What a start at Westpac can do for you
It's important we get the right person for the job, but it's equally important you feel that Westpac is the right place for you.
Benefits of the Westpac graduate programme include:
gaining practical business experience with a major corporate organisation- the ability to try different roles and flexibility to explore business areas you might not have considered
- comprehensive orientation, on-the-job training and access to both internal and external training courses to support your career goals
- having a manager who acts as a mentor and ensures you get the training and development support you need
- career development support-you may be able to further your study if you wish
- a competitive income and a number of staff benefits such as preferential banking packages and superannuation scheme
- some graduate positions based in more rural areas or other metropolitan areas other than Auckland, offering some opportunity for travel
- successfully completing the programme could lead to a permanent position
Who are we?
- Westpac has been a proud part of New Zealand history and community since 1861.
- over 1.2 million customers
- around 200 branches and 500 ATMs nationwide
- around 900,000 registered users of our Online Banking service - performing 3 million transactions online (June 2009)
- over 5,500 staff
- committed to social and environmental sustainability and engaging with our local communities and businesses
- supporting New Zealand communities through regional and national sponsorship
Create your journey - Our graduate programme
Analytics Programme
Gain an understanding and appreciation of how departments interact in a large organisation using common data to enable organisational growth.
About Analytics in Westpac
Four main areas specialise in producing insight reporting and statistical models to assist the Westpac business nationwide, in developing a greater understanding of customer behaviour and product performance.
- Customer Segments and Strategy
- Product Analytics
- Risk Analytics
- Business Information Group
The analytics teams are instrumental in ensuring that Westpac offers competitive products to customers, through providing insight to our customer behaviours. Information is shared across our product development and marketing and brand teams, enabling our Retail and Business banking divisions to deliver many solutions to Westpac’s diverse customer base. The teams also interact with our Group head office to ensure the sharing of best practices globally.
What does the programme encompass:
Located in Auckland, the 12 month programme is based on a rotation structure with time in
- Risk Analytics – Risk Management
- Business Information Group - Finance
- Segments and Strategy - Marketing and Brand Experience
In addition to rotations you will be involved with projects throughout the year and required to present key learning’s to the leadership team.
What you’ll need:
A minimum of a Bachelors Degree ideally in Science or Finance with a focus on Computer Science or Statistics.
Agribusiness Programme
Obtain an overview of banking in the rural sector, along with practical experience in key learning areas such as financial analysis, credit principles and deal structuring.
About Agribusiness
Westpac is committed to the long-term future of the agricultural sector in New Zealand. Our dedicated team of 105 rural specialists based from Whangarei to Invercargill ensures that our 3,500 customers get the best Agribusiness banking solutions.
We offer a full range of farm finance options, services and solutions to the farming industry. Our industry sponsorships and initiatives include:
- Equity partnership workshops
- New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards
- Federated Farmers of New Zealand Inc.
- Mystery Creek field days
- Sheep & beef monitor farms
- Whareroa Research Centre
- Northland Farm Trust
Westpac has strong involvement with leading Agribusiness corporate and the rural service industry, attributing to over 14% market share and $4.2 billion in loans to NZ farmers.
What does the programme encompass:
- You’ll receive exposure to different agricultural disciplines and experts within these areas. In addition to your development objectives you will have an opportunity to work on a rural industry paper for the Agribusiness unit throughout the year.
- Based in provincial locations over the 12 month programme, you may be required to move office or region. (Some location assistance is provided)
What you’ll need:
A minimum of a Bachelors Degree in Applied Science or Commerce with a major in an agricultural field
For more information and to check out our video on our Graduate Programmes click here
Risk Programme
Westpac has a team of risk specialists dedicated to assisting the business in managing risk across the entire organisation.
About Risk in Westpac
At Westpac, risk is everyone’s business – whether you deal directly with customers or support customer facing roles. The range of decisions is enormous, from advising an employee about managing a project, or deciding whether to provide a customer with a home loan or raise concerns about suspected money laundering.
Whatever the situation, it is vital that every decision is appropriately made, well thought out, and takes into account all relevant factors and information. Not doing this can be costly to the bank both in dollar terms and reputation.
The 12 month programme is located in Auckland and is based on a three rotation structure including time in Risk Analytics, Recoveries and Asset Management, Operational Risk & Compliance and Retail and Business Credit.
What you will need to stand out:
Candidates will need a minimum of a Bachelors Degree - ideally in Finance, Economics or Law as well as strong aptitude in numeric reasoning and analytics.
Recent Grads
June Lau – IT Graduate (CTS)
I joined Westpac in February 2007 after receiving my Bachelor of Engineering (Engineering Science, Hons) from the University of Auckland. As part of the graduate programme, I was in short (4 – 6 months) placements within CTS (Customer and Technology Services). After the graduate programme, I joined CTS as a Business Analyst.
I started by graduate experience in IT Architecture where I conducted a bank-wide Microsoft software audit to ensure compliance with licensing agreements. This also enabled me to get an introduction to the IT architecture of the Bank.
My second rotation was in Card Operations where I developed an efficient user interface for productivity measures. I really enjoyed this role and think Cards is a complex and interesting business, this also gave me a better understanding of the operations side of our business.
In my third rotation I was lucky enough to work with the General Manager of our business unit This really exposed me to thinking strategically and how initiatives are driven from top-down. This gave me greater confidence and skills in communicating with senior management and producing research and recommendations to senior managers and the executive team. Next I went into the Collections arm of our business where I delivered a dashboard solution that further embedded a performance culture. I had the opportunity to take part in 6 Sigma training.
My last rotation was as a Business Analyst, Solutions Delivery responsible for documenting business requirements relating to viewing income at a customer level In the Economic Profit 2 project.
Four years on, and I am now the interface between the application of a financial model and the engine room of making it happen. My role in the Business Information Group means I spend a lot of time with internal stakeholders to make strategic and tactical decisions in the business. On the other side of the coin, my role requires creativity in designing models and optimising our data storage requirements. A background in engineering has certainly prepared me for picking up key concepts in database design and development.
My time at Westpac seems to have flown by, as every day is different – there are different problems to solve, various strategies and opportunities to evaluate. Engaging with the business and providing insight that makes a difference is what drives me to work.
Learning never stops when you work in Westpac, there is huge support for personal and professional development. Currently, I’m diving into the world of institutional banking and financial markets.
For more information and to check out our Graduate Profiles click here
Nathyn Flynn – Analytics Graduate
I studied at the University of Auckland and completed a Bachelor of Commerce and a Bachelor of Science with majors in Finance and Statistics.
Along with a few others I was invited along to one of the Westpac graduate programme assessment centres after applying in my final year of University. Thanks to the friendly people, nerves were quickly overcome and I left the day with a sense that Westpac was a place I was keen to work. The next day I was offered a role, which I accepted on the spot. It was great to be contacted so soon and not have to endure days of waiting.
I began on the Analytics graduate programme in February 2009 with rotations in the Business Information Group, Risk Analytics and Customer Intelligence. Once I found my feet, I got involved in helping out on value adding projects with tangible benefits for the business. In Risk Analytics I took over the Management Reporting and within weeks of being in the team I was providing the banks Executives with insight and information about the quality of our loan portfolios. Given this was at the height of the Global Financial Crisis, the learning was hugely interesting. I also had daily interaction with colleagues from Westpac Group in Sydney. I was also given my own project to run on the side. I worked with multiple parts of the business to gain a better understanding of the risks associated with our small-to-medium sized business customers. It was great to be able to have a piece of work to take ownership of and stamp my name on.
During my rotation in the Customer Intelligence team within Marketing, I was again tasked with a real business problem – profiling a group of over 160,000 customers within the Retail Bank. I used statistical modelling techniques to subset the customers into three distinct groups. This provided the business with a better understanding of their product holdings and general banking behaviour allowing us to provide more suitable and tailored banking solutions to the customers.
At the end of my graduate programme, I was offered a 12 month secondment in the Chief Executive’s Office. This was a fantastic opportunity to work closely with the CEO and Executive Team to really understand how all the parts of the bank fit together. The role was varied and provided huge insight into the banks strategy, financial performance, the workings of senior management, corporate governance, and the responsibilities and thinking that goes along with being a CEO. While at times the role was stressful and the hours long, the learning was immense and valuable especially so early in my career. I also developed a large network of contacts across the bank which has already proven to be an extremely useful resource.
I have recently started a role in Market Risk, which I guess is my first “permanent” role since joining Westpac. I am part of a small team of two based in the dealing room in Auckland. We provide oversight of market risk, liquidity risk and financial market credit risk for Westpac NZ and WIB NZ’s financial market and treasury business. Since studying Finance at University I have been keen to learn more about the financial markets, and this role will help me to do that. It is quite different from my previous role and I once again have a lot to learn, but that is indicative of the variety that an organisation such as Westpac has to offer.
For more information and to check out our Graduate Profiles click here
Westpac's Culture
Westpac has made a public commitment to measuring and improving our impact in far more than just financial performance.
Help is what we do. We are heavily involved in the local community, and speak to any Westpac staff member and they will tell you how passionate they are about make a difference.
Westpac gives its people the opportunity to volunteer in their community by providing them with a paid days leave each year to get involved.
We are also national sponsors of the Westpac rescue helicopter services across the country where last year we raised over 1 million dollars through donations and fundraising initiatives.
Westpac was quickly into action following the Christchurch earthquakes and showed its support to the people of Christchurch and to the local community by launching a number of initiatives to support businesses affected by the quakes. The Westpac Business and Community Hub remains open for Christchurch businesses and community groups significantly impacted by the quakes.
We are key sponsors of the Sir Peter Blake Trust which aims to help New Zealanders make a positive difference to the planet and the Halberg Trust which aims to honour sporting excellence and provide opportunities for disabled people to be active.
Here at Westpac we work hard, but there is a fantastic social culture too! There are always a number of events to get involved in from “Takutai Idol” to Round the Bays and a number of local and team events.
Westpac is so much more than a bank – we are a team of passionate and motivated employees making the most out of life.
