AAT Accountancy Trainee - School & College Leaver - Professional Practice - August 2026

PKF FRANCIS CLARK; Exeter; On-site; GBP 20,000 - 25,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading firm of independent chartered accountants is seeking a trainee accountant in Exeter. This role provides support for law firms with vital financial information and advice, while working towards your AAT qualification. You'll gain experience in tax, audit, and accounting, earning while you learn. The firm is recognized as a Great Place to Work, demonstrating their commitment to employee satisfaction and development. Successful candidates will have the opportunity for long-term career progression in a supportive environment.

Benefits

Financial benefits

Health and wellbeing support

Volunteering day per year

Qualifications

• Bright, motivated school and college leavers ready for a career in accountancy.
• Willingness to travel to client sites and other offices as required.
• Available to start August 2026.

Responsibilities

• Support law firms with financial information and advice.
• Help prepare year-end accounts and management accounts.
• Get involved with company taxation and VAT returns.
• Gain broad experience in accountancy, tax, and audit.
• Take on more responsibility as you progress.

Skills

Effective communication

Analytical thinking

Problem-solving

Interpersonal skills

Education

Minimum of 112 UCAS points

GCSE Maths and English grade 4 (C) or above

Job description

In a nutshell

Join us as a trainee accountant and work towards your AAT qualification. You’ll earn while you learn, gaining hands on experience alongside your studies. We pay for all your training and qualifications and support you every step of the way. We’re proud to be certified as a Great Place to Work for the third-year running, making this an excellent place to launch your accountancy career.

What you'll be doing

As a trainee accountant within our Professional Practices team, you’ll support law firms and other professional clients with the financial information and advice they need to manage their businesses effectively. You’ll gain broad experience across accounting, tax (partnership, company and personal), audit (statutory and client money audits), and preparing analysis, forecasts and projections.

Our team has extensive expertise in the legal sector, and for law firm clients we produce detailed discussion documents explaining the accounts, benchmarking analysis, advising on capital funding and providing tax analysis. We have a strong national reputation in this area of work with clients across the country.

You will:

• Develop technical, commercial and interpersonal skills
• Help clients prepare year-end accounts, accounts discussion documents, management accounts, forecasts, and projections
• Get involved with company and business taxation, company secretarial matters and VAT returns
• Gain a breadth of commercial, tax and general accountancy experience
• Be part of a high performing team

As you progress, you’ll take on more responsibility and have opportunities to make a real impact.

About you

You’ll enjoy this job if you like:

• Taking initiative and achieving goals
• Communicating effectively, both verbally and in writing
• Building strong relationships and working collaboratively
• Working with numbers and solving problems
• Being analytical and methodical in your approach

Studying alongside working is demanding. As an AAT trainee, you’ll need to do regular independent study and revision for your professional exams. It typically takes around three years to complete an AAT qualification.

Fast Track Programme

We offer a fast-track programme suitable for ambitious individuals. This intensive programme gives you the opportunity to study for your AAT & ACA qualification over 5 years, making it a quicker route to becoming chartered. Individuals suitable for this pathway will be identified at one of our assessment centres and our early careers team will guide you every step of the way.

Your development

We'll provide full support for your professional qualification and help you develop the skills and behaviours needed to succeed as an accountant. Before you start, you’ll be assigned a buddy, and once you join, your line manager and student counsellor will help you stay on track with your professional qualification and career goals.

Entering the work environment can be daunting. But the support network here at PKF Francis Clark is endless. Everyone from you, your Manager to the Partners is treated respectfully and is made to feel valued. And you’ll be joining with lots of other trainees just like you.

You’ll be supported every step of the way:

• A buddy before you start, to help you settle in
• A line manager and student counsellor will help you stay on track with your professional qualification and career goals
• Ongoing learning and development opportunities beyond qualifications, helping you progress into manager roles and beyond

Starting your career straight from school can feel daunting, but at PKF Francis Clark, you’ll never be on your own. From day one, you’ll supported by a strong network of colleagues, from fellow trainees to managers and partners. Everyone is treated with respect and made to feel valued. Plus, you’ll be joining alongside lots of other trainees, so you’ll be learning and growing together.

What we're looking for

Bright, motivated school and college leavers ready to build a meaningful career in accountancy. This programme offers structured development, early responsibility, and long-term progression.

You’ll be expected to demonstrate the following:

• Minimum of 112 UCAS points (obtained from three A Levels or equivalent excluding general studies and EPQ)
• GCSE Maths and English grade 4 (C) or above
• Willingness to travel to client sites and other offices as required
• Available to start August 2026

How to apply

Apply online by midnight on Sunday, 11 January 2026. We recommend applying early, as the window may close if we receive a high number of applications. Please note you can only apply for one role per recruitment cycle.

Recruitment Process

Our selection process includes the following stages:

• Online application
• Verbal and numerical reasoning tests
• Pre-recorded video interview
• In person assessment centre

We’re committed to creating an inclusive and positive experience for all candidates. If you require any adjustments during the recruitment process, whether related to a disability, neurodiversity, or any other need, please let us know, and we ’ll do our best to support you.

Why work at PKF Francis Clark

As the largest firm of independent chartered accountants and business advisers in South West England, PKF Francis Clark offers a breadth of opportunities to develop your career in the way that’s right for you.

Established in 1919, we’ve grown to a team of nearly 1,000 people, based across our offices in Bristol, Exeter, Plymouth, Poole, Salisbury, Southampton, Taunton, Torquay and Truro. This means we’re big enough to do challenging work for exciting clients, but small enough to maintain our friendly and supportive culture.

We work hard to ensure you can belong, be yourself and be brilliant as part of a forward-thinking team. This includes a flexible approach to hybrid working. And our focus on wellbeing and learning and development has been recognised nationally.

For the past three years, PKF Francis Clark has been certified as a Great Place to Work and ranked among the UK’s Best Workplaces. In 2025, we climbed four places to 20 out of 100 large organisations on this prestigious list.

We’re also in the UK’s top 10 Best Workplaces for Women (6 out of 100 large organisations), as well as being ranked among the Best Workplaces for Wellbeing (35 out of 100), Best Workplaces in Consulting and Professional Services.

All these lists are compiled by workplace culture experts Great Place to Work. Our rankings are a direct result of feedback from our people in a confidential, independent annual survey.

The success rates of our trainees mean we’re also ranked 33rd in The Sunday Times Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers 2025.

While we’re proudly independent, we collaborate with colleagues around the world to enable our clients to succeed. PKF Francis Clark is a member of the PKF Global family of firms – together we’re the 12th largest provider of accountancy services in the UK. Being part of this international network provides opportunities to connect with like-minded accountants and business advisers in 150 countries.

Your core benefits will include

Financial benefits:

• Pension
• Group life assurance - up to four times your core salary
• Group income protection
• Health cash plan to help cover the costs of everyday healthcare

Health & Wellbeing benefits:

• Option to buy 5 extra days holiday*
• Counselling and support for you and your immediate family
• Virtual GP for you and your immediate family
• Cycle to work*

Other benefits:

• Medicash Extras providing you with shopping and gym discounts
• Gifts for career and family milestones
• One volunteering day per year to support local organisations
• Emergency funding from the Francis Clark Charitable Foundation