Apprentice Accountant

Office for Students; Bristol; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A higher education regulatory body in Bristol is seeking an Apprentice Accountant to support financial activities while undergoing structured training through AAT. The ideal candidate is confident with Excel and has a foundation in finance. This role offers a fixed-term apprenticeship with potential progression in a supportive team environment.

Benefits

Generous Civil Service defined benefit pension

Qualifications

• Good pass in Level 2 (or higher) finance-related qualification or two years of relevant experience.
• Experience with financial ledger systems is a bonus.
• Ability to work independently and maintain high standards.

Responsibilities

• Record transactions on ledger system.
• Analyze financial data using standard tools.
• Reconcile financial data, including balance sheet preparations.
• Investigate and resolve transactional queries.
• Maintain effective relationships with stakeholders.

Skills

Confidence using Microsoft Excel

Strong interpersonal skills

Initiative

Education

Level 2 finance-related qualification or similar experience

Job description

Apprentice Accountant

Bristol

£24,061

Plus generous Civil Service defined benefit pension

Who we are

The Office for Students ( OfS ) is the independent regulator of higher education in England – we regulate higher education on behalf of all students. Our mission is to ensure that every student, whatever their background, has a fulfilling experience of higher education that enriches their lives and careers

About the role

Our Finance team is small, close-knit and proud of the contribution we make. We’re looking for a motivated finance professional at the start of their career to join us in this varied hands‑on training role.

The position is fixed term for the duration of the apprenticeship.

You’ll support a range of financial activities, from recording transactions and reconciling accounts to analysing data and responding to queries. You’ll be using market‑leading software and learning on the job, with structured training through the AAT apprenticeship pathway, with plenty of support along the way.

You will start at Level 3 or Level 4 depending on your current experience and qualifications. For those who thrive and show potential, there is a progression route available (ACCA or CIMA) following completion of the AAT.

We welcome applicants from all backgrounds. If you’re confident using Excel, have a solid foundation in finance, and are ready to grow your skills in a collaborative and inclusive environment, we’d love to hear from you.

Key responsibilities may include

• Recording transactions on our ledger system.
• Analysing financial data using standard tools and processes.
• Reconcile financial data, such as preparation of balance sheet or grant reconciliations.
• Investigation, resolution or escalation of transactional queries and errors as appropriate.
• Assisting with investigation of/ response to financial information queries.
• Developing and maintaining effective working relationships with stakeholders.
• Making progress in examinations and having good attendance at the training provider.

About you

We’re looking for someone who’s made a solid start towards a finance career , either through a good pass in a Level 2 (or higher) finance-related qualification or through at least two years of hands‑on experience in a similar role. You’ll need to be confident using Microsoft Excel, especially with pivot tables, lookups, and sumifs, and comfortable speaking up when something doesn’t look quite right.

We value people who take initiative, work independently to a high standard, and bring strong interpersonal skills to the team. It’s a bonus if you’ve had experience working with financial ledger systems, but it’s not essential.

Please be aware that , as this is an apprenticeship, if you already have a finance related qualification at Level 4 or above you will not be eligible for this role.

Working for us

The OfS regulates the higher education sector on behalf of all students. We value diversity and the wealth of perspectives, experience and ideas that it brings to our work, and we strive to embed equality of opportunity in everything we do.

We recruit based on fair and open competition and welcome applications from candidates regardless of age, disability, race and ethnicity, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation.

At the OfS , we recognise that flexibility can enable people to work more effectively. A set of organisation‑wide principles shape our approach to flexible and hybrid working, which our teams then use as guidance on how they deliver their business goals. This would usually mean working from the office for two to three days in a typical week.

Closing date for applications: 1200 noon 1 December 2025

Interviews: Early January 2026