Apprentice Accountant - Office for Student

Office for Students; Harry Stoke; Hybrid; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A regulatory body for higher education in England seeks a motivated finance professional for an apprenticeship role. The successful candidate will record transactions, analyse data, and support various financial activities while receiving structured training through the AAT pathway. A salary of £24,061 with benefits including a Civil Service pension and flexible working options is offered. Ideal candidates have a solid foundation in finance and strong Excel skills.

Benefits

Learning and development tailored to your role

Flexible working options

Civil Service pension with employer contribution

Qualifications

• Solid foundation in finance required.
• Ready to grow skills in a collaborative environment.
• Experience with Excel pivot tables, lookups, and sumifs.

Responsibilities

• Recording transactions on the ledger system.
• Analysing financial data.
• Reconciling financial data.

Skills

Confidence in using Excel

Initiative

Interpersonal skills

Education

Level 2 finance-related qualification or equivalent experience

Tools

Financial ledger systems

Job description

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.

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.

Responsibilities

• Recording transactions on our ledger system.
• Analysing financial data using standard tools and processes.
• Reconciling 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.

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.

Qualifications

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.

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.

Other Requirements

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard checks.

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.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £24,061, Office for Students contributes £6,970 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%
• At the OfS, we recognize 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.