Graduate Trainee Chartered Accountant (ACA) High Wycombe January 2024

The High Wycombe office advises businesses ranging from subsidiaries of overseas holding companies and large corporate groups of companies to small family companies. In addition to commercial companies in service/manufacturing industries, we also deal with professional partnerships, landed estates, financial service companies, sports and entertainment businesses, entrepreneurs, and not for profit organisations and charities. The proximity to London means the office works closely with London specialists, partners and staff. The team work with local and national entities to help them achieve their commercial objectives.

We are now looking to recruit an ACA Trainee Chartered Accountant to join us to start in September 2023.

This will be offered under a Level 7 apprenticeship and will take 3 years to complete.

Please note: we do not allow for exemptions, even where you have studied at a university that is ICAEW accredited. We have found it gives you a much better chance of success through your exams if you studying the full ACA programme with a cohort.

Exemptions will be applied only if a student is AAT level 4 qualified.

As one of our trainees, you can play a major part in our ongoing success story. From early on in your time with us, you will be entrusted with real client assignments and real responsibilities, whilst receiving support for your professional qualification.

The role

Qualifying is not just about passing your exams; gaining valuable work experience is of equal importance. You will work in a friendly and progressive environment, within teams of varying sizes on audits and accounts preparation assignments.

There are many factors to consider when reviewing files, and we will introduce you to each part as you progress through your training contract. You will learn what information you need from a client and be trusted to liaise directly with them as required. You may start with audit testing of simpler balances within financial statements, such as Cash at Bank and Share Capital, and then progress to Income and Expenditure testing. You will work on a variety of clients from different industries making for an exciting learning experience. By the end of your training contract, you will be comfortable handling whole files by yourself preparing you for progression to Audit Senior.

As well as exciting client work, we offer excellent training and support for your studies. We use first-class tuition centres, alongside our own internally developed technical training programmes, to help you prepare for your examinations. This is supported by our dedicated training team who will monitor your progress throughout your studies.

We promise to enable and empower you to develop personally and professionally throughout your career with us, ensuring future success as a trusted adviser to our clients.

Entry Requirements

• Minimum 2:1 (expected or obtained) in any degree discipline
• Minimum 120 UCAS points or equivalent, gained at one sitting
• Minimum grade 6 (B) in English Language and Maths GCSE (or equivalent)

The Qualification

We offer a 3-year training contract to our trainees with a view to becoming an ACA qualified accountant.

As an apprentice levy paying employer, the firm will be utilising some of this levy on all students coming into the firm to study towards the ACA qualification. You will be studying under the level 7 apprenticeship.

Studying as an apprentice won’t impact the time it takes you to complete the qualification, it just means that there is a defined study pathway in place to ensure you have the best success. Not only will you gain technical knowledge through the course of the apprenticeship, it will introduce early on the key skills and behaviours required to help you develop in your role.

You

• We are looking for individuals who share our values – those who are Collegiate and Enthusiastic, act with Integrity and strive for Excellence.
• The successful applicant will be friendly and approachable with an ambitious and resilient mindset.
• We welcome people with a diverse range of skills who thrive when working in close knit teams and are willing to go the extra mile for clients.
• You should be self-motivated, display a positive approach to work and strive for high quality in everything you do.
• In addition, you should have an awareness of the wider economic context that our clients operate in, demonstrating your commercial awareness.
• We expect our prospective trainees to have gained a thorough understanding of what the exams will involve, so please ensure that you have researched the ACA qualification thoroughly and can convince us that you know what’s involved and the personal commitment that will be required.

Salary & Benefits

• A 35-hour working week with flexibility around the core hours of 10am-4pm, in line with the firm’s comprehensive agile working policy.
• Paid overtime or time off in lieu (pre-approved and only where required).
• Paid study leave (typically 6 weeks per year).
• 25 days annual leave with an additional day added after 5 years’ service.
• In addition, under the flexible benefits programme, employees are entitled to buy or sell up to 5 days holiday a year, subject to staff partner approval.
• Working from home allowance.
• Eligibility for the firm’s Profit-Sharing Plan that runs from October to September each year. The scheme enables staff to share in the profits of the firm.
• Salary reviews annually in October.
• 6 month probationary period.
• Life assurance cover of four times your salary.
• Contributory pension scheme (The firm will contribute 5% of salary on a matched basis with employee from their date of joining).
• Access to a number of additional benefits with preferential rates under the flexible benefit programme, which include; health cash plans, health screening/GP support, critical illness cover, dental and travel insurance, Techscheme, Cyclescheme, Gymflex and a Workplace ISA). More information will be provided on joining.
• As a firm, we are committed to embracing a diverse and multi-generational workforce. We have initiatives in place to ensure everyone is treated equally, irrespective of their background or any personal characteristics. We strive to ensure that every member of staff is able to work and develop to reach their full potential in an inclusive and respectful culture that celebrates each person’s unique abilities

The Organisation

Saffery is a firm of chartered accountants and business advisers. We have over 80 partners and over 900 staff that work from nine offices in the UK, plus offices in Ireland, Guernsey, Switzerland and the UAE.

We are bound by our shared values: ensuring excellence and integrity in the work we undertake, and being enthusiastic and collegiate in working together to achieve the very best outcomes for our clients. We value our strong client relationships and genuinely partner-led approach and we place great importance on providing exemplary client service.

We are a member of Nexia International, a leading global network of independent accounting and consulting firms. This network connects us to over 250 other member firms in 120 countries across the globe, so we are able connect our clients to the very best advisers no matter what country their affairs take them to.

Our experts advise a broad range of individuals, their families, businesses and wider interests. The sectors in which we operate include: private wealth; owner-managed businesses; real estate; landed estates and rural businesses; sports and entertainment; not-for-profit organisations; and professional firms and consulting businesses.