Standard Life Operations Apprentice 2026

Application Deadline: 20 June 2026

Department: Various

Employment Type: Apprentice

Location: Birmingham

Compensation: £24,492 / year

Description

Are you finishing school and thinking about what’s next, but not sure where your interests might take you yet? At Standard Life, we’re offering exciting apprenticeship opportunities for people who are curious, motivated, and ready to learn – no previous experience in Financial Services needed.

You’ll gain hands‑on experience in our Retirement Solutions and Asset Management operational teams, building practical skills and knowledge that can open doors to a wide range of future careers. If you’re looking for a supportive place to start your working life and grow your confidence in a professional environment, this could be the perfect first step.

About the Role

What is the purpose of the Asset Management (RS&AM) Chief Operating Office (COO)?
In Asset Management, we help people grow their savings and plan for the future by investing across a wide range of assets, supporting goals from retirement to long‑term financial security. Behind the scenes, our Chief Operating Office (COO) is the engine that keeps everything running smoothly and safely - designing processes, managing systems, and supporting teams so investments are delivered accurately, responsibly, and on time. This engine is made up of several key areas, which you’ll be exposed to during your apprenticeship:

Asset Management Operations: Our Collateral Management team ensures financial trades are secure by overseeing the checking, tracking, and control of assets used to mitigate risk, keeping investment processes reliable and well‑governed.
COO Business Management: Our Business Management team aligns the COO function by coordinating planning, priorities, and senior decision‑making to keep the business running smoothly.
Technology: Our Technology, Platform Engineering team builds and runs cloud‑based data platforms (i.e. AWS and Snowflake) and coding languages (i.e. Python and SQL); turning data into practical solutions that power the business.
Policy Holder Operations: Our Policyholder Operations team ensures policyholder funds are managed safely and accurately through activities such as unit pricing, fund accounting, performance reporting, and issue management, delivered through strong controls and collaboration.
Clients Services: Our Client Services team looks after our customers with care and attention, managing their funds accurately, keeping information clear, and always working to achieve the best outcomes and value for their investments.
Compliance: The Investment Compliance team acts as the first line of defence, ensuring investment decisions are responsible, well‑controlled, and compliant with regulations across Retirement Solutions & Asset Management.

What our Apprenticeship offers:

Each apprentice will have a home role in one of the five teams outlined above, where you’ll spend the full two years building skills, confidence, and experience in a supportive environment. Alongside this, you’ll have the opportunity to take part in shorter ‘Gigs’ across the COO function and the wider Asset Management team. These experiences are designed to help you explore different areas of the business, meet new people, and broaden your understanding of the industry.

This apprenticeship is a chance to learn by doing, develop skills that will support your future career, and gain a real insight into how a large financial services organisation works. You’ll be supported throughout your journey, encouraged to ask questions, and given opportunities to grow at a pace that’s right for you - making this a great first step into the world of work!

What are we looking for?

Apprenticeship Standard
Current or recent school leavers, who have completed A-level or equivalent i.e. BTEC and are looking for a Level 3 AI and Data Foundations Apprenticeship (2 years) with opportunity to progress further. You will be fully funded and supported in your apprenticeship and will have 1 day a week away from work dedicated to your learning.

Qualification Criteria

3 A levels or equivalent BTEC

5 GCSEs with grades 9 to 4, including a minimum of English at Grade 5 and Maths at Grade 6.

Our next Apprentice:

We’re looking for motivated, curious people who are keen to learn and ready to succeed - no previous financial services experience needed.

This role would suit you if you:

Bring a positive, professional attitude and take pride in what you do
Are curious, keen to learn and develop, including building communication, negotiation, and problem‑solving skills over time
Are open to learning from feedback, using guidance and support to keep improving
Enjoy working with people and being part of a collaborative team; experience in retail, hospitality, or customer‑facing roles is a real plus
Have good attention to detail and like working accurately
Are organised and able to balance work and study during the apprenticeship
Show ambition, enthusiasm, and a willingness to try new things and build confidence as you learn

We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and experiences. You don’t need to meet every point above to apply - if you bring commitment, curiosity, and a willingness to learn, we’ll support you to build the skills and confidence you need to succeed.

We want to hire the whole version of you.

We are committed to ensuring that everyone feels accepted and welcome applicants from all backgrounds. If your experience looks different from what we’ve advertised and you believe that you can bring value to the role, we’d love to hear from you.

If you require any adjustments to the recruitment process, please let us know so we can help you to be at your best.

We’re reviewing applications as they come in, so apply early to avoid missing out.

Find out more about working at Standard Life

Guide for Candidates: standardlifeplc.pagetiger.com/guideforcandidates
Find or get answers from our colleagues: www.standardlifeplc.com/careers/talk-to-us

Salary and Benefits

£24,492 per year + discretionary bonus
Excellent pension scheme
Private medical insurance
Electric vehicle scheme
38 days holiday incl. Bank Holidays
Plus 12x salary life assurance
Career breaks
Income protection
3x volunteering days and much more!

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Standard Life Operations Apprentice 2026