Finance Placement Assistant (13 Month Fixed Term Contract)

ZAPHIR ASSET MANAGEMENT SL; Greater London; On-site; GBP 19,000 - 23,000; Full time

Job summary

The Finance team at Savills Investment Management have two 13-month full-time placement opportunities open to university students who will be in their penultimate year of university which offers hands-on financial management and financial reporting working experience within the team.

This is an ideal opportunity for an individual considering a career within finance to learn new skills and experience what it is like to work within finance and the investment management industry.

Qualifications

• Undertaking a relevant undergraduate university degree e.g. Finance or Accounting, in penultimate year.
• Strong GCSEs and A-Levels (or equivalent).
• Basic Excel skills and competence with other Microsoft Office packages;
• Good attention to detail;
• Good communication skills;
• Strong inter-personal skills;
• Self-starter with a proactive attitude, willingness to learn and be able to demonstrate this during interview;
• Excellent written and spoken English; and
• A team player

Responsibilities

• Assist with management accounting and financial reporting responsibilities.
• Process payments and liaise with banks, lawyers, and suppliers to facilitate processing of payments and queries.
• Maintain cash books and perform bank reconciliations.
• Assist with the Sales Ledger function and credit control.
• Support budgeting and cash flow analysis/forecasting.
• Assist with review and preparation of annual statutory financial statements and audit processes.
• Contribute to ad hoc reporting and governance awareness.
• Assist FM with other ad hoc tasks as needed.

Skills

Excel

Attention to detail

Communication skills

Interpersonal skills

Team player

Self-starter

Education

Undergraduate degree in Finance or Accounting (penultimate year)

GCSEs and A-Levels

Job description

About The Company

We are a dedicated real estate equity and debt specialist, managing €25.5bn (As at 20/06/2026) on behalf of institutional investors globally. As a thematically driven global investment manager we invest in resilient real estate with the aim of creating sustainable and futureproofed value for our clients. We combine our global network spanning 12 countries with local knowledge and on the ground asset management capabilities.

About The Company

We are a dedicated real estate equity and debt specialist, managing €25.5bn (As at 20/06/2026) on behalf of institutional investors globally. As a thematically driven global investment manager we invest in resilient real estate with the aim of creating sustainable and futureproofed value for our clients. We combine our global network spanning 12 countries with local knowledge and on the ground asset management capabilities. The firm has over 35 years of experience delivering real estate strategies for investors, with more than 300 people dedicated to positive client outcomes. Our strategies span the industrial & logistics, living, office and retail sectors, and are designed to provide highly customisable access to quality real estate through equity or debt. We embed responsible investment principles into our approach, leveraging deep ESG expertise, ensuring our clients benefit from strategies that shape a more sustainable future. Savills Investment Management: Resilience. Responsibility. Results.

About The Job

The Finance team at Savills Investment Management have two 13-month full-time placement opportunities open to university students who will be in their penultimate year of university which offers hands-on financial management and financial reporting working experience within the team. This is an ideal opportunity for an individual considering a career within finance to learn new skills and experience what it is like to work within finance and the investment management industry. Please note this role is an office-based role (Monday-Friday, 9am-5:30pm).

What Our Placement Students Say

“My time at Savills Investment Management has been everything a placement should be – challenging, rewarding, and full of learning. This experience has shaped how I think about work, and the people I’ve worked alongside have made it genuinely enjoyable. It’s set a very high bar.”

~ Samuel, Group Finance Placement Student 2025-2026

“On my Fund Finance placement at Savills Investment Management, I’ve worked directly on bank reconciliations, invoice processing and weekly capital cash logging for the different funds. As one of two placement students on the team, that work is mine to own and responsibility to complete as expected, not something I’m shadowing someone else doing. It has really given me the insight into the intricacies of an asset management business, you can't learn outside of working in one. I’m also on the social committee, helping organise events that bring people together out of work hours. And the networking has gone further than I expected: conversations with people across the industry and investing side of the business, including at events like Invest20/20, that I wouldn’t have had access to elsewhere.”

~ Madeline, Fund Finance Placement Student 2026-2027

Key Responsibilities

The key objective for the Finance Placement Assistant (“FPA”) role is to assist the Finance team with their management accounting and financial reporting responsibilities.

Management accounting

• Regularly process payments either via the oversight of the purchase ledger function or through an online approval system
• Liaise with third parties (banks, lawyers) to facilitate processing of payments and liaise with suppliers to resolve queries
• Maintenance of intra-group loans and loan interest schedule
• Maintain cash books
• Perform bank reconciliations
• Assist the team with the Sales Ledger function, dealing with credit control and liaising with Fund teams
• Assist FM with reviews of management accounts for senior management
• Assist FM with monitoring budgets and cash flow analysis / forecasting

Financial reporting

• Assist FM with review and preparation of annual statutory financial statements
• Assist FM with and develop an awareness of the audit process
• Assist FM with other ad hoc reporting as required
• Develop an awareness of corporate governance
• Develop an awareness of relevant taxation matters

Other

• The FPA may also be required to assist the FM with other ad-hoc tasks from time to time. Full guidance will be provided on all work given to the FPA by the FM.

Job Requirements

• Undertaking a relevant undergraduate university degree e.g. Finance or Accounting, (must be in penultimate year);
• Strong GCSEs and A-Levels (or equivalent);
• Basic Excel skills and competence with other Microsoft Office packages;
• Good attention to detail;
• Good communication skills;
• Strong inter-personal skills;
• Self-starter with a proactive attitude, willingness to learn and be able to demonstrate this during interview;
• Excellent written and spoken English; and
• A team player

Our Benefits

• 25 days Holiday Allowance
• Global and Local Networking:
  • Join in the fun of our monthly social events, Christmas and Summer parties

• Time for what matters:
  • Our volunteering/charity days afford you the opportunity to give back to local communities, from soup kitchens, to canal clean-ups and bake sales.

• Access to MYNDUP:
  • Offering virtual health and wellbeing sessions

Application Process

• Online application form, CV, and Video
• Online psychometric tests (30 minutes in total)
• In Person Assessment Centre (15 December 2026, 8:30am-2pm, at our London office, please note this is the only assessment centre we will be running for this role): Individual Task, Competency Interview, and Group Task
• Final round interview

If you think you may require disability-related adjustments at any stage of the recruitment process, please contact [e-mail]

Candidates should be available to start the placement in the summer of 2027.

Application Deadline: 13 November 2026

Any questions please reach out to [e-mail]

We are a committed equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all individuals, regardless of age, disability, gender, sexual orientation, race and religion. We are focused on fostering a culture and environment that allows for inclusion and diversity throughout our business. Savills IM offers several employee led forums which provide support and guidance around Diversity & Inclusion, as well as ensuring our principles are built in to all of our processes, practices and expectations.