About The Cumberland
What is The Cumberland?
The Cumberland is a customer-owned building society founded in 1850 and run from Carlisle, where it marked its 175th anniversary in 2025. It calls itself a "purpose-led, financially strong, socially responsible building society" whose "aim is to create a banking experience that is kinder to people and planet" — summed up on its own site as "Kinder banking. It's in our nature." Being "owned by our customers rather than shareholders" means it is "able to invest 100% of our profits back into our business".
The business covers mortgages, savings and current accounts, commercial lending with a hospitality and holiday-let specialism, motor finance and home insurance. Its values are Customer-led, Straight forward, Responsible, Forward-thinking and Better together.
Where will I work?
Head office is Cumberland House in Carlisle, and the Society says it operates "31 branches across Cumbria, Lancashire, Northumberland and southwest Scotland". Roles run across branches and head office, in departments including Technology and Transformation, Customer Services, Intermediary, Mortgages, and People and Culture.
This is not a remote-first employer, but hybrid is established: "wherever possible, hybrid working enables our employees to better juggle their home and work commitments, and a pragmatic approach to flexible working allows everyone to participate in full". Gender pay gap reporting adds that the Society has "successfully implemented hybrid working and a more pragmatic approach to part time or flexible working at all levels".
What is the Cumberland team like?
Culture is framed around what the Society calls belonging — "our vision of a workplace where our people can be their authentic selves. Where family-friendly and flexible working practices are adopted and encouraged." The workforce is a female majority (61% female to 39% male), and behind the language sit a neurodiversity toolkit built with the Society's occupational health nurse and a menopause policy.
Learning and development is run by a dedicated team. New starters get an "Insights Discovery session where you'll learn the things that make you, and your colleagues tick"; colleagues join monthly virtual "Power Hours" and colleague-led "Lives in the Hive" sessions, and can take a professional qualification with membership fees funded.
Work-Life Balance
Holiday starts at "25 days holiday plus bank holidays, rising with length of service", with the option to "buy or sell up to 3 holiday days per year", plus a non-contractual Wellbeing Day and a Community Day — "an extra paid day off every year to help out local charities and community organisations".
Flexibility is arranged role by role rather than through any change to the standard working week: the Society aims "to keep the great balance we have achieved with hybrid working", and tells colleagues they "can ask for a change to your contracted working hours or working pattern on a permanent basis". Family-friendly policies span maternity, paternity and adoption, shared parental leave, time off for dependants, and support for carers.
Perks and Benefits
- 25 days holiday plus bank holidays, rising with service, with three days to buy or sell
- Aviva pension scheme, enrolled from your start date
- Competitive maternity, paternity and adoption leave, plus shared parental leave
- Mental Health and Wellbeing champions, menopause policy and neurodiversity toolkit
- Professional qualifications supported, with membership fees funded
- Tools and equipment to work flexibly or from home where the role allows
- Brighter Performance, the Society's non-contractual colleague incentive scheme