Graduate Management Trainee

Starting Salary: £36,153, increasing to £36,693 p.a. in the second year of the scheme
Contract: Fixed term (2 years) 
Hours of work: 36 hours per week
Location: Civic centre and other locations from time to time

Brent Council’s local graduate scheme- If you have ever considered working for your local council, now is the time! 

We participate in Impact: The Local Government Graduate Programme, run by the Local Government Association (LGA). Impact is a two-year national management trainee programme for graduates with the potential to become senior leaders in local government. 

Our 2026 recruitment campaign offers people who live in Brent, or have a qualifying local connection, the opportunity to apply for Cohort 29, starting in autumn 2027.

Brent is one of the most diverse boroughs in the country, with communities, ideas and experiences from across the world helping to shape who we are. Working here means joining a council that is focused on fairness, open to new thinking and committed to improving life for local people.

Our values shape how we work and what people can expect from us. We collaborate proactively, lead inclusively, embrace change, are bold and curious, and celebrate and share our success. For people who care about public service and want their work to matter, Brent offers the chance to make a meaningful difference.

During the two-year programme, you’ll complete at least three placements, contributing to projects that address local challenges while developing your leadership and management skills. You’ll also benefit from a fully funded learning programme leading to a Chartered Management Institute qualification.
 

Benefits of Brent Council’s local scheme

Based at Brent Civic Centre, you’ll be under a 10-minute walk from Wembley Park station and around 20 minutes from Wembley Central station, with good public transport connections across the borough and beyond.

You will also benefit from:

• Support throughout the application process: Local applicants will have the opportunity to receive support from existing Brent graduates
• An additional year: Graduates who successfully complete the programme may be eligible for a further one-year fixed-term contract, subject to organisational needs
• Live and work in a diverse area you are familiar with: The local scheme offers an opportunity to make a positive impact in your borough and gain experience in a dynamic, socially responsible council
• Exposure to senior leaders: All graduates are assigned a senior mentor who is a Director from the Senior Management Team
• A strong support network: Graduates are paired with an existing graduate as a buddy and receive regular feedback and one-to-one meetings with the graduate scheme’s placement coordinator. A strong peer network provides support throughout the scheme and beyond.

Take a closer look at life as a Brent graduate:

• Visit our Graduates page and watch our short video to explore the programme and hear from our trainees
• Join an online insight session to learn more and ask your questions – dates will be confirmed soon. Follow Brent Council on LinkedIn for session dates and registration details.

Essential requirements

Applicants must meet at least one of the following programme criteria:

• Have obtained a minimum 2:2 undergraduate degree in any subject by August 2027
• Have the right to work in the UK for the duration of the two-year programme. Unfortunately, we cannot sponsor visas. For more information on eligibility and right-to-work requirements, please visit the Impact website.
• You can apply regardless of when you graduated

To be eligible for Brent’s local scheme, you must also meet one of the following criteria:

• Currently live in Brent and have lived in the borough for at least two years
• Have studied at a secondary school or further education setting in Brent, including a school, college or Pupil Referral Unit (PRU).
• Be a Brent care leaver.
• Currently work for Brent Council and have done so for more than one year.

Candidates who progress through the recruitment process may be required to provide evidence of their eligibility. We will advise shortlisted candidates of the evidence required and the deadline for submission.

The application process

Successful applicants will need to demonstrate their understanding of Impact’s key skills and behaviours through a competitive, multi-stage application process. Local candidates participate in the same process as national candidates. If you reach the final interview stage, you will be guaranteed an interview with Brent Council, expected to take place around April 2027.

As part of the application process, you are required to complete a Situational Judgment Test (SJT). This is the only assessment you need to complete at this stage.

The SJT presents you with 24 realistic scenarios that someone might experience in a role on the programme, along with multiple ways of responding. It will appear after you have completed your application questions, and you must complete it before submitting your application.

Instructions for the test:

• The test is untimed, but we anticipate that it will take around an hour to complete. We suggest allowing one to two hours so you can complete it without unnecessary pressure.
• You can take a break after answering a question and before proceeding to the next one. You can log back in to finish the test at any time before the application deadline.
• Read each scenario and provide an effectiveness rating for each response option. Detailed instructions are provided within the application form.

If you have any questions or need support completing your application or SJT, please contact [email protected] before starting your application or test.

For further information, please visit Impact website.

Your local application will progress in the same timeframe as Impact’s national campaign, and you will be assessed at the same time as national candidates. Impact’s support team will invite successful candidates to each stage of the recruitment process. 

How to apply

If you meet the local eligibility criteria and want to work specifically for Brent Council, please apply through the Cohort 29 local recruitment application portal: 
Graduate Management Trainee on Impact: The Local Government Graduate Programme – Cohort 29 Local Recruitment for Brent London Borough Council

APPLICATIONS WILL ONLY BE ACCEPTED THROUGH THE LINK ABOVE, AS THE LGA IS MANAGING RECRUITMENT ON OUR BEHALF.

Closing date: Wednesday 6 January 2027 (12:00) 

Please note: You can only apply for one Impact programme per year.

We support Impact’s aim to recruit graduates from different backgrounds, universities and degree disciplines, reflecting the diverse community we serve. We are looking for people with the right values and attitudes who can demonstrate their motivation for a career in the public sector and an interest in Brent.

Brent has a positive approach to flexible working.

Data transparency statement
Before applying, you will be directed to the LGA’s privacy statement. Please be advised that by applying for this local campaign you are accepting that the local authority will have access to view your application in order to shortlist effectively against their criteria. 
The LGA use anonymised/blind recruitment for all applications. This means that the local authority will not be able to see your personal details at shortlisting stage. 
After shortlisting has taken place, the council will be able to view your name and will have access to contact you at each stage unless you choose to withdraw.