Hello, I am Hannah Doody, Chief Executive of the London Borough of Merton.

Thank you for taking an interest in Merton’s fantastic Early Careers programme.

As we are dedicated to growing our talent within Merton, this Early Careers programme is the perfect opportunity to bring fresh perspectives and valuable insights from people who live within our community. We want to develop all our employees to their full potential and create a culture of continuous learning and growth - and are therefore looking for talented leaders of the future, who are passionate about developing themselves and keen to help shape a better borough for our residents.

Merton is a wonderful place to live and work and our latest council plan is guided by three strategic objectives that reflect our vision for the future of the borough. We want to cultivate a sense of civic pride, foster sustainability in all aspects of our operations and promote a culture of sport throughout the borough.

So, if you want a career that makes a positive impact on people’s lives, where you work with great people and have opportunities to develop yourself, then you have chosen the right time to apply to Merton’s Early Careers Programme.

Please click on the link below and watch your future grow.

About the programme

The Merton Early Careers Programme runs for three years. During this time you will gain experience in different areas across the council, giving you chance to gain invaluable experience. We aim to partner the skill and aspirations of successful individuals with the council’s strategic needs to deliver the greatest value to the local community while enhancing your skills and management training. Placements are available across the entire council, including:

  • HR
  • Finance
  • Adult social care
  • Housing
  • Customers, policy and improvement
  • Sustainable communities
  • Public Protection
  • Children’s social care

You will also gain a professional qualification, and regular training as well as on-the-job learning will be available.

Our Early Careers Programme offers mentoring from senior leaders which aims to support individuals' career aspirations. This complements work-based learning and development which is already available from placement managers.

We will offer the guarantee of a permanent role at the halfway review stage of the programme subject to satisfactory performance and reviews from line managers.

To apply for a Early Careers Programme position, you must have the right to work in the UK without employer sponsorship.

Care-experienced people will automatically progress to the assessment stage. A care-experienced person is a young adult aged between 18-25 who has previously received services as a child in care from a local authority.

Priority will be given to those who live, study or work in Merton.

About us

The London Borough of Merton has recently set out an ambitious strategy Building a Better Merton Together, which focuses on three priorities: nurturing civic pride, building a sustainable future and creating a borough of sport. The council compromises six directorates made up of several services:

  • Innovation and Change
  • Finance and Digital
  • Housing and Sustainable Development
  • Environment, Civic Pride and Climate
  • Children, Lifelong Learning and Families
  • Adult Social Care, Integrated Care and Public Health