School Leaver - IT Audit and Cyber Assurance Analyst - March/April 2026

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

Job summary

A leading accountancy firm in Exeter seeks bright school/college leavers for an entry-level position in IT & Cyber Assurance. In this role, you will support various assurance tasks, gain practical experience, and receive structured professional development including the opportunity to complete recognized training. The role emphasizes teamwork and problem-solving, ideal for candidates passionate about technology and continuous learning. Join a company known for its supportive culture and growth opportunities.

Benefits

Health cash plan

Pension

Group life assurance

Counseling services

Qualifications

• Minimum of 112 UCAS points from three A Levels or equivalent required.
• GCSE Maths and English at grade 4 (C) or above essential.
• Bright, motivated school/college leavers preferred.

Responsibilities

• Support the delivery of IT assurance work from planning through to reporting.
• Assist with cyber risk assessments and controls testing.
• Communicate regularly with your team on project progress.

Skills

Analytical thinking

Problem-solving

Communication

Team collaboration

Education

Minimum of 112 UCAS points

GCSE Maths and English grade 4

Job description

In a nutshell

Kick-start your career in IT and cyber assurance with hands‑on experience from day one. You’ll learn on the job, supported by ongoing professional development and the opportunity to complete industry-recognised training, such as the ISACA Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA) certification. With independent recognition as a Great Place to Work, this is an exceptional environment to launch and grow a career in a rapidly evolving profession.

What you'll be doing

You’ll become a valued member of our IT & Cyber Assurance team, helping clients strengthen their technology controls and build confidence in their systems and security. You’ll gain hands‑on experience across cyber assurance and, IT assurance supporting financial audits, building technical capability while developing trusted client relationships.

Day to day you will:

• Support the delivery of IT assurance work from planning through to reporting


• Learn how IT systems underpin key financial processes and how to assess the controls that protect them


• Contribute to cybersecurity maturity assessments with our cyber technicians


• Assist with cyber risk assessments, controls testing and remediation tracking


• Communicate regularly with your team and senior colleagues on project progress


• Ensure work is delivered to a high standard and within agreed timelines


• Develop your consulting skills through client interaction and problem‑solving

About you

You’ll enjoy this job if you like:

• Technology and problem‑solving


• Investigating how systems and processes work


• Working with data and being analytical


• Talking to people and building positive relationships


• Growing expertise and learning continuously


• Being a supportive and collaborative team member

Your development

We know that strong personal development is key to becoming a trusted IT and cyber assurance professional. Alongside your technical training and qualification, you’ll receive:

• A buddy assigned before you join


• Ongoing coaching from your line manager


• Structured development to grow your skills, confidence and career pathway

We’ll help you shape a future in technology risk that suits your strengths and ambitions.

What we're looking for

Bright, motivated school/college leavers who want to build a meaningful career in IT and cyber assurance.

Entry requirements

• Minimum of 112 UCAS points (from three A Levels or equivalent, excluding general studies and EPQ)


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


• Available to start March/April 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:


• Verbal and numerical reasoning tests


• Interview via Teams


• If successful at each stage, candidates will be invited to attend an in‑person interview

The first interview will explore your motivation for the role and your knowledge of the profession, while the second will assess your approach to challenges and key competencies.

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 a flexible 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.

Your core benefits will include

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