Finance Apprentice

The Open University; Milton Keynes; Hybrid; GBP 12,000 - 15,000; Full time

Job summary

The Open University hires for a Level 3 AAT Apprenticeship role in finance, with progression to Level 4 Professional Accounting Technician Apprenticeship. You will support diverse financial operations, gain practical experience, and engage in structured training with mentoring to build a long-term career in finance.

The role is hybrid, based in Milton Keynes, offering training, development, and exposure to SAP Ariba and standard financial systems within a supportive team environment.

Qualifications

• 5 GCSEs Grade C (Grade 4) or above, including English and Mathematics.
• Good numerical skills and confidence working with numbers.
• Strong attention to detail and a commitment to producing accurate work.
• Good written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to learn new systems, processes and technologies.
• IT skills, including Microsoft Office applications, particularly Excel.

Responsibilities

• Support the delivery of financial and operational processes, ensuring accuracy, completeness and compliance with organisational policies and procedures.
• Process supplier invoices and credit notes accurately and efficiently, ensuring they are authorised and available for payment within agreed timescales.
• Create and manage Service Entry Sheets within SAP Ariba.
• Investigate and resolve supplier invoice queries, liaising with internal departments and external suppliers as required.
• Maintain supplier records, including processing amendments in accordance with internal controls.
• Perform supplier statement reconciliations and investigate discrepancies.
• Support the preparation and processing of supplier payments.
• Assist with budgeting, forecasting, management reporting and financial planning activities.
• Support management accounting activities through journal processing, reconciliations, expenditure monitoring and variance analysis.
• Assist with the preparation of financial reports, schedules and supporting documentation.
• Maintain accurate financial and workforce data, ensuring systems are updated appropriately.
• Produce reports and analysis to support business decision-making and identify trends, risks and opportunities.
• Apply VAT rules and financial regulations appropriately when processing transactions.
• Respond to stakeholder enquiries professionally and resolve routine issues in a timely manner.
• Build effective working relationships across Finance and wider business areas.
• Contribute to continuous improvement initiatives by identifying opportunities to enhance processes, controls and reporting.
• Ensure compliance with GDPR, data protection requirements and information security standards.
• Successfully complete the relevant apprenticeship programme and apply learning within the workplace.

Job description

Fixed Term Contract: End Date: Not Applicable

Welsh Language: Not Applicable

Change your career, change lives

The Open University is the UK's largest university, a world leader in flexible part-time education, combining a mission to widen access to higher education with research excellence, transforming lives through education. Find out more about us and our mission by watching this short video (you will be taken to YouTube by clicking this link).

About the Role

This apprenticeship provides an excellent opportunity to develop a career in finance while working towards a nationally recognised AAT qualification. This role is offered as a Level 3 AAT Apprenticeship, with an expectation that the successful candidates will progress to a Level 4 Professional Accounting Technician Apprenticeship, subject to successful completion of the Level 3 programme and satisfactory performance in role.

The successful candidates will gain practical experience across a range of financial operations, management accounting and reporting activities, developing valuable knowledge of financial systems, accounting processes, financial controls, VAT and business operations.

Working within the Finance team, you will support the delivery of accurate, efficient and compliant financial services while developing the knowledge, skills and behaviours required for a successful career in finance and accounting. Throughout the apprenticeship, you will receive structured training, mentoring and development opportunities to build both your technical accounting expertise and wider professional skills, creating a strong foundation for progression to Level 4 and a long-term career within the finance profession.

What You'll Gain

• Practical experience within a professional finance environment.
• Exposure to accounts payable, financial operations, management accounting and reporting activities.
• Support and training to achieve an AAT qualification.
• Experience using industry-standard financial systems, including SAP Ariba.
• Development of technical, professional and transferable skills.
• Opportunities to build a long-term career within finance and accounting.

Key Responsibilities

• Support the delivery of financial and operational processes, ensuring accuracy, completeness and compliance with organisational policies and procedures.
• Process supplier invoices and credit notes accurately and efficiently, ensuring they are authorised and available for payment within agreed timescales.
• Create and manage Service Entry Sheets within SAP Ariba.
• Investigate and resolve supplier invoice queries, liaising with internal departments and external suppliers as required.
• Maintain supplier records, including processing amendments in accordance with internal controls.
• Perform supplier statement reconciliations and investigate discrepancies.
• Support the preparation and processing of supplier payments.
• Assist with budgeting, forecasting, management reporting and financial planning activities.
• Support management accounting activities through journal processing, reconciliations, expenditure monitoring and variance analysis.
• Assist with the preparation of financial reports, schedules and supporting documentation.
• Maintain accurate financial and workforce data, ensuring systems are updated appropriately.
• Produce reports and analysis to support business decision-making and identify trends, risks and opportunities.
• Apply VAT rules and financial regulations appropriately when processing transactions.
• Respond to stakeholder enquiries professionally and resolve routine issues in a timely manner.
• Build effective working relationships across Finance and wider business areas.
• Contribute to continuous improvement initiatives by identifying opportunities to enhance processes, controls and reporting.
• Ensure compliance with GDPR, data protection requirements and information security standards.
• Successfully complete the relevant apprenticeship programme and apply learning within the workplace.

About You

The successful candidates will be motivated and eager to learn. They will demonstrate a positive attitude, strong attention to detail, and a willingness to develop both professionally and academically. They will be committed to delivering high-quality work, supporting colleagues and stakeholders, and building a strong foundation for a future career.

• 5 GCSEs Grade C (Grade 4) or above, including English and Mathematics.
• Good numerical skills and confidence working with numbers.
• Strong attention to detail and a commitment to producing accurate work.
• Good written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to communicate clearly and professionally.
• Good organisational skills and the ability to manage tasks effectively.
• IT skills, including Microsoft Office applications, particularly Excel.
• Ability to learn new systems, processes and technologies.
• Strong interpersonal skills and a customer-focused approach.
• Ability to handle confidential and sensitive information appropriately.
• A positive and proactive approach to learning, problem-solving and continuous improvement.
• Ability to work effectively both independently and as part of a team.

Eligibility Criteria

To apply for this opportunity, you must;

• Meet the essential criteria listed above.
• Be 16 years of age or older.
• Not be in full-time education, i.e. school, college or university, that you are planning to continue.
• Not hold a prior qualification at the same or higher level in a subject similar to the apprenticeship.
• Hold the right to live and work in England.
• Spend at least 50% of your working hours in England.
• You must not be undertaking another apprenticeship or be in receipt of any other government learning funding during the apprenticeship programme.
• Meet the residency requirements as outlined in the Apprenticeship Funding Rules.

What's in it for you?

At The Open University, we offer a range of benefits to recognise and reward great work, alongside policies and flexible working that contribute towards a great work life balance. Get all the details of what benefits we offer by visiting our Staff Benefits page.

Work location

It is anticipated that a hybrid working pattern can be adopted for this role, where you can work from home and the office. However, as this role is contractually aligned to our Milton Keynes office it is expected that some attendance in the office will be required when necessary and in response to business needs. We’d expect this to be three times per week.