Skip to the main content.

Human Capital Portfolio

HR system based on concepts of autonomy and expertise

Job Group System

Based on our HR management policy, we have established a personnel system that features the concepts of “autonomy” and “expertise.” As part of this system we have introduced our Job Group System.
Under the Job Group System, employees register themselves in job groups based on their preferences and work experience when they reach the leadership level and, as a general rule, are assigned to work related to their registered job group, enabling them to develop expertise over the medium to long term. In addition to job rotations based on job groups, we have established Group Job Descriptions that clearly define the roles within each job group and the expertise required for each function and job level. We have also introduced Job Competencies as a framework for assessing and developing professional expertise. Through regular one-on-one meetings, performance evaluations, and feedback sessions with supervisors, we support employees in deepening their expertise and advancing their professional development.

Job Group

Food & Agriculture
CC*1
GI&B*2
Administration, IT
Risk Management
Audit
Legal
Financial Accounting
Domestic Branches*3
BE*4

CC: Cooperative Central Banking; GI: Global Investments & Banking; BE: Business Expert

  • ※1CC: Operates the Retail Business as the central bank for the JA Bank
  • ※2GI&B: Mainly responsible for the investment business
  • ※3"Domestic Branches: Operates Food and Agriculture Business and Retail Business within local communities"
  • ※4BE: Provides support for planning and front-office operations and handles business development, application and optimization

Job Groups and Group Job Descriptions

Diagram showing the relationship among job groups and group job descriptions. A job group (JG) is a unit for developing a medium- to long-term career, with Food and Agriculture and CC as examples. A group job description (GJD) is a unit of expertise positioned below a job group. Job competencies (JCs) are units for evaluation and development, with multiple JCs positioned under each GJD. The components of a GJD include the group definition, description definition, job level and grade definitions, expected outcomes, required knowledge, experience, skills, and job elements, common competencies, job competencies, relevant experience, career paths, and capability development.

Career formation based on job group

To support employees in autonomous career development and cultivating expertise, the Bank has established a “Target Talent Profile” and “Career Journey” for each job group, presenting examples of talent composition, areas of activity, and career paths, while implementing the human resource development initiatives needed to achieve them.

Target Talent Profile (GI&B Group Examples)

Example of the desired talent profile for the GI&B Group. Among group company business planning, market and credit investment planning, the market front (market operations), the funding front (foreign-currency funding), and the credit front (credit portfolio management), the diagram presents an example of market and credit investment planning. The definition is the ability to coordinate and plan from an organization-wide perspective, supported by broad practical experience across investment management and funding, knowledge of finance and risk management, and insight into other business divisions. The activity areas and career path include gaining experience in multiple departments responsible for the investment business, through secondments to group companies and assignments at overseas offices, as well as experience in investment front-office operations; working in portfolio management, including finance and risk management; and gaining experience in departments spanning other business divisions, such as Food and Agriculture and Corporate Planning.

Career Journey (GI&B Group Examples)

Diagram showing an example of a career journey for the GI&B Group. The vertical axis represents job levels, progressing from the Associate level at the bottom to the Leader level and then the Management level. The horizontal axis represents career areas, from left to right: market and credit investment planning, the credit front (credit portfolio management), and other areas. In the market and credit investment planning area, the Leader level includes the market front (financial accounting), and the Management level includes market and credit investment planning (integrated risk management). In the credit front (credit portfolio management) area, the Leader level includes the credit front (credit assessment), and the Management level includes the credit front (overseas operations). In both areas, the diagram shows that employees gain broad experience at the Associate level, including experience in other job groups, and progress to the Leader and Management levels after gaining experience across multiple areas, such as the market front, credit front, and overseas operations.

Training initiatives unique to each job group (example from GI&B group)

Orientation training
Basic skills training
Follow-up training
Product training
Head office trainee program
External secondment

Talent group formation based on Job Groups (Human Resource Portfolio Strategy)

Under its talent portfolio strategy, the Bank seeks to develop the talent groups required to execute its business strategy through the Job Group System. Specifically, the Bank defines the expertise required to achieve its business strategy through Job Competencies and visualizes employees’ expertise through competency assessments. Based on the gaps identified through these assessments, the Bank implements talent development initiatives to close those gaps and develop the required talent groups.

Framework for building talent groups

Diagram illustrating the formation of talent groups. In the upper left are the business strategies and medium-term vision for realizing the Purpose: creating impact on the global environment, society, and the economy; supporting the sustainable development of agriculture, forestry, fisheries, and local communities; creating value for members and users through the optimal integration of digital and physical channels; delivering stable returns and functions to members; and realizing a flexible and resilient organization that continues to embrace change. Based on these business strategies, the diagram shows the process of establishing a framework for developing expertise by group job description (GJD) in the upper right. Examples of GJDs include Food and Agriculture, CC, and Other, with job competencies (JCs) positioned under each. At the bottom is a table showing JCs requiring further enhancement and talent gaps. For Food and Agriculture, the items shown are Food and Agriculture DX, origination, and product structuring. For CC, the items are practical product and service planning, cooperative system policies and guidance, and cooperative operations and systems. For GI&B, the items are credit investment, market investment, and group business planning. Talent gaps for each item are indicated by arrow icons: Food and Agriculture DX, practical product and service planning, and cooperative system policies and guidance are each shown with one arrow icon, while origination, cooperative operations and systems, credit investment, market investment, and group business planning are each shown with two arrow icons. On the right, the diagram states that the necessary talent development initiatives will be implemented to close the gaps.

Formation of Cross-Organizational Talent Base

In addition to developing talent groups based on the Job Group System, the Bank is focusing on developing and securing key talent across the organization, including digital talent, while making planned investments in human capital

Cross-Organizational Talent Development Initiatives and Target Headcount

Diagram showing talent development initiatives and target headcounts for cross-organizational talent. Based on talent from the Food and Agriculture, CC, GI&B, Operations and IT, Risk Management, Audit, Legal, Finance and Accounting, Domestic Branches, and BE job groups, it identifies five types of talent to be developed across the organization. DX talent possesses advanced knowledge and skills in IT, digital technologies, and data and can promote digital transformation by leveraging them. IT and digital talent possesses knowledge and skills in IT, digital technologies, and data and can apply them to their assigned work. Sustainable business talent can plan and execute initiatives by building sustainability-related knowledge on the foundation of expertise in their job group. Sustainability talent can identify value and risks from a sustainability perspective and make forward-looking proposals. Global business talent can succeed on the global stage through experience studying and conducting business overseas.
  Training programs End of Fiscal 2025 Fiscal 2030 target
Digital talent
  • Translator development program
  • Data scientist development program
 243 Around 300
IT talent
  • E-learning for development of digital transformation literacy
  • IT tool training, open-application training
 All employees and executives All employees and executives
Sustainable business talent
  • Specialized university courses, professional training
  • Training, on-the-job training (OJT)
 30 Expansion
Sustainability talent
  • Sustainability fundamentals training and Human rights training
  • Related certification
 All employees and executives All employees and executives
Overseas employees
  • Foreign postgraduate university programs
  • Language acquisition lessons, cultural understanding training
 302 Around 330
Digital talent
Training programs
  • Translator development program
  • Data scientist development program
End of Fiscal 2025 Fiscal 2030 target
243 Around 300
IT talent
Training programs
  • E-learning for development of digital transformation literacy
  • IT tool training, open-application training
End of Fiscal 2025 Fiscal 2030 target
All employees and executives All employees and executives
Sustainable business talent
Training programs
  • Specialized university courses, professional training
  • Training, on-the-job training (OJT)
End of Fiscal 2025 Fiscal 2030 target
30 Expansion
Sustainability talent
Training programs
  • Sustainability fundamentals training and Human rights training
  • Related certification
End of Fiscal 2025 Fiscal 2030 target
All employees and executives All employees and executives
Overseas employees
Training programs
  • Foreign postgraduate university programs
  • Language acquisition lessons, cultural understanding training
End of Fiscal 2025 Fiscal 2030 target
302 Around 330

Self-directed career development program

We support employees' self-directed career development regardless of professional course (job class) by providing support for skill enhancement, reskilling, and career self-development.
To support autonomous career development and the cultivation of expertise, we operate an Open Recruitment System for Internal Job Positions, which provides opportunities to gain work experience in specific jobs and positions. We also provide opportunities for employees to experience and deepen their understanding of business domains in which they have no prior experience through our Company Internships program.
In addition, to help employees broaden their business experience, we have established a Course Change System for employees wishing to change courses (job class), as well as a Course Challenge Program, which enables employees to gain experience in the business operations of the course to which they wish to transfer.

Open Recruitment System for Internal Job Positions

Bar chart showing the number of applicants under the Job and Position Open Recruitment Program: 23 in fiscal 2023, 31 in fiscal 2024, and 35 in fiscal 2025.

Internal Internships Program

Bar chart showing participation in the internal internship program, which began in fiscal 2024: 135 participants in fiscal 2024 and 170 participants in fiscal 2025.

VOICE

Internal Internships Program

Broader perspectives through cross-divisional business experience

By taking advantage of this program, I gained experience in the Food and Agriculture and Retail Business operations at the Toyama Branch. Having worked exclusively in administrative departments at Head Office since joining the Bank, I had only a limited understanding of branch operations. However, accompanying the branch staff on visits to JAs and clients enabled me to reaffirm the Bank's role within the cooperative system, and gave me firsthand experience of the rewards of branch operations rooted in the local community.
At the same time, I witnessed the challenges that can only be appreciated at the front line, while also recognizing the importance of the Bank fulfilling its role as the national-level institution to address those challenges. Through these experiences, my perspective broadened. I now consider not only which departments should work together to solve issues, but also the fundamental role each individual department plays.
This opportunity to gain work experience across both Head Office departments and branch offices was invaluable in helping me think more proactively about my own career.

HIRAMOTO Yuri
Markets Division

Human resource development

Overview of human resource development

To realize our business strategy, we implement development initiatives centered on three pillars: Cultivating Expertise Within Each Job Group, Developing Cross-Organizational Talent, and Enhancing Human Capital Across the Bank. By investing in human capital and providing diverse learning opportunities, we aim to enable each employee to contribute to the execution and realization of the Bank's strategy with autonomy and expertise.

Structure of the human resource development plan

Diagram showing the structure of the talent development plan. At the top are specialized talent and the Colleague Vision for realizing the Purpose. Below this is the development of expertise by job group, covering Food and Agriculture, CC, GI&B, Audit, Legal, Finance and Accounting, Operations and IT, Risk Management, Domestic Branches, and BE. Further below is the formation of cross-organizational talent groups, including the development of DX talent, sustainability talent, and global business talent, among others. The next section, also concerning the formation of cross-organizational talent groups, covers demonstrating roles according to job level, improving skills, and gaining diverse experience and perspectives. At the bottom of the diagram, talent development investment is shown as 834.8 million yen in fiscal 2025, or 250,000 yen per employee. Training time is shown as 154,419 total hours in fiscal 2025, or 46 hours per employee.

Enhancing Human Capital Across the Bank

As the foundation for cultivating expertise, we implement various human resource development initiatives aimed at enabling employees to fulfill the roles expected at each job level and enhance their skills.

Training by job level and at the time of joining the Bank

For employees in leadership and management positions, we have established training programs designed to develop the leadership and management skills required for training subordinates and managing organizations. For employees at the associate level, we provide training programs that develop the mindset and skills needed for future appointment to leadership positions and for cultivating expertise.
In addition, we offer voluntary skill enhancement and career self-management training programs primarily targeted at each job level.
We also provide the training required at the time of joining the Bank for both new graduate employees and mid-career hires, enabling them to develop the mindset expected of all The Norinchukin Bank employees and to get up to speed smoothly in their new roles.

Main training programs by job level

Management

Executive coaching

Newly appointed senior manager training

Leader

Subordinate development training

Newly appointed middle manager training

Associate

Leadership development training

Career development training

Main training programs on hiring

Graduate hires

New employee training

JA on-site training

Mid-career hires

Training for mid-career hires

Hands-on agricultural training (optional)

Main training programs for skill enhancement and reskilling

We provide training programs and other initiatives that enable employees to grow continuously by enhancing the job performance capabilities (shared competencies) expected of all employees across Job Groups, while supporting self-managed skill enhancement and reskilling.

Problem-solving skills training
Collaboration skills training
Big-picture skills training
Competency development training
Coaching training
Mentor training
Online learning content
Support for professional qualifications, correspondence courses
  • *Training programs and initiatives are those implemented in fiscal 2025.

Encouraging diverse experiences and perspectives

To assemble a group of professionals with diverse ways of thinking and provide opportunities to encounter ideas, values, and work styles that cannot be obtained within the Bank, we are promoting cross-disciplinary training (learning and collaborative value creation together with employees from different industries as well as work experience in fields beyond the scope of one's own organization). In fiscal 2025, 24 employees participated in this program.

Illustration of cross-boundary training involving work experience in a different industry. An illustration of an employee is in the center, with the Bank on the left and host companies, such as start-ups, on the right. The diagram shows the employee moving back and forth between the home organization and the host organization.

Development of Management Talent

To continuously secure personnel capable of managing the Bank, we have identified succession positions and established a framework for personnel development and placement based on the job requirements and experience needed for each position. The development is built on a foundation of broad work experience both within and outside the Bank, and branch and departmental management experience.
In fiscal 2025, we developed talent by dispatching employees to programs for middle and top management organized by business schools in Japan and overseas.

Talent recruitment

Recruitment policies

To realize our human resources portfolio strategy, we hire new graduates and mid-career recruits to secure talent with expertise and diversity.
For new graduate recruitment, we recruit individuals who share the Bank's philosophy (Purpose) and can be expected to contribute over the medium to long term with autonomy and expertise. For mid-career recruitment, we focus on securing professionals who can make an immediate contribution and possess the expertise required to achieve our business strategy.

Our Approach to Talent Recruitment

Diagram showing that, for both new graduate and experienced hires, the Bank assesses candidates’ understanding of and alignment with its Purpose and shared values, their potential to contribute over the medium to long term after joining the Bank, and the expertise required to implement its business strategies.

Initiatives to Attract Talent

We are working to strengthen our midcareer recruiting effort and increase our hiring quota in order to build a diverse group of highly skilled professionals. We have also established a target of 40% or more female hires among new graduate recruits for career-track positions.
For new graduates, we have introduced a course-based recruitment system that specifies the department of initial assignment for candidates who wish to develop specific expertise. We also hold internships and open company events and have introduced an exclusive recruiter system to reduce recruitment mismatches by fostering a better understanding of the work.
To strengthen midcareer recruiting, we have introduced an employee referral system and are working to clarify and conceptualize the specific expertise required for each open position and help expand recruiting within each business domain.

Stacked bar chart showing recruitment trends, with figures in people, for male and female new graduates and male and female mid-career hires from fiscal 2021 to fiscal 2025. In fiscal 2021, there were 54 male new graduates, 38 female new graduates, 26 male mid-career hires, and 7 female mid-career hires. In fiscal 2022, there were 54 male new graduates, 62 female new graduates, 20 male mid-career hires, and 6 female mid-career hires. In fiscal 2023, there were 61 male new graduates, 64 female new graduates, 22 male mid-career hires, and 6 female mid-career hires. In fiscal 2024, there were 76 male new graduates, 86 female new graduates, 34 male mid-career hires, and 16 female mid-career hires. In fiscal 2025, there were 90 male new graduates, 104 female new graduates, 41 male mid-career hires, and 14 female mid-career hires. Initiatives for securing human resources. New graduate recruitment: Course-based recruitment (establishing Office IT course, G&B course, and Quant course [*risk management]), Internship/Open Company (providing opportunities to experience business operations in agri-food, investment, and retail business for better understanding of financial institution work), Dedicated recruiter system (providing follow-up to prevent mismatches in philosophy and actual work). Career recruitment (mid-career): Clarification of required expertise (defining required expertise based on 'job competency' units to achieve business strategies, reflecting them in recruitment positions and hiring accordingly), Referral system (applicable to recruitment at all domestic branches; when hiring is realized, referral bonuses are paid to the referring employee), Former employee entry system (targeting re-employment of those who voluntarily left for career advancement, with the aim of developing talent who can be active both inside and outside the organization).

Related content

Human Capital Foundation IT & DX Governance