Trainee Analyst
Application Deadline: September 5, 2026
Aylett & Co. is a boutique, owner-managed investment house established in 2005. We invest our own capital alongside our clients, think in decades rather than quarters, and prize independent thought over consensus. The Trainee Analyst programme is where we develop the next generation of investment professionals from the ground up, the right way. This is not a rotation programme or a box-ticking exercise. You will do real research, build real models, and be held to a real standard from day one. If investing is something you think about outside of class, whether that's your own portfolio, your own reading list, or your own opinions on businesses, we want to hear from you.
Must Haves
- BCom Honours, BBusSci, or equivalent degree in Finance, Investment Management, Economics, or Accounting from a leading South African university (UCT, Stellenbosch, Wits, or similar)
- Graduated with distinction or equivalent academic excellence
- CFA Level I registered or written
- Based in or willing to relocate to Cape Town
Nice to Haves
- Your own investment portfolio or investment journal
- A piece of independent investment research you have written, even informally
- Internship or vacation work at an asset manager, stockbroker, or financial services firm
- Excel modelling skills beyond what was required for your degree
Core Responsibilities
- Support senior analysts with deep, bottom-up research on South African and global equities
- Build and maintain financial models under the guidance of experienced portfolio managers
- Read company reports, industry publications, management transcripts and synthesise what matters
Expectations
- Within 30 days: You have built your first financial model from scratch and walked a senior analyst through your assumptions without prompting.
- Within 60 days: You have completed a full bottom-up analysis on one company — model, valuation, and written investment summary.
- Within 90 days: You have pitched a stock idea to the team with a price target and a variant view. You have taken the pushback and updated your thesis accordingly.
Application Process
20-min initial application
Online investment case study and skills test
Remote 1-on-1 interview
In-office leadership interview
Compensation
- R20,000 per month base salary
- Performance-based bonuses
- Direct mentorship from Walter Aylett and the senior investment team
- A structured path to Analyst and, for the right person, eventual equity ownership in the firm
Every person who joins Aylett & Co. is entrusted with managing capital alongside our own. The Trainee Analyst programme is how we build the team that does that. If that standard appeals to you, we look forward to your application.