The University of Exeter's new Graduate Scheme within Professional Services.
The Future Leaders & Innovators Graduate Scheme is a new graduate programme that will provide you the opportunity to work across 5 divisions of Professional Services.
Please complete this form to register your interest for future iterations of the scheme, and for email updates.
There are two streams available as part of the Graduate Scheme.
If you are a recent Graduate interested in a career in Professional Services, we have a rotational stream that provides you with the opportunity to have a number of placements across Professional Services whilst gaining hands on experience, being supported by a Learning and Development Programme and provides you with opportunities to future proof your skills.
If you are interested in a Graduate Scheme in Digital & IT, we have a technology focussed stream that will see you shaping the digital future of Higher Education whilst being part of the Future Leaders & Innovators Graduate Scheme and the variety of support that comes with this.
In the first year of the scheme, you will spend time embedding into staff life, learning & developing key professional skills and complete 3 placements across Professional Services Divisions. In year 2 of the Graduate Scheme, you will take with you a Management Accreditation, mentoring skills and complete 2-3 further placements.
The placements will include a diverse range of projects which will enable you to have an all-rounded view of what it means to work in Professional Services in Higher Education and equip you with the skills to excel in your career.
Interested? Please find the details of the scheme below, including the application process, how to apply and the support you will receive. We look forward to working with you!
Meet the team
FAQs
Meg Towers
(Graduate Scheme Manager)
graduate-scheme@exeter.ac.uk
Bee Hewitt-Bell
(Graduate Scheme Coordinator)
graduate-scheme@exeter.ac.uk
The Professional Services sector is one of the biggest employers in the UK, but what exactly is professional services?
Together at the University of Exeter, our highly skilled and diverse Professional Services team enables the smooth management of the University. We work in close partnership with Faculties and Departments to develop and deliver strategies and plans for our future success. Our Professional Services teams are currently working towards Strategy 2030.
Currently we have over 2,500 staff working within Professional Services across 9 divisions.
These include: Exeter Innovation – Digital - HR Services - Education and Academic Services - External Engagement and Global – IT Services - Finance, Infrastructure and Commercial Services - Research services - University Corporate Services.
Each directorate has their own objectives and commitments to Strategy 2030. As part of the Future Leaders & Innovators Graduate Scheme, you will be exposed to a variety of strategic priorities through rotational placements across Professional Services.
We recruit up to 4 Future Leaders & Innovators on the Graduate Scheme to be based at one of our campuses.
Requirements:
- Recruitment for the 2025 cohort is open to anyone as long as you have, or are expecting to have, an undergraduate or postgraduate qualification by September 2025. How long ago you received your degree has no bearing on your application.
- You do not need to be a graduate from the University of Exeter.
- You can apply if you are still studying, although if you are successful in the assessment process, your job offer may be conditional pending completion of your degree.
Our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Commitment
We want to ensure that the application process is inclusive as possible, so if you require any reasonable adjustments at any stage, please let us know.
Whilst all applicants will be judged on merit alone, we particularly welcome applications from groups currently underrepresented within our working community.
With over 30,000 students and 7,000 staff from 150 different countries we offer a diverse and engaging environment where our diversity is celebrated and valued as a major strength. We are committed to creating an inclusive culture where all members of our community are supported to thrive; where diverse voices are heard through our engagement with evidence-based charter frameworks for gender (Athena SWAN and Project Juno for Physics), race equality (Race Equality Charter Mark), LGBTQ+ inclusion (Stonewall Diversity Champion) and as a Disability Confident employer.
We are proud signatories of the Armed Forces Covenant and welcome applications from service people.
Stage 1: Online Application
You will need to upload your CV and complete three questions as part of your application.
The questions are:
- What skills do you have and how will they be used in the Future Leaders & Innovators Graduate Scheme?
(Please refer to the 'skills, experience & understanding' section of the person specification found in the job description) (250 words) - Where have you demonstrated the 'Behavioural Characteristics' outlined in the person specification?
Please choose two examples (You can use examples from your studies, personal or professional experience). (250 words) - Tell us about an innovative solution that you have come up with to solve a problem or improve something? What was the outcome? (250 words)
Stage 2: Assessment Centre
We want to ensure that our assessment centres are accessible to a range of applicants, so we will hold them online.
An assessment centre is designed to get the best out of you and to enable you to show your individual skills and qualities. It is also an opportunity for you to meet members of the senior leadership team, learn more about working at the University and decide whether a career in Professional Services is for you.
The assessment centre will take place over one day. It will be held online and will involve an individual task, a group activity & discussion and finally an exercise to test your written communication.
The assessment centre is designed to be both enjoyable and challenging.
Stage 3: Individual Interview
If you are successful in the Assessment Centre, you will be invited to an individual panel interview with members of senior management - the final stage of the recruitment process. The interview will last approximately 45 minutes.
Tips for success
Successful candidates will be those who show the greatest potential through the recruitment process and who show a motivation to work in Professional Services, and in particular at the University of Exeter.
During the Future Leaders & Innovators Graduate Scheme we will support you in a Learning & Development programme to future proof your skills, so you are set up for success for your career ambitions.
Over the 2 years you will be part of specific skills workshops, including (but not limited to) digital skills, communication workshops, positive action for diversity as well as a formal Management Essentials & Practitioner Accreditation.
In year 2 of the Graduate scheme, you will become a Mentor for the subsequent graduate cohort. You will work 1:1 sharing your skills and experience with them to date to not only show your leadership skills, but also help set them up for success.
Please note- this is a new Graduate Scheme to the University, your insights through the 2 year Graduate scheme are extremely valuable and we hope to gather your feedback regularly to co-create future iterations of the Graduate Scheme.
The cohort you join will be your community to share ideas, innovate and discuss improvements for the future. You will have opportunities throughout the year to give feedback on any developments to your line manager, the Graduate Scheme Manager.
Applications for both streams of the Future Leaders and Innovators Graduate Scheme are currently closed.
Applications for both streams will reopen for the 2025 cycle in Winter 2024.
Please complete this form to register your interest for future iterations of the scheme, and for email updates.
