growth and to make a financial return. Our teams are sector focused: we have a Financial Services team, an Infrastructure & Climate team, and an ITS team (Industries, Technology & Services). Our sector groups are divided into product-focused sub teams for equity, debt and funds. Our teams invest in productive, sustainable, and inclusive development with an increased focus on green infrastructure investments, financing digital transformation, and gender and diversity finance.
Benefits
- The starting salary for the programme is £47,500 (with an increment after completion of the first rotation)
- Learning and development opportunities, including a two-year professional and technical skills training programme
- Buddy & mentor scheme
- International travel
- 38 days annual leave, including bank holidays
- Pension scheme
- Mental wellbeing support, including psychological coaching, and talking therapies
- Private medical insurance
- Health screenings
- Remote GP, virtual physiotherapy, and medical second opinions
- Cycle to work scheme
- Interest free season ticket loan
- Access to Employee Assistance Programme – providing you with access to 24-hour confidential telephone counselling and a comprehensive online source of information on a range of issues, including mental health
About the role
What you’ll be doing
Working within the Impact team your responsibilities might include:
- Assess Development Impact: Work closely with impact and investment colleagues to define impact objectives and guide investment decisions
- Develop Sector Strategies: Ensure our strategies align with our impact frameworks and drive consistency
- Create High-Quality Dashboards: Conduct research for each investment, and produce informative dashboards.
- Compile and Analyse Data: Assist in gathering, validating and analysing impact data.
- Address Environmental and Social Issues: Identify and mitigate risks related to our investments’ environmental and social impacts
- Evaluate ESG Impact: Assessing how a business impacts the environment and the wellbeing of its staff and the wider society.
- Improve ESG Credentials: Develop and monitor action plans to enhance the environmental, social and governance performance of our investees.
- Innovate and Contribute: Be part of ground-breaking thinking and guidance notes on new and emerging, environmental and social topics.
During your Investment team rotation, you could find yourself:
- Investment Analysis: Analysing new investment proposals and deal opportunities, including supporting on and conducting financial analysis/modelling, valuation exercises, and market research.
- Due Diligence Assisting senior team members with the due diligence on a specific company, sector, and country.
- Research: Undertaking research into regions, countries and specific sectors on an ad-hoc basis. This will include providing support to sector mapping exercises.
- Project work: Performing discrete project work around sector mapping to identify potential opportunities and to help the Investment team develop these into projects.
- Portfolio Management: Supporting senior team members on post-transaction management of portfolio companies.
- Reporting: Assisting in the creation of reports, which will be presented to the Investment Committee for approval.
About you
What we’re looking for
- Passionate Changemakers: individuals with a deep interest in, and passion for, creating impact, development finance, and emerging economies.
- Technical Proficiency: Advanced Excel and PowerPoint skills.
- Analytical Excellence: Aptitude for analytical thinking and problem solving.
- Exceptional Communicators: Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
- Curious Minds: Intellectual curiosity and forward-thinking approach to the future of development finance.
- Strategic Awareness: A solid understanding and appreciation for our objectives, five-year strategy, and dual mandate.
Eligibility Criteria
- A minimum 2:1 undergraduate degree in any subject area from a UK university.
- The permanent right to work in the UK.
- Bachelor’s degree - Graduated no earlier than 2024.
- Master’s programme - Graduated in 2024 or 2025 (you must have graduated from your Bachelor’s degree no earlier than 2023).
Our cultural values
We look for team members who aspire, as we do, to work at our best and to be:
- Impact-led and commercially rigorous
- Tenacious in the face of challenges
- Collaborative and caring
British International Investment is committed to diversity and inclusion and welcomes all applicants regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation or educational background.
How to apply
Recruitment process & timelines
1. Complete your application form. Includes basic questions, i.e., personal details, education history, etc.
Applications open on 23rd September 2024 and will close on 3rd November 2024. We encourage you to submit your application as soon as possible to ensure that you don’t miss out on being considered for the programme.
2. Online assessment & video interview. The assessment will follow a situational judgement format and assess financial literacy. The video interview will assess your motivations for applying to BII and our Graduate programme.
We will be reviewing online assessments and video interview responses throughout the above period, and you will be notified by mid-November if you've been successful and secured a place at the assessment centre.
3. In-person Assessment Centre. We will be running an assessment centre as the final stage of the process, held at our offices in Victoria, London. The day will include three exercises: group exercise, case study and interview (not necessarily in this order). The day is designed to assess both your technical skills/knowledge, as well as your motivations for applying to BII.
The assessment centres will be a full day, taking place on 29th November in our London office. Post assessment centre offers will be made early December.
4. Offer. Following the assessment centre, you will be notified by early December if you have been successful in securing a position on the graduate programme.
British International Investment (BII): Empowering Impactful Careers
Our Mission and Objectives
At BII, we’re not your typical financial institution. We’re on a mission to transform lives and drive positive change in developing and emerging economies. Here’s what sets us apart:
1. Development Finance with Purpose: As the UK’s development finance institution, we’re fuelled by purpose. Our goal? To create more productive, sustainable, and inclusive economies across Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean. Imagine being part of a team that doesn’t just crunch numbers, but also shapes destinies.
2. Investing in Impact: Forget the mundane. At BII, we invest in projects that matter. Whether it’s green infrastructure, cutting-edge technology, or other sectors hungry for innovation, we’re there. Our capital isn’t just about profit; it’s about empowering communities and building better lives.
3. Partnerships that Matter: Picture yourself collaborating with 1,500 businesses in emerging economies. We’re not just investors; we’re partners. Together, we support these businesses to thrive, grow, and create a ripple effect of positive impact. 🤝
4. Climate Warriors: Climate change isn’t a distant threat; it’s an emergency. As a key partner to vulnerable economies, we’re committed to climate finance. Over the next five years, 30% of our new commitments will be dedicated to fighting climate change. 🌍
5. Innovation and Transformation: BII isn’t stuck in the past. We’re entrepreneurial, always seeking fresh ways to deploy capital. We attract and mobilize investors, driving transformational impact. Imagine being part of a team that thinks beyond convention. 💡
6. Global Exposure: Ready for adventure? Our two-year graduate program offers rotations in both Impact and Investment teams. You’ll assess investments based on their social, environmental, and economic impact. Plus, you’ll jet off to one of our international offices for three months. 🌎
7. Diversity Matters: We’re a growing team of around 650—diverse, ambitious, and united by our mission. If you’re passionate about impact, you’ll fit right in. We celebrate diversity because it fuels creativity and drives us forward. 🌈
Join Us!
So, graduate students, if you’re ready to make a difference, consider BII. We’re not just about balance sheets; we’re about balancing impact. Apply when our 2025 intake opens in Autumn 2024. Your journey awaits! 🚀
Learn more about us at BII Careers: https://www.bii.co.uk/en/careers/future-talent-opportunities/
