Graduate Tax Trainee - ATT/CTA - August 2026

PKF FRANCIS CLARK; Truro; On-site; GBP 20,000 - 25,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading accounting firm in the UK is seeking a Trainee Tax Advisor to support clients with tailored tax planning while studying for the ATT/CTA qualifications. The role involves preparing tax returns, analyzing financial data, and requires graduates motivated to build a meaningful career in tax. Training and personal development support are key features of this opportunity.

Benefits

Pension

Group life assurance

Health cash plan

Cycle to work

Counseling support

Qualifications

• Must enjoy research and investigation.
• Must be able to work with numbers and be analytical.
• Must be a bright, motivated graduate.

Responsibilities

• Prepare profit and loss statements and tax returns.
• Design accounting processes for companies.
• Analyze financial data to identify efficiencies.

Skills

Research and investigation

Analytical skills

People skills

Numerical ability

Education

2.2 or above in any degree discipline

Minimum of 112 UCAS points

GCSE Maths and English grade 4 (C) or above

Job description

In a nutshell

Join us as a Trainee Tax Advisor (ATT/CTA) and build a long-term career in tax. You’ll earn while you learn, gaining hands on experience alongside your studies. We pay for all your training and qualifications and support you every step of the way. We’re proud to be certified as a Great Place to Work for the third year running, making this an excellent place to launch your tax career.

What you'll be doing

You’ll work within one of our specialist teams, corporate tax, private client tax, tax advisory services or VAT, while studying towards the ATT/CTA qualifications. This combination is the gold standard for tax professionals.

Tax is central to accountancy, and you’ll quickly learn how to interpret complex legislation and explain it clearly to clients. Your day-to-day work could include:

• Preparing profit and loss statements and tax returns
• Designing accounting processes for companies
• Analysing financial data to identify efficiencies and savings
• Supporting clients with tailored tax planning and advice

Our clients range from large corporate companies to family businesses and individuals, giving you a diverse and rewarding experience from the start.

About you

You’ll enjoy this job if you like:

• Research and investigation
• Working with numbers
• Being analytical and methodical
• Talking to people and building relationships
• Becoming an expert in your field
• Being part of a supportive, fun team

Studying alongside working is demanding. As a trainee tax advisor, you’ll need to do regular independent study and revision for your professional exams. It typically takes around three years to qualify as a tax advisor, by which time, you may already be managing your own clients or leading a small team. Your development won’t stop once you’ve qualified. We have clear programmes to help you progress to manager roles and beyond.

Your development

We recognise that personal development training is essential in helping you to become a trusted adviser, so alongside your ATT and CTA qualifications, you’ll receive personal development training to help you grow the skills and behaviours needed to become a successful tax professional.

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 once you join, to keep you on track with your studies and careers goals
• Ongoing learning and development opportunities beyond qualification, helping you progress into manager roles and beyond

What we're looking for

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

Note: Text contains sections labelled as "Entry Requirements" and submission process; see below for details.

Entry Requirements:

• On track to achieve or have obtained, a 2.2 or above in any degree discipline
• Minimum of 112 UCAS points (from three A Levels or equivalent, excluding general studies & EPQ)
• GSCE Maths and English at grade 4 (C) or above

How to apply

We review applications on a rolling basis, so apply early. We may close the vacancy once we’ve received enough applications. You can only submit one application per recruitment cycle, and we’re unable to accept multiple applications for different roles.

We’re committed to creating an inclusive and positive experience for all candidates. If you need 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 a flexible approach to hybrid working (subject to client, business, team and personal need). 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.

Your core benefits will includes

Note: Benefits are listed below; formatting uses plain text within lists where applicable.

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