Human Resources Associate Development Program 2027

Citizens; Johnston (RI); On-site; USD 63,000 - 77,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Mentor program

Early career development programming

Job summary

Citizens is offering a one‑year, full‑time HR Associate program that begins in early June 2027 in Johnston, RI. You will rotate through HR functions, gain hands‑on experience, and receive onboarding, mentoring, and leadership exposure within a large financial institution.

You’ll complete 3 rotations in areas like Talent Acquisition, Compensation, Benefits, and Employee Relations, while participating in the Early Career Development Program featuring workshops and networking with senior leaders.

Qualifications

• Currently pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in HR, Business, or other HR related major.
• Expected graduation date of May 2027 or recent graduate.
• Minimum GPA of 3.0 required.
• Permanent US work authorization required; CPT/OPT or visa sponsorship not available.

Responsibilities

• Complete 3 rotations across HR functional areas such as HR Business Partners, Talent Acquisition, Compensation, Benefits, Development, HR Shared Services and Employee Relations.
• Support data analysis, dashboards, and leadership materials for HR projects.
• Engage with mentors and participate in early career development programming.

Skills

Analytical thinking

Effective communication

Leadership potential

Project management

Relationship building

Education

Bachelor's degree in HR or related field

Job description

Description

We’re developing the next generation of leaders

You have a fantastic opportunity to jumpstart your career through hands‑on, impactful projects, comprehensive training and development, and exposure to executive leadership, paving the way for a robust career at Citizens!

Experience during the program

NOTE: THIS FULL‑TIME PROGRAM BEGINS IN EARLY JUNE 2027

In this one-year program, you will have the opportunity to gain a solid understanding of the Human Resources function at Citizens as well as excellent insight into the inner workings of a large financial institution. We will provide a robust onboarding and training process during your first few weeks which will include overviews of human resources functions across the organization led by our HR leaders. During this time, we will match you with a mentor who will help guide you throughout the year.

Then, you’ll continue to gain relevant experience by completing 3 rotations which may include the following HR Functional areas: HR Business Partners, Talent Acquisition, Compensation, Benefits, Development, HR Shared Services and Employee Relations.

During your HR rotations, you could be working on:

• Conducting a competitor analysis to help drive future Talent Acquisition and Employer Brand Marketing related strategies

• Building a dashboard for external market data to help support the Talent Acquisition team with market insights.

• Interpreting data and preparing materials for leadership meetings

• Conducting research and providing recommendations in areas such as colleague experience and early career development

• Building partnerships with business lines across the organization to support integration/acquisition activities

• Driving a variety of compensation related projects such as survey participation, evaluating external market competitiveness, internal equity analyses, incentive program evaluation and annual performance review process

• Developing short and long term solutions and strategies to increase diversity across the bank

  As an Associate in this program, you’ll also have the opportunity to participate concurrently in Early Career Development Programming (ECDP). This robust program is designed to give our new colleagues a solid foundation to Citizens. Through the ECDP, you’ll experience:

• 4‑day in‑person event with bank‑wide early career development program colleagues

• Professional development workshops (including Presence & Presentation)

• Networking opportunities with senior leadership across all areas of Citizens

• Dedicated community service activities to include direct service or skills‑based volunteering to local organizations across our footprint.

Life after the program

Upon successful completion of the Program, graduates will be placed in a full‑time role within HR. Past graduates of the HRADP have been placed in the following roles:

• HR Relationship Manager

• Employer Brand Marketing Copywriter

• Compensation Analyst

• Campus Recruiting & Diversity Associate

• HR Associate

Who we’re looking for

We’re looking for self‑stars, intellectually curious, excellent teammates, and strategic problem solvers.

To be successful, you’ll need to display strong skills and characteristics including: analytical and innovative thinking, able to work in a change oriented and fast paced environment, communication, drive, leadership, learning agility, project management, relationship building and a strategic approach. You will need to demonstrate knowledge of Human Resources and a strong passion for entering the HR field.

What you’ll need to apply

• Currently pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in HR, Business, or other HR related major

• Internship or other relevant corporate exposure is preferred but not required

• Expected graduation date of May 2027 or recent grad

• Minimum GPA of 3.0 required

• Successfully complete a video interview assessment within 4 days of receiving the link. If not completed within the timeframe, your application will be automatically withdrawn from consideration.

• Please note that permanent work authorization in the United States is required. This position is not eligible for CPT, OPT, or visa sponsorship now or in the future.

Pay Transparency

The position offers $70,000.00/per year.

We offer competitive pay, comprehensive medical, dental and vision coverage, retirement benefits, maternity/paternity leave, flexible work arrangements, education reimbursement, wellness programs and more. Note, Citizens’ paid time off policy exceeds the mandatory, paid sick or paid time‑away policy of every local and state jurisdiction in the United States. For an overview of our benefits, visit https://jobs.citizensbank.com/benefits .

Additional Resources

Some job boards have started using jobseeker‑reported data to estimate salary ranges for roles. If you apply and qualify for this role, a recruiter will discuss accurate pay guidance.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Citizens, its parent, subsidiaries, and related companies (Citizens) provide equal employment and advancement opportunities to all colleagues and applicants for employment without regard to age, ancestry, color, citizenship, physical or mental disability, perceived disability or history or record of a disability, ethnicity, gender, gender identity or expression, genetic information, genetic characteristic, marital or domestic partner status, victim of domestic violence, family status/parenthood, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, pregnancy/childbirth/lactation, colleague’s or a dependent’s reproductive health decision making, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or any other category protected by federal, state and/or local laws. At Citizens, we are committed to fostering an inclusive culture that enables all colleagues to bring their best selves to work every day and everyone is expected to be treated with respect and professionalism. Employment decisions are based solely on merit, qualifications, performance and capability.

Why Work for Us

At Citizens, you'll find a customer‑centric culture built around helping our customers and giving back to our local communities. When you join our team, you are part of a supportive and collaborative workforce, with access to training and tools to accelerate your potential and maximize your career growth

Background Check

Any offer of employment is conditioned upon the candidate successfully passing a background check, which may include initial credit, motor vehicle record, public record, prior employment verification, and criminal background checks. Results of the background check are individually reviewed based upon legal requirements imposed by our regulators and with consideration of the nature and gravity of the background history and the job offered. Any offer of employment will include further information.