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Job Post Details

Graduate Trainee Actuary - Edinburgh
Government Actuary's Department
·
4.0
Edinburgh EH8 8FT
£37,768 - £48,281 a year
Permanent, Full-time
Apply on company site

Job details

£37,768 - £48,281 a year
Annual leave, Employee discount, Sick pay, Employee assistance programme, Company pension, Paid volunteer time, Private medical insurance
Permanent, Full-time
Edinburgh EH8 8FT

Full job description

Details

Reference number

485665

Salary

£37,768 - £48,281
External applicants will start on the pay band minimum for the role appointed to, unless they can prove they have exceptional skills in line with the requirements of the role. Internal applicants applying on promotion will usually be appointed to the salary minimum or within 5% of existing salary. Standard pay rules apply for existing civil servants.
A Civil Service Pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%
GBP

Job grade

Other
Junior Trainee Actuary

Contract type

Permanent

Business area

GAD - Analytical Solutions Team

Type of role

Risk Management
Statistics

Working pattern

Flexible working, Full-time

Number of jobs available

4

Contents

  • Location
  • About the job
  • Benefits
  • Things you need to know
  • Apply and further information

Location

Edinburgh Government Hub Queen Elizabeth House, Edinburgh EH8 8FT

About the job

Job summary

Can you solve the puzzles of government?

Can you be the architect of a better tomorrow?



If you enjoy applying statistical theories to assess risks and estimate the odds of future outcomes—and have a passion for presenting your findings—a rewarding career as a Graduate Trainee Actuary in the heart of government could be the perfect fit for you!

About us

The Government Actuary’s Department (GAD) are at the centre of actuarial expertise within government. We enable government to better understand and quantify risk and uncertainty and in turn help shape better outcomes for the UK public. We do this on our core work by diving into client challenges and ensuring our advice enables success. We identify critical challenges to co-create solutions with our partners so that actuarial expertise can have more impact on significant policy initiatives.

We are an inclusive organisation that values the unique perspectives and strengths of a diverse team, supported through our staff networks and active Diversity and Inclusion strategy, we ensure everyone has the opportunity to thrive. We are seeking motivated individuals to join our analytical team, where your contributions will be valued, and your voice heard.

Job description

As a Graduate Trainee Actuary, we will support your development to become a future Actuary in Government who is able to produce high quality, impactful advice and analysis for government and adapt to emerging societal challenges.

This will include participation in our rotation programme which includes:

Analytical Focussed Placement: Apply theoretical actuarial concepts and modern techniques to actuarial processes to deliver accurate analysis efficiently. As time progresses, take on more responsibility for the validity of your work and others as well as delegating and developing junior colleagues.

Consulting Focussed Placement: Work with actuaries to turn analysis into impactful advice through drafting communications and presenting to clients. Build relationships with stakeholders (internal and external) to support effective delivery of advice. As time progresses, build relationships with clients, support scoping of actuarial advice and business development.

Specialised Focussed Placement: Build upon experience of previous placements to try a new actuarial area in GAD or continue specialising within a certain domain to take on more ownership of advice and/or analysis.

Throughout the rotation programme, secondment opportunities exist to work directly with clients in government.

A significant proportion of GAD’s actuarial advice is either pensions or emerging policy areas. Therefore, during the rotation programme, all trainees will be exposed to typical pensions work (such as delivering actuarial valuations and other pension calculations, managing costs and risks associated with public service pension schemes or providing advice on funded pension schemes) as well as working in a different area to develop adaptability to new problems.

GAD works across a wide range of actuarial areas and we would look to provide opportunities for you to get involved in areas of interest where business needs allow.

Person specification

  • Have an inquisitive and open mind to learn and apply new concepts
  • Produce actuarial analysis to inform GAD’s advice to government departments, across areas of insurance, investments, pensions, and risk.
  • Consider the validity of your, or others’, analysis through self-checks and communicate areas of concerns to senior colleagues.
  • Support client engagement by drafting reports and advice as well as providing support in meetings and presentations.
  • Manage your time to deliver your work to time and budget. You may also be responsible for assisting with broader project management and development of junior staff.
  • Proactively develop your knowledge and understanding of actuarial methods and analysis, data science, the issues and risks facing government as well as how GAD can best provide advice to our clients.
  • Identify and suggest new ways of working, innovative solutions, modern outputs and new areas where GAD can provide advice.
  • Work within GAD’s and Actuarial professional standards and departmental procedures and guidance notes.
  • Use MS Office and advanced tools like R, Python or our Pension Valuation Software to carry out analysis and prepare advice for clients.
  • With materials and time provided, independently work towards actuarial qualification through exams and Personal Professional Development requirements.

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

  • Working Together
  • Developing Self and Others
  • Making Effective Decisions
  • Delivering at Pace
  • Communicating and Influencing

Technical skills

We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

  • Achieved or on target to achieve a 2:2 or above in a degree with a high mathematical content. (Essential)

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £37,768, Government Actuary's Department contributes £10,941 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides .

As well as competitive salaries, we offer a substantial package of benefits:

  • Exceptional learning and development opportunities that you can explore alongside your day-to-day work.
  • 25 days annual leave per year, increasing to 30 days after 5 years’ service. In addition, we offer 9 days public and privilege days leave per year (pro rata for part time staff)
  • A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%
  • 5 days of paid volunteering leave
  • Up to 9 months maternity leave on full pay + generous paternity and adoption leave
  • Staff reward and recognition bonuses that operate throughout the year.
  • Occupational sick pay
  • Family-friendly policies such as help with caring responsibilities, special leave, generous paid maternity, paternity, and adoption leave.
  • Access to employee assistance programme which offers staff 24/7 confidential support and resources such as counselling, debt guidance and management advice.
  • The opportunity to join a trade union.
  • A working culture which encourages inclusion and diversity.
  • Salary advances for travel costs, including annual season tickets and cycle-to-work schemes.
  • Access to the Edenred employee benefits system which offers discounts to popular retailers and access to various useful resources such as financial and savings advice.
  • Complimentary BUPA health check.

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles , and will assess your Behaviours and Technical skills.

Application deadline: 2355 hrs on 08 November 2026

Assessment Centre

Dates: w/c 18 January 2027
Location: Edinburgh

Process

Please apply via the recruitment portal below. The selection process will consist of an online application form, online assessment, video interview and in person assessment centre in Edinburgh to be held week commencing Monday 18th January 2027.

The closing date for applications is 8th November 2026, so if this role feels like the right fit for you, we invite you to apply now and take advantage of this exciting opportunity to join our team!

Please DO NOT email your CV as shortlisting will be carried out based on information provided in your application form only.

Shortlisting criteria is based on the Person Specification as set out in the Assessment Criteria section of the Job Description. Please ensure you provide examples of how you meet the Assessment Criteria; a strong application will also demonstrate that you meet the required criteria that are identified as key for this role. Applications will be shortlisted in line with the essential criteria for the role. The desirable criteria will not be assessed throughout the recruitment process, but will be used in the event of tied scores between candidates. Behaviours will be assessed at sift and interview stage. Candidates who are successful at shortlist will be contacted as soon as possible and advised of the interview process and assessment (exact times and dates will also be confirmed).

A reserve list will be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made.

Agency Notice: We will not pay agency fees for any candidate submitted in response to this advertisement unless we have explicitly agreed and contracted with an agency to support that specific role prior to advertising. Agency referrals will only be recognised where prior approval has been obtained from the Recruitment Team for the specific vacancy. Any other candidate submissions will be treated as direct applications.




Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a basic (or equivalent) criminal record check.
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

  • UK nationals
  • nationals of the Republic of Ireland
  • nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
  • nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
  • nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
  • individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
  • Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service
Further information on nationality requirements

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles .
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy .

Apply and further information

The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).
Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

  • Name : Recruitment Team
  • Email : gad@earlytalent.careers

Recruitment team

  • Email : gad@earlytalent.careers

Further information

The Government Actuary’s Department’s recruitment processes are underpinned by the recruitment principles of the Civil Service Commissioner, which outline that selection for appointment be made on merit on the basis of fair and open competition http://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/civil-service-recruitment/ If you feel at any time your application has not been treated in accordance with the values in the Civil Service Code and/or if you feel the recruitment has been conducted in such a way that conflicts with the Civil Service Commissioner’s Recruitment Principles, you may make a complaint, by contacting the recruitment team at recruitment@gad.gov.uk in the first instance. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive you can contact the Civil Service Commissioners.


https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/government-actuarys-department
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