Why choose Baillie Gifford?
Inquisitive. Always questioning and exploring. Ever curious about our world and how it works. That’s us. A group of people with different ideas and different outlooks whose contributions are valued - whatever their level or role in the business.
Partnership defines us. It has since we opened our doors back in 1908. As an independent partnership, Baillie Gifford is owned by its partners who all work full time in the firm. But what does that mean to the people who work here?
Put simply, it helps to foster a different kind of culture. One that’s built on a long-term approach to the development of our staff, our clients and our investments. It also creates a refreshingly open, collaborative and supportive environment. Colleagues work together across different specialisms and teams. We learn from each other as we explore new possibilities in all areas of our business.
One of our people described working here as ‘a stimulating, inspiring and enjoyable experience’. That sounds about right to us.
Working and Living in Edinburgh
Edinburgh is an amazing city – and we’re right at the heart of it. Our offices are less than five minutes’ walk from Princes Street, the bustling city centre as well as Waverley rail station, giving our people the opportunity to commute in (for example Glasgow is just 45 minutes away). We’re also close to major bus routes and the new Edinburgh tram link.
For all its history and beauty, Edinburgh is also the UK's largest financial centre outside London. Yes, you’re looking at a capital city that’s famous worldwide for its medieval winding streets, stately Georgian New Town, and modern classics such as the Scottish Parliament building. But this is also a thriving global commercial hub.
We could talk about Edinburgh’s cosmopolitan culture, with the biggest arts festival in the world and so on, but a quick internet search will tell you everything you need to know. Let’s just say that for quality of life, we don’t think it can be beaten.
Learning and Development
In-depth inductions, broad training modules, industry courses and programmes... you’ll find plenty when you join us at Baillie Gifford. But we see Learning and Development as something more than just providing the fundamentals around training and building new skills, it’s embedded in every aspect of our work and is an ongoing focus throughout your career with us.
So you attend an external course or study for a professional qualification. Or you watch a webinar, go to a conference, possibly chair a meeting, undertake a secondment, enjoy an Outward Bound event or develop a new project. It’s all learning, and all part of our investment in you.
It’s all in your hands too. With our full support, you’ll take responsibility for steering your own development. That’s because you know better than anyone where you want your career to go. We love it when ambitious people stay with us for the long term. We want you to grow with us. So we’ll do everything we can to help you achieve your individual personal and professional goals. After all, it’s in our interests: we want to see you excel so that we do too.
Career Paths
There’s no set career path at Baillie Gifford, just as there’s no standard Baillie Gifford ‘type of person’. People join us from a diverse range of backgrounds and with an equally wide range of interests and skills. Everyone’s an individual – and as such, we give them the freedom and support to shape the direction of their own career.
We do encourage our people to talk to us about their aspirations and hopes for the future. That’s an important principle here. We’ll work with you and talk through possible career development or lateral moves, depending on your ambitions, skills and – of course – the needs of the business.
- Actual Investors see people’s aspirations. Not assets under management.
Working with Us
Our goal, as a firm, is to ensure that each one of our clients receives exceptional service. Whatever your role, you’ll be playing your part in making that happen. That’s why we think it’s so important to have a culture in which everyone’s contribution is valued.
Like any company, we can’t afford to stand still. We’ll only succeed by staying at the forefront of our industry. To help us keep achieving that, our people share ideas and collaborate to develop new and better ways of working. While many organisations describe themselves as ‘team focused’, it genuinely is the case here. It’s how we are.
Clearly, we want you to be at your best while you’re in the office – enjoying the fulfilment that comes from meeting day-to-day challenges. But we understand that you can only do that if you’re fulfilled in your personal life too. So helping you achieve a healthy work-life balance is a big priority.
