Corporate Finance Placement 2026

Location: Leeds | Employment Type: Fixed Term – 1 Year Internship, Full Time | Grade: Associate | Status: Hybrid

About XPS Group

XPS Group is a prominent and growing UK consultancy and administration firm within the pensions and insurance sectors. As a FTSE 250 company with over 2,000 employees, we leverage expertise alongside advanced technology to serve more than 1,400 pension schemes and their sponsors. Our goal is to foster a workplace where diverse talents thrive.

About The Role

XPS Covenant incorporating Penfida provides a full range of covenant and broader corporate finance advisory services, ranging from regular covenant evaluation to affordability assessment, monitoring, and advice on corporate transactions, restructurings, refinancings, contingent asset arrangements and scheme events. We advise Trustees and Corporate clients on a wide range of areas, including:

• Assessing strengths and risks inherent in a company's ability to support its scheme, then conducting valuations and affordability analysis in the context of commitments to all stakeholders.
• Anticipating potential corporate activity and understanding its impact on the scheme from a technical, financial and regulatory perspective.
• Working closely with schemes and sponsors to establish an integrated risk management framework and provide analysis and advice to determine an appropriate balance of covenant, funding and investment risk.
• Additional services include analysis of insurance companies, PPF levy support, contingent asset protection, asset‑backed funding structures and project financing.

Key Responsibilities

• Undertake financial analysis of sponsors, including financial modelling.
• Conduct industry research and evaluate key strategic issues faced by specific sponsors.
• Develop an understanding of the specific issues that affect pension schemes.
• Perform other similar activities as required by the business.

What You Will Learn

• Fundamental financial analysis (P&L, cash flow and balance sheet).
• Basic and advanced modelling techniques.
• Understanding of restructuring and M&A processes.
• Report writing and presentation skills.
• Broader regulatory perspectives.

Your Profile

• Ability to work well in a small team.
• Excellent communication and organisational skills, with the ability to think outside the box.
• Targeting a minimum of a 2:1 honours degree in any discipline; include individual module marks for your university degree course to date.
• Strong interpersonal skills.
• Demonstrable interest in assessing the relative strengths and weaknesses of businesses.
• Awareness of recent key developments in the macro‑economic environment and the pensions industry.
• Understanding of key financial terms and valuation metrics.
• Good knowledge of Excel and PowerPoint.

What We Offer

Competitive salary, annual discretionary bonus, and 25 days’ holiday with buy/sell flexibility. Benefits include pension matching, healthcare plans, life assurance and retailer discounts. We support our team with a flexible benefits scheme, employee assistance, digital GP service, paid volunteer days and referral bonuses.

How To Apply

Submit applications via the Apply Now option on our website or contact recruitment@xpsplc.com for more information.

Equal Opportunities Statement

XPS Group is committed to diversity and equal opportunities. We welcome applications from all candidates, irrespective of sex, race, disability, sexual orientation, religion or belief. As a Disability Confident employer, we ensure accessible and supportive work settings for all employees.

Eligibility

Any employment offer will be conditional upon full DBS disclosure checks, employment or educational references, satisfactory credit checks and eligibility to work in the UK. XPS Group is not able to provide sponsorship to employees.

Current Application Closing Date

28/11/2025

Interview Anticipated

December 2025