Career prospects

Career prospects in the Higher Service

Graduates with a university degree, (accredited) Masters or an equivalent qualification are recruited into the Bundesbank’s Higher Service. Whether you come to us as an employee subject to wage negotiations through direct entry or after successfully completing one of our fast-track trainee programmes, or as a civil servant after finishing the Bundesbank’s training programme (period of practical training), we can offer you a varied range of employment opportunities.

As a direct entry employee, you will usually be a specialist in one of our many different areas of activity. Assuming responsibility for demanding assignments and/or projects and staff will open up career opportunities for you in your field of expertise.

As part of the fast-track trainee programme, you will first become familiar with selected areas of activity areas of activity in our Central Office in Frankfurt am Main. Depending on the areas of training, upon completing the fast track trainee programme you can take on demanding tasks in our Central Office, where you may be involved in dealing with financial market matters or operational, supervisory or organisational problems.

Our junior civil servants are familiarised with all of the Bundesbank’s areas of responsibility during their period of practical training at the Bundesbank. Once you have completed this training programme, you will be able to work as a generalist in all of the Bank’s areas of activity and, thus, enjoy a highly varied career. For example, you may be appointed to deal with important issues regarding the Bank’s operational business in our Regional Offices. In our Central Office in Frankfurt am Main, you may be involved in dealing with strategic policy issues in the various areas for which the Bundesbank is responsible.

Induction seminar

In addition to participating in an induction day, you will – as a new employee – be given the opportunity to take part in the three-week induction course entitled “Das Haus”, which is held every six months at our Training Centre in Eltville am Rhein . During this course, you will gain an overview of all the Bundesbank’s areas of activity and its organisational structure through presentations, discussions, workshops and independent project work. This opportunity to meet other newcomers to the Bank and representatives from the Bank’s various departments is not least intended to help you to build up a network of professional and social contacts.

We want you to feel at home and identify with the Deutsche Bundesbank!

Remuneration / pay

Remuneration at the Bundesbank is in accordance with the applicable regulations governing public sector employment.

As a salaried employee subject to wage negotiations, your salary is based on the wage agreement for the public sector (Tarifvertrag für den öffentlichen Dienst) and the supplementary regulations. In addition, we provide a bank allowance. The amount of the bank allowance depends on whether you work for our Central Office or for one of our Regional Offices. For example, if you take up a position at Central Office as a direct-entry employee or after completion of our fast-track trainee programme, your annual starting pay would be about €42,200 (gross). After one year, your salary would increase by 11% under the wage agreement. Direct-entry employees with relevant professional experience may be assigned to a higher pay level when starting their employment. During the course of your career, your pay would develop in relation to your duties and your individual performance. Moreover, your performance may make you eligible for permanent civil servant status.

As a civil servant at the Bundesbank, your pay is based on the Federal Civil Service Remuneration Act (Bundesbesoldungsgesetz). In addition, we provide a bank allowance. The amount of the bank allowance depends on whether you work for our Central Office or for one of our Regional Offices. For example, an unmarried civil servant at Bundesbank counsellor level ranked A 13, level 1, who has completed the Bundesbank’s civil servant training programme for the Higher Service would receive about €45,000 per year (gross) for a position at Central Office. As civil servants are not obliged to make social security contributions, their net pay is higher than that of salaried employees with the same gross income. During the course of your career, the development of your salary would depend, in particular, on your duties and your individual performance.

Individual development

The Deutsche Bundesbank will not only help you – as a junior member of staff – to further your specialised knowledge, but also specifically to develop your management skills.

About two years after joining the Bank as a direct entry employee or two years after successfully completing one of our fast-track trainee programmes or the Bundesbank’s practical training programme, you will be sent to a development centre to assess your managerial potential. A personal profile of strengths and weaknesses will be drawn up on the basis of various practical exercises and used to determine which measures would be most suitable to develop your potential. We provide assistance until you assume your first management position.

Management positions are filled, in principle, by existing Bundesbank employees. Staff development is, therefore, of great importance to us, especially as it enhances our staff’s motivation and helps them to identify with the Deutsche Bundesbank.

International opportunities

Would you like to work internationally? After an induction period, you will, in principle, have an opportunity to accept international assignments. There are Bundesbank staff in many international bodies and working groups (for example, at the European Central Bank [ECB], the Bank for International Settlements [BIS ] and the International Monetary Fund [IMF]). Some of our staff work abroad at our Representative Offices in New York and Tokyo or at various diplomatic missions (usually for two to three years). Staff may also be seconded to one of the aforementioned international organisations. Furthermore, under certain conditions, we offer training schemes for acquiring international skills, in the course of which you work for a short time (usually two to six months) for an international organisation in Germany or abroad to gain new experience.

Further training

We offer a wide range of further training options, which are specially tailored to your needs.