School Leaver Accounts/Audit Trainee (ICAS) - Inverness - September 2027

Saffery; Inverness; On-site; GBP 21,000 - 27,000; Full time

Job summary

Saffery is a chartered accountancy and business advisory firm inviting ambitious individuals to join our Accounts or Audit trainee programmes. You’ll study toward ICAS while gaining on-the-job experience, with a structured four-year development plan and access to Kaplan tuition and exemptions through AAT/ICAS pathways.

We welcome school leavers and career changers, and offer a supportive, inclusive culture where growth is encouraged through mentorship and regular training sessions.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 120 UCAS points from your top 3 A Levels or Highers (or equivalent).
• GCSE Maths and English Language at minimum grade 6/B.
• AAT qualification welcomed; ICAS syllabus may be taken with cohort.

Responsibilities

• Work with financial data using accounting systems and digital tools.
• Support the preparation and review of financial information and client reports.
• Build understanding of how businesses operate and their financial processes.
• Develop relationships with clients and colleagues as part of a team.
• Produce accurate, high-quality work to meet client and regulatory deadlines.
• Analyse financial information and investigate discrepancies.
• Gain exposure to different industries, clients and business structures.

Education

UCAS points 120+ / A Levels or Highers

A Levels/Highers

Job description

Your future starts here

Are you looking to start your career in Audit or Accounts, helping businesses build confidence in their financial reporting, understand their financial performance and make informed decisions? We’re seeking ambitious individuals from all backgrounds to join either our Accountsor Audit team as a trainee, studying towards the ICAS qualification.

Who We Are

Saffery is a partner-led and people-focused firm of chartered accountants, tax and business advisers. Since 1855, we’ve built long-term relationships with our diverse, high-profile clients, across varied and specialised sectors. As a proud member of Nexia, a worldwide network of trusted member firms, we’ve got access to local insight on a global scale.

We pride ourselves on our informal and inclusive culture, building an environment where people can be themselves and enjoy challenging, interesting, rewarding careers.

When you work with Saffery, the well-respected accountancy firm where heritage meets ambition, you work with people who know your name. Who know you as a human being, not just a job title. Everyone belongs here. Always.

Who We Welcome

We recognise that talent comes from different paths, so we encourage applications from upcoming and recent school leavers or career changers. We do not expect applicants to have any prior relevant work experience.

Ready to start your journey?

Life at Saffery

About The Programme

Our training contract takes four years to complete with full support and access to first-class tuition centres. You’ll follow a structured development programme combining professional study with on-the-job learning. As your knowledge and confidence develop, you’ll take on more complex work, contribute to projects and build your expertise as a trusted advisor.

Our bespoke School Leaver Programme, developed with Kaplan, includes a six-week business simulation designed to build key professional skills such as teamwork, decision-making and leadership. Kaplan has successfully delivered this programme for several years and it has consistently received excellent feedback from participants.

If you’reAAT Level 4 qualified, you will be eligible for exemptions, otherwise we ask for all trainees to complete the full ICAS syllabus. We believe that studying alongside a cohort gives you the best chance of exam success.

Key Dates To Apply

Monday 14 September 2026 - Sunday 4 October 2026

We encourage early applications to avoid disappointment, as roles may close early due to high demand.

Due to the volume of applications, you may occasionally experience delays; however, we remain committed to reviewing all applications fairly. All applications are assessed by trained human reviewers, and automated tools are not used to make final decisions.

Your role and development

Your growth doesn’t just come from exams.It comes from valuable work experience and real-world learning.

You’ll gain exposure to many of the same clients, industries and technical skills in both Audit and Accounts. However, you’ll be aligned to one service line, so please use your motivational questions within the application form to tell us which area you are most interested in and why! If you're flexible, let us know and we'd be happy to consult with you throughout the process.

What You’ll Do

• Work with financial data using a range of accounting systems, digital tools and technologies.
• Support the preparation and review of financial information, reports and documentation for a wide range of clients.
• Build an understanding of how businesses operate, their financial processes and the challenges they face.
• Develop relationships with clients and colleagues while working as part of a collaborative team.
• Produce accurate, high-quality work and contribute to meeting client and regulatory deadlines.
• Analyse financial information, investigate discrepancies and help identify areas requiring further review.
• Gain exposure to different industries, clients and business structures, building broad commercial awareness.

Depending on your team preference and placement, you may also:

• Support audit engagements from planning through to completion, including testing financial information and reviewing financial controls. [Audit]
• Assist with the preparation of financial statements, management accounts and other financial reporting deliverables. [Accounts]
• Take part in client meetings, fieldwork and on-site assignments. [Audit]
• Help resolve accounting and financial reporting queries while developing your technical knowledge. [Accounts / Audit]

What You’ll Learn

• Core accounting, audit and financial reporting principles, including regulatory and professional requirements.
• How businesses operate and how financial information supports decision-making.
• How to interpret, analyse and evaluate financial data.
• How financial statements are prepared, reviewed and used by stakeholders.
• How audits are planned, performed and completed in practice.
• The importance of risk assessment, professional scepticism and attention to detail.
• The practical application of your professional qualification studies in a real-world environment.

Depending on your team preference and placement, you may also gain experience in:

• Audit methodology, testing procedures and financial controls. [Audit]
• Financial reporting, statutory accounts preparation and management accounts. [Accounts]
• Client-facing work across a variety of sectors and organisation types. [Accounts / Audit]

We’ll support you every step of the way through mentorship, structured training, and our off-site trainee programmes as well as regular social events to build friendships with colleagues.

What You’ll Need

• A minimum of 120 UCAS points from your top 3 A Levels or Highers (or equivalent), excluding General Studies and AS Levels,
• A minimum of 6 (or B) in GCSE or National 5 Maths and English Language (or equivalent).

We welcome applications from candidates who are AAT qualified. If you have completed AAT studies (up to Level 4) in place of A Levels or Highers, please detail this under the A Level, Scottish Highers (or equivalent) qualifications section on your application form.

If you have over 12 months relevant experience within a training contract at another firm, we recommend exploring part-qualified opportunities on our Experienced Hire vacancy page.

We understand that confidence plays a role in job applications, and some candidates may hesitate to apply. If