“The Finance Graduate Scheme has enabled me to interact with a broad range of stakeholders, rotate around areas from London Underground to Tech & Data, and gain an accounting qualification. I have no doubt that the skills and experience I’ve gained through a number of different placements will provide a strong foundation for a successful career in Finance. ” – Chloe, Finance Graduate
Salary
£31,000, rising to £32,250 in the second year, and a final salary of £36,000 in the last year of the scheme.
Location
London/ Hybrid
Hybrid working within this role enables a balance of 50 per cent of time split between the office and home over a four-week period. Hybrid working arrangements can evolve subject to business requirements.
What we offer
You will enjoy excellent benefits and scope to grow. Rewards vary according to the business area but mostly include:
- Free travel on the TfL network for you and a nominee who lives in the same household
- Final salary pension scheme
- Discounted national rail and Eurostar travel
- 30 days Annual leave, plus public and bank holidays.
- Private healthcare discounted scheme
- Tax-efficient cycle-to-work programme
- Retail, health, leisure and travel offers & many more
Duration
3 years
Entry requirements
A minimum of 2:2 degree in any subject.
Start date
8th September 2025
Job overview
TfL plays a key role in shaping what life is like in London. Our transport infrastructure and public transport network is admired around the world. We are literally changing London for the future – making it one of the best cities to live, work and visit. Around 3.6 billion journeys were made across our transport network in 2023/24 and we do all that we can to keep our city moving, growing and working. To meet the needs of our customers, now and for the future, we’re providing the modern and affordable transport network London needs. To support this, our multi-billion pound programme to make our services more reliable, frequent and accessible includes introducing new trains, building a new road tunnel under the Thames at Silvertown, and investing in congestion and air quality initiatives on our roads through our healthy streets approach. As a Finance graduate, you will have a huge part to play in this, working to generate an operating surplus to reinvest in our services. You will work with stakeholders to make commercial business decisions together; challenging, driving and guiding them to reduce costs and increase income.
Sustainability
At TfL we know we must do more to deliver the safest and most inclusive transport services, enable a thriving economy and confront the climate crisis while protecting and regenerating our environment. That's why we are transforming our vehicles to zero emission, investing in renewable energy and implementing clean air policies. We are learning how to adapt to a changing climate, protecting, connecting and enhancing biodiversity across our estate, improving how we procure and use resources and encouraging ourselves and our partners to become greener, fairer and more inclusive so we can keep London moving for generations to come.
What will I be doing?
As a graduate, this three-year programme will develop your holistic understanding of all the different aspects that make up Finance as a business function. In total, you’ll complete up to nine placement rotations. Alongside this, you’ll be studying for the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) professional qualification through the Level 7 Accountancy Taxation Professional apprenticeship.
Our aim is to equip you with the range of skills and breadth of experience you need for your successful career. Your journey through the scheme will allow you to build up knowledge in transactional accounting, apply that knowledge and gain partnering experience across all of TfL’s major Business Units in a Finance Business Partnering role, before transitioning into a strategic finance placement and contributing towards TfL’s significant strategy publications, assisting with our treasury management or seeking innovative funding solutions for some of our most interesting projects.
We also understand that everyone’s career and ambitions are different, so every graduate’s journey with us is unique. We have designed a rotational placements structure, with core and elective placements to allow you to shape your career to your own ambitions. Here is an example of what your development journey could look like:
First 9 months
Finding your feet in Finance, getting to know the fundamentals, and developing your transactional accounting knowledge across three areas of the Business Support Function - Record to Account, Project to Asset and the Reporting team.
You will gain insight into TfL’s periodic activities and support the Business Support Function to maintain TfL’s accounts. Activities that you will be involved in include reviewing and posting manual journals, account reconciliations, reviewing and improving period end processes, maintaining TfL’s finance timetable for periodic financial close, and providing real-time standardised reports with business insights to support all financial and people related decisions.
Next 15 months
Applying your knowledge and developing your partnering skills with a more flexible structure, selecting placements from a range of TfL’s delivery organisations.
Finance Business Partnering
You will develop effective business partner relationships with your chosen business area, providing real time support and analysis, becoming a trusted adviser, adding value and assisting with decision making. You will start to gain an understanding of the cost and income drivers within the business area, and will play a key role in budgeting, forecasting, and reporting activities. There are a vast range of business partnering opportunities across TfL, including with Capital Delivery, Operations, Places for London, and Customer and Strategy.
Next 12 months
Financial Planning and Analysis
Work on TfL’s consolidated financial position and help shape our multi year business plans. Manage the demands of internal and external stakeholders, communicating with them to ensure they understand TfL’s financial story.
Investment Appraisal
Focus on assessing the viability of projects, programme or portfolio decisions and the value they generate. You will provide insightful analysis and recommendations to senior internal stakeholders, supporting important investment and prioritisation decisions.
Corporate Finance
Develop your modelling skills whilst developing funding solutions for TfL’s next big projects, or explore how TfL manages it’s borrowings and investments.
We also have an established Graduate and Apprentice Committee as well as an Alumni group. These groups are powerful networks in developing your understanding of the organisation, different apprenticeship schemes and opportunities to develop your career. Many current graduates and apprentices believe this to be a powerful support network and they often hold graduate and apprentice only events that are very beneficial to your continued learning.
Where can this career take me?
After completing the scheme, you’ll roll-off into a permanent role that best suits the skills you have developed over the three-year programme, balanced with the needs of the business. Potential roles include finance business partner, financial reporting accountant, and corporate finance analyst. TfL has an excellent track record in continuing to support our graduate alumni with very high retention and promotion rates, and many of our graduates have gone on to hold senior management roles within the organisation. There are many opportunities to move between finance teams to get a breadth of experience in operational, project and commercial functions.
Achieving this industry recognised ACMA CGMA designation as a chartered management accountant with CIMA will provide the technical skills, professional knowledge and tools to long-term career success in Finance.
What training and support will you get?
Our award-winning teams will support your ongoing development, through a wide range of on-the-job practical experience and placements. We'll support your professional development through a combination of training, mentoring, and networking.
You'll also receive one-to-one guidance throughout the programme from your:
- Placement manager: Responsible for your day-to-day management and support with your development
- Scheme sponsor: A senior manager who acts as a technical and professional adviser and has line manager responsibility
- Buddy: Usually an apprentice or graduate who gives support to you and ensures that you feel welcomed in the organisation
- Development adviser: Supports your professional development through providing career coaching and career progression at TfL
What do we look for?
Our core values are extremely important to us, and we desire candidates who are:
- Caring about our colleagues, our customers and our work
- Open to each other, to new ideas and to working together
- Adaptable to diverse needs and willing to innovate
What qualifications will I gain?
You’ll be studying for the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) professional qualification through the Level 7 Accountancy Taxation Professional apprenticeship.
Achieving this industry recognised ACMA CGMA designation as a chartered management accountant with CIMA will provide the technical skills, professional knowledge and tools to support long-term career success in Finance.
Application process
The application process consists of 5 steps, including online assessments which will need to be completed within an allocated time frame. We highly recommend that you read through this document thoroughly so that you can familiarise yourself with the process.
