Level 7 Master’s ACCA Finance Apprenticeship Swindon 2024

With a strong interest in launching a career in finance, we know that you want to use your talent, skill, and dedication to make a difference. At UKRI, you will get the opportunity to do just that. Our finance teams support world-leading science and innovation and enable ground-breaking research that will inspire, shape and define our future.

UKRI is the largest public sector funder of research and innovation with an annual budget of over £8bn. With a Finance team of just over 150 people across our UK sites, we have responsibility for enabling the delivery of high-quality financial services to ensure public funding for research and innovation is spent efficiently and effectively. We are part of the Government Finance Function with the ambitious vision to “put finance at the heart of decision making; driving the agenda, not just keeping score.”

Our impact is felt across the whole organisation where we work with policy makers, leadership teams, researchers, programme and project managers, engineers and scientists, to share perspectives and expertise, influence decisions, and put forward creative solutions to problems.

Finance is a large department and the work is always varied. One day you might find yourself supporting UKRI’s overall budgeting and associated financial planning at Corporate and Council level; the next you may be providing financial advice or supporting the production of our Statutory Accounts. We can offer you real breadth of experience in a truly unique organisation.

The role

The UKRI Finance Team are looking to recruit Graduate Apprentices to start in September 2024 based at Polaris House, Swindon and the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Oxfordshire. The role will incorporate a ACCA Level 7 Professional Accountant Apprenticeship, delivered by training provider First Intuition, alongside a challenging but rewarding role.

We will fund and support your studies over a 3-year period to achieve full ACCA qualifications in addition to helping you develop a broader range of personal and professional skills. The Apprenticeship programme consists of exams and work-based learning, and so you should be prepared to work hard to achieve the substantial rewards these placements will offer.

We know it’s important to consider future career prospects and there are plenty of opportunities to continue your professional development after your initial apprenticeship within UKRI.

Key accountabilities

Prior financial experience is not required, and this opportunity is ideal for graduates looking to start a career in finance or those who are looking for a career change. The key accountabilities will depend on the specifics of each placement. However, they are likely to include:

• Carry out reconciliations, monitor expenditure / income and support the production of management accounts, including variance analysis
• Cost centre and Project budget setup and maintenance
• Maintain key spreadsheets and trackers, providing advice and analysis on the financial data
• Prepare journals and collate backing papers and evidence to maintain an audit trail
• Support writing the annual accounts and year end processes, including collating and preparing notes to the accounts
• Supporting asset management, recording and physical verification
• Preparing reports, including graphs and data to help explain numbers in reports
• Preparing forecasts to help effective cash management
• Support to the Governance team on the internal audit programme
• Working with partners within UKRI
• Develop knowledge of the rules and guidance that underpins Government Finance
• Provide ad-hoc administrative tasks across the team
• Take ownership for your learning and development under the apprenticeship.

During your training, you will be expected to be self-motivated, organised and able to follow policy whilst meeting deadlines. With great attention to detail, you’ll work diligently through the varied work assigned to you. We will provide the support to enable you to succeed.

The selection process

• Initially, you will be asked to submit an online application including a CV and Covering Letter outlining your suitability for the role. You will then be invited to complete a numerical reasoning test.
• If you successfully complete these stages you will be invited to an interview which will be held via Zoom
• Final interviews will be in person in Polaris House, Swindon

Shortlisting criteria

Essential criteria

• Degree, equivalent qualification or relevant experience (S)
• GCSE Level 4 / C or above n Maths and English (S)
• Cover Letter that clearly demonstrates your motivation to undertake this apprenticeship within UKRI, paying particular attention to the essential and desirable criteria (S)
• Good inter-personal skills, particularly in communication (both written and verbal) and problem solving
• Excellent numeracy skills (S)
• Good ICT skills, including MS Office (S&I)
• Self-motivated and able to demonstrate initiative (S&I)
• Good time management skills (I)
• Ability to work independently (I)
• Ability to work effectively within a team (S&I)
• Able to travel occasionally to other UKRI sites; and to Reading for training. (I)

Desirable criteria

• Experience working in a finance or business environment (S&I)

Key - (S) will be assessed at shortlisting, (I) will be measured at interview, (S&I) is both.

Important considerations

1. To be considered for the apprenticeship, you will need to provide evidence of a Degree qualification or equivalent Level 6 qualification, and Maths and English GCSE at grade 4/C or above.
2. When applying for an apprenticeship, there is a set residency eligibility criteria that must be met by the applicant. To check your eligibility please click here
3. If you already have a Level 7 or equivalent qualification within Finance/Accountancy or similar, unfortunately, we will be unable to consider your application
4. We reserve the right to close the vacancy early should a sufficient number of applications be received. Therefore we encourage you to apply as soon as possible in order to be considered.

UKRI Benefits

• A benefits package designed to provide an excellent work/life balance including 30 days’ annual leave, 10.5 public and privilege holidays, flexible working hours and an exceptional pension scheme
• You’ll get the chance to work on innovative projects with international collaborators
• Cycle-2-work scheme
• Discount vouchers for high street stores and attractions

About UK Research and Innovation (UKRI)

UKRI launched in April 2018, UKRI is a non-departmental public body sponsored by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT).

Our organisation brings together the seven disciplinary research councils, Research England, which is responsible for supporting research and knowledge exchange at higher education institutions in England, and the UK’s innovation agency, Innovate UK. Together we build an independent organisation with a strong voice and vision to ensure the UK maintains its world-leading position in research and innovation. More information can be found at www.ukri.org.

Choosing to come to work at UKRI means that you will have access to a whole host of benefits from a defined benefit pension scheme, excellent holiday entitlement, access to employee shopping/travel discounts and salary sacrifice cycle to work scheme. For more details, visit benefits of working for UKRI.

The role holder will be required to have the appropriate level of security screening/vetting required for the role. UKRI reserves the right to run or re-run security clearance as required during the course of employment.

How we support EDI in the workforce

At UKRI, we believe that everyone has a right to be treated with dignity and respect, and to be provided with equal opportunities to thrive and succeed in an environment that enables them to do so. We also value diversity of thought and experience within inclusive groups, organisations and the wider community. 

Disability Confident Employer

As users of the disability confident scheme, we guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the vacancy/ies. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.

How to apply

Online applications only preferred for this role. Please submit a CV and covering letter which clearly outlines how you fulfil the criteria specified along with your motivation for UKRI and the role. Ensure that the job reference number is included in the filename description of each document uploaded.

Note that failure to address the above criteria or submit an application without a covering letter may result in the application not being considered. Assessment will only be based upon the content of your submitted covering letter and CV and not the ‘experience’ section of the application.

UKRI seeks to ensure it creates and maintains a system of openness, fairness and inclusion – a collaborative, trusted environment, which is attractive to and accessible to everyone who is interested in developing their career with us.