Turnaround & Restructuring Graduate Programme (Autumn 2027) - London

CFA Institute; Greater London; On-site; GBP 36,000 - 46,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Fully funded qualification

Partner sponsor from day one

International exposure

AI tools access

Milestone bonus

Full benefits

Job summary

CFA Institute in the United Kingdom offers a graduate trainee pathway designed to turn trainees into leaders. You will receive a market-leading salary of £40,000 plus a milestone £5,000 bonus and a fully funded professional qualification, with a Partner sponsor from day one and international exposure to shape your early career.

You’ll work on meaningful client interactions, access cutting-edge AI tools, and participate in structured learning and hands-on initiatives that prepare you for rapid

Qualifications

• Desire to learn and grow through a structured graduate pathway.
• Willingness to work in a fast-paced advisory environment.
• Interest in consulting and client-facing work.

Responsibilities

• Engage with clients and support advisory projects.
• Participate in business development activities during early training.
• Rotations across advisory service lines to gain broad experience.
• Collaborate with teams to deliver practical solutions.

Skills

Commercial curiosity

Digital explorer mindset

Adaptability

Strong problem solving

Collaborative communication

Proactive career

Tools

AI tools

Job description

Job Description:

Go one better than Four.

The industry is set to change. It's time to get with a new kind of programme. One that leaves traditional graduate schemes behind. From the off, you'll see a future you want to stay for. Because we don't just recruit exceptional graduate talent. We turn trainees into leaders. We're talking bigger opportunities, faster growth, and an experience designed to accelerate your career from the start.

Take the purple path

What investing in talent actually looks like

• A market-leading salary of £40,000 and full benefits package
• A milestone bonus of £5,000 (50% paid upon joining and 50% paid upon successful completion of your professional qualification) to support you as you take your first step on the purple path
• A fully-funded professional qualification, including paid study leave, expert tuition, and all course fees covered
• A named Partner sponsor from day one to support you grow in your career
• International exposure, helping you build a global perspective early in your career
• Access to the latest leading AI tools and digital solutions from day one, building skills that will shape the future of your career
• Meaningful client interaction outside of the day-to-day - understanding how businesses operate and driving results which matter
• Structured learning built around the capabilities of a future Partner - taking you beyond the technical
• In-person experiences with your cohort of future leaders. One pathway, one cohort, and a network for life
• Access to additional opportunities as you reach your potential - from working with our Senior Leadership Team to shaping new initiatives
• Business Development responsibilities before you even qualify. Hands‑on opportunities to win work and support our growth ambitions

Powered by AI, driven by you

We are investing £500m in digital transformation.

Our leading AI tools drive efficiencies, handling time-consuming manual tasks, which means you can focus on higher-value work, faster. You'll get experience and training to progress rapidly, earlier than graduates ever have before.

Powered by AI, you will spend more time on detailed analysis, professional judgement and the insights that genuinely add value for clients. You'll be the one in control, reviewing and challenging the quality of AI inputs and outputs to ensure our clients continue to receive an exceptional service.

We're in the business of people, not just numbers. AI helps us work more efficiently, but it's our people who bring judgement, curiosity and care to every client relationship. As a trainee, you'll learn to use these tools while developing the human skills that will set you apart throughout your career.

A look into the role

Strategic Advisory:

Advisory is about helping businesses navigate their most critical moments - from transactions and financial distress to disputes and complex investigations. As a member of our Advisory team, you'll work across some of our most compelling service lines, including Transactions Advisory, Corporate Finance, Forensics, Turnaround & Restructuring, Asset Recovery, Debt Advisory and Financial Services. You'll join one team to build deep expertise, with the opportunity to rotate across our advisory offering to gain broad, substantial experience and insight into how businesses really operate under pressure and in growth.

As an Advisory professional you will:

• Work with a variety of clients, from FTSE-listed companies to fast-growing start‑ups, across sectors including financial services, public sector and technology

• Get involved from day one, contributing to real advisory projects - from due diligence and deals to restructuring, forensic investigations and asset recovery

• Join a specific Advisory team to build strong technical foundations, with exposure to our wider advisory offering - including Transactions Advisory, Corporate Finance, Forensics, Restructuring, Asset Recovery, Debt Advisory and Financial Services

• Take on responsibility quickly, owning tasks that challenge your thinking and build your confidence

• Collaborate with experienced colleagues, turning complex business issues into clear, actionable solutions

• Support clients through strategic and operational challenges, helping them improve performance, manage risk and achieve sustainable growth
• Study for a relevant professional qualification (typically ACA, ICAS, CFAB, AAT, ACCA, CIMA or DTS) which will complement your technical knowledge, and prepare you for future career success

Get to know our Head of Strategic Advisory, Keely Woodly here

Who we’re looking for

Our pathway moves fast.

You’ll be juggling the demands it brings, alongside an intensive professional qualification, so you’ll need real drive and determination to keep pace and succeed. This is a distinctive pathway offering exceptional opportunities, but the work is demanding. We want people with the ambition to contribute to our high-performance culture, who see a real future with us beyond qualification, following the purple path.

We’re looking for people who bring:

• Commercial curiosity - genuine interest in our clients’ businesses and an eye for spotting opportunities to add value, from the start.
• A digital explorer’s mindset - curiosity for digital tools and data, and a drive to find smarter solutions early on.
• Adaptability - embracing change, asking good questions, and picking things up quickly when thrown in at the deep end.
• Strong problem‑solving skills - critical thinking, sound judgement, and attention to detail from your first live piece of work.
• Collaborative communication - listening well, adapting your approach, and building trust with clients and colleagues alike.
• A proactive approach to your career - taking ownership of your growth and seeking out opportunities rather than waiting for them to come to you.

We’ve got a flexible approach to academic entry requirements, and we’ll consider these alongside your strengths and motivations.

We’re growing fast, and we want you to grow with us. With digital‑first innovation and a firm that’s investing in its future leaders, this is your chance to shape what’s next.

Follow the purple path.

It’s the start of something bigger.