Graduate accountant trainee – ACA – August 2026 - Salisbury

targetjobs UK; Salisbury; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading accounting firm in Salisbury is seeking a Graduate Accountant Trainee to join its Agriculture and Landed Estates team. The role offers structured training to become a Chartered Accountant, with support for examinations, hands-on experience with clients, and a clear path to career progression. Candidates should be motivated graduates with strong interpersonal and analytical skills. The position starts in August 2026 and includes excellent financial and well-being benefits.

Benefits

Pension

Health cash plan

Virtual GP access

Five extra days holiday option

Group life assurance

Qualifications

• Must be a bright, motivated graduate seeking a career in accountancy.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing.
• Solid relationship-building and collaboration skills.

Responsibilities

• Help clients prepare year-end accounts and management forecasts.
• Gain experience with rural clients, focusing on financial work and planning.
• Collaborate with a specialist team to guide clients through financial decisions.

Skills

Taking initiative

Effective communication

Collaboration

Problem solving

Analytical skills

Education

2.2 degree or above in any discipline

112 UCAS points from three A Levels or equivalent

GCSE Maths and English at grade 4 (C) or above

Job description

In a nutshell

Join our ACA trainee programme and launch your career as a Chartered Accountant. This full-time, permanent role includes three years of structured training and qualification support, giving you hands‑on experience, a competitive salary, and a clear path to long‑term growth. We’ll cover your training costs and support you every step of the way. As a certified Great Place to Work, we’re the perfect place to start your accountancy career.

What you’ll be doing

As a trainee accountant in our Agriculture and Landed Estates team, you’ll work with a range of clients, from historic country estates to a wide variety of farming and rural enterprises, each with their own opportunities and challenges in an ever-changing sector.

You Will

• Help clients prepare year‑end accounts, management accounts, forecast, and projections, developing a solid foundation in the core financial work carried out across rural businesses
• Gain experience in areas unique to rural clients, such as succession planning, diversification projects and adapting to ongoing changes in the agricultural sector
• Work closely with clients to understand the realities of running a rural business, from traditional farming operations to diversified and evolving enterprises
• Collaborate with a supportive team who have deep roots in the sector, learning how we use our specialist knowledge to guide farmers and landowners through complex decisions

About You

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

Studying alongside working is demanding. As an ACA trainee, you’ll need to do regular independent study and revision for your professional exams. It typically takes around three years to qualify as a chartered accountant. The following 1–2 years are key in consolidating your knowledge and leading more complex projects with the opportunity to progress to manager roles and beyond.

Your development

We recognise that personal development training is essential in helping you to become an accountant, so alongside your ACA, you’ll receive personal development training to help you grow the skills and behaviours needed to become a successful accountant.

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 who 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

What we’re looking for

Bright, motivated graduates who want to build a meaningful career in accountancy. This programme offers structured development, early responsibility, and long‑term progression.

Entry requirements:

• On track for, or have achieved, a 2.2 degree or above in any discipline
• Minimum of 112 UCAS points (obtained from three A Levels or equivalent, excluding general studies and EPQ)
• GCSE Maths and English at grade 4 (C) or above
• Available to start August 2026

How to apply

Apply online by midnight on Sunday, 25 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 an adaptable 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 for Development (24 out of 100) and 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.

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

What happens next

To apply for the Graduate accountant trainee – ACA – August 2026 role click the ‘Apply now’ button below. It should take no longer than 10 minutes to complete your application.