Accounting - Placement Year

Higherin; Farnborough; Hybrid; GBP 18,000 - 24,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Great pay and pension

On-site restaurant discount

Advantages scheme

Job summary

BMW UK invites enthusiastic students to a 12-month placement in the Finance department, focusing on Accounting and Controlling. You will support the Accounting & Reporting Manager and work with a 25-strong team to drive process efficiencies and accurate financial reporting.

Join a dynamic environment that emphasizes learning, audits, and hands-on SAP usage. Start date mid-June; you must be returning to studies for at least 6 months after the placement and have right to work in the UK.

Qualifications

• Degree in numerical discipline (Accounting/Finance/Economics/Business/Mathematics) required or pursued.
• Ideally interested in ACA, ACCA, or CIMA after graduation.
• Good A-level results and aiming for a 2:1 degree or higher.

Responsibilities

• Participate in Finance month- and year-end processes to ensure timely, accurate entries.
• Validate SAP Finance interfaces daily to ensure correct data in both systems.
• Support Finance projects with focus on process improvement and simplification.
• Prepare monthly reconciliation templates, data updates, and management reports.
• Assist auditors to ensure accuracy of financial statements.
• Help prepare the monthly Management Reporting pack with charts and notes.
• Serve as SAP key user, supporting system requests and guidance.
• Onboard new users and manage department access and hardware needs.
• Provide support to interns on Finance topics during the year-end cycle.
• Handle ad-hoc tasks as directed by Finance Management.

Education

Degree in numerical discipline (Accounting/Finance/Economics/Business/Mathematics)

Interest in ACA/ACCA/CIMA

Strong A-level results and 2:1 degree condition

Job description

Accounting - Placement Year

YOUR INTERSHIP. START WITH WHAT SHAPES YOU.

The Finance department at BMW UK are responsible for all Accounting and Controlling activities for the UK and Irish National Sales Companies of the BMW Group. With a diverse team of around 25 people, we work with all areas of the business to profitably steer the company, and achieve our financial objectives. We are responsible for all operational aspects ensuring the efficient day-to-day running of the finance processes, and accurate financial reporting, both internally and externally. We are constantly looking to increase our efficiency and smarter ways of working.

What awaits you?

Provide financial process support to the Accounting & Reporting Manager, to assist with the management of accounting for BMW UK and Ireland, as well as the other teams of the Finance department to identify and drive process efficiencies. Key responsibilities include:

• Participate in the Finance month and year end processes to ensure timely and accurate recording of entries in financial accounting systems.
• Perform daily validation of interfaces into the SAP Finance system from source systems to ensure that information is correctly input in both systems.
• Support Finance projects. This can include identifying potential projects, providing expertise to on‑going projects, and taking ownership of projects from end‑to‑end. In particular, focusing on the areas of process improvement and simplification.
• Prepare the monthly control account reconciliation templates and tracking reports, update of data, and status report to management after the review deadline.
• Support the provision of information as required to internal and external auditors to ensure the accuracy of financial statements.
• Support the team with preparation of monthly Management Reporting pack. This includes updating PowerPoint slides with charts/comments as needed for review.
• Act as key contact for SAP users across all areas of the business, supporting them with system requests and providing advice and guidance. This will also help develop an understanding of the wider business and provide a great networking opportunity.
• Act as key user for the setup of new users into the department and maintenance of existing users, including system access, hardware requirements etc.
• Act as key contact for Interns around the business on Finance topics, with shared viewpoints and experiences this will assist the business with the annual cycle of intern turnover.
• Additional ad‑hoc requirements as directed by the Finance Management Team.

What should you bring along?

• Studying for a degree, preferably in a relevant numerical discipline such as, but not limited to, Accounting, Finance, Economics, Business, Mathematics.
• Ideally interested in a future post‑graduation qualification, such as ACA, ACCA, CIMA.
• Good A-level results and on track for a 2:1 degree or higher, based on results to date.

What can you look forward to?

• Great Pay – A competitive annual salary, 27 days holiday per annum (pro rata to your contract) and an attractive pension scheme.
• Rewarding Work‑Life Balance – Contracted working hours are 37.5 hours a week.
• Exciting Additional Benefits – You will have the opportunity to enjoy other employee benefits, a subsidised on‑site restaurant and access to our Advantages scheme which gives you a range of offers and discounts.

What do you need to do now?

If you apply, the next stages of the recruiting process include a virtual assessment centre and an in‑person interview with the hiring manager.

Please note:

To be eligible for this position, you must be returning to your studies, for a minimum of 6 months, after completion of this placement. You must be able to provide proof of your legal right to work in the UK.

We are committed to promoting equal opportunities in employment and job applicants will receive equal treatment regardless of disability, age, gender reassignment, marital or civil partner status, pregnancy or maternity, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief, gender, sex or sexual orientation.

At the BMW Group, we place great importance on equal treatment and equal opportunities. Our recruiting decisions are based on the personality, experience, and skills of the applicants.

Start Date: Monday 14th June

Closing date for applications: Sunday 18th October 2026