RMB Class Of Programme 2026 – A Career Pathway for Experienced South African Professionals
RMB Class Of Programme 2026 – A Career Pathway for Experienced South African Professionals
Rand Merchant Bank (RMB) has opened applications for its Class Of Programme, and unlike the typical graduate scheme aimed at recent university leavers, this initiative is built specifically for working professionals who already have real-world experience and want to bring that expertise into corporate and investment banking.
- Closing Date: 18 July 2026
- Location: Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa
- Salary/Stipend: Not disclosed publicly on the listing. RMB has not released salary or stipend figures for this specific programme.
Programme Overview
Reference number R38316, the Class Of Programme is a career development initiative aimed squarely at experienced professionals rather than fresh graduates. It exists to recognise a simple but often overlooked truth: valuable skills don’t only come from finance degrees and traditional banking internships. Professionals with backgrounds in consulting, innovation, engineering, technology, or business transformation bring genuinely fresh thinking into financial services, and RMB has built this programme specifically to capture that.
The programme was originally started by RMB co-founder Paul Harris with the explicit goal of introducing “mavericks and lateral thinkers” into the world of investment banking, and that founding philosophy still shapes who the programme is looking for today.
Job Description
Class Of participants work alongside experienced RMB professionals, contributing meaningfully to real business projects rather than sitting through purely theoretical training. Departmental placement isn’t fixed upfront — successful candidates are matched to suitable opportunities across various strategic business functions based on their specific expertise and RMB’s operational needs at the time.
Throughout the programme, participants also get genuine access to senior leadership, with monthly luncheon sessions set up with leaders from across the FirstRand Group, plus additional sessions available whenever the cohort requests them.
Key Areas of Focus
While specific departmental placements aren’t fixed in advance, successful candidates may contribute across a range of strategic business functions, including:
- Strategy and corporate strategy
- Innovation and enterprise innovation
- Business consulting
- Programme and project management
- Business transformation
- Process improvement
- Sustainability initiatives and ESG-related work
Requirements and Qualifications
RMB has set out fairly specific expectations for this programme, reflecting its focus on experienced rather than entry-level candidates:
- At least five years of relevant work experience
- Experience in strategy or management consulting
- Exposure to innovation environments
- Knowledge of systems thinking
- Understanding of design thinking principles
- Experience with business process optimisation
- Scenario planning capabilities
- Business case development experience
- Programme or project management experience
- Genuine interest in sustainability and Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) initiatives
While RMB hasn’t listed one specific required qualification, relevant tertiary education in fields such as Business, Commerce, Economics, Finance, Engineering, Management, or Technology will strengthen an application. No minimum or maximum age has been specified, but the required professional experience effectively sets the practical entry point.
Skills and Competencies
Beyond the formal requirements, candidates who genuinely stand out in RMB’s selection process for this kind of role tend to show:
- Strong analytical and strategic thinking capability
- Genuine innovation mindset, comfortable challenging conventional approaches
- Solid communication and collaboration skills, given the cross-functional exposure involved
- Confidence engaging with senior leadership and industry experts
- The ability to translate outside-industry experience into genuine banking-relevant insight
- Strong problem-solving instincts, particularly around complex, ambiguous business challenges
Why This Programme Is Worth Considering
For South African professionals feeling boxed into their current industry despite having genuinely transferable skills, the Class Of Programme solves a real, specific problem. Career changes into banking are notoriously difficult without a traditional finance background, and this programme exists precisely to open that door for people who’ve built strong capabilities elsewhere. RMB’s own list of Class Of alumni includes people who went on to hold serious leadership positions, including a former CEO of FNB and senior executives at major international institutions, underlining that this pathway has produced genuinely significant career outcomes over the years.
For working professionals in consulting, innovation, engineering, or business transformation who’ve hit a ceiling in their current sector, this is a credible, well-established route into one of Africa’s leading corporate and investment banks.
About RMB (Rand Merchant Bank)
Rand Merchant Bank (RMB) is a leading African Corporate and Investment Bank, forming part of the broader FirstRand Group alongside other well-known brands including FNB, WesBank, and Ashburton Investments. RMB partners with clients to deliver advisory, lending, trading, securities, corporate banking, private equity, and investment solutions, with a footprint that extends across cross-border investment throughout Africa.
RMB describes itself as a genuinely high-touch organisation, one where employees thrive on interpersonal relationships and close, in-person collaboration, which is part of why its structured career programmes, including the Class Of Programme, are based in Johannesburg. Appointments across RMB’s programmes are made in line with the FirstRand Group Employment Equity Plan, and the bank actively encourages applications from persons with disabilities.
FirstRand Limited, RMB’s parent group, is listed on both the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) and the Namibian Stock Exchange (NSX), and stands as the largest financial institution by market capitalisation on the African continent. For experienced professionals looking to pivot into corporate and investment banking with the backing of a genuinely prestigious institution, RMB’s Class Of Programme remains one of the more distinctive and well-regarded pathways available in South Africa today.
How to Apply
Applications must be submitted online before the 18 July 2026 closing date, and late applications are unlikely to be considered. Before applying, prepare an updated CV highlighting measurable achievements, certified copies of relevant qualifications, a certified South African ID or valid work documentation, and professional references. Take care to complete every section of the online application accurately, tailor your CV specifically to the role, and clearly showcase any consulting, strategy, innovation, or project management experience, since generic applications are one of the most common reasons strong candidates get overlooked.
