School Leaver Accounts & Outsourcing Trainee (AAT-ACCA) - Manchester - September 2025

Right now, we’re looking for school leavers wanting to start their career in accounts and outsourcing as a trainee, studying towards the AAT then ACCA qualification.

This will be offered under a Level 7 apprenticeship and will take four to five years to complete.

Application windows:

We are live for applications from:

• 17 September 2024 – 31 December 2024
• 1 February 2025 – 28 June 2025

Please note due to the high popularity of these positions, applications may close earlier than stated. We wouldn't want you to lose out, so we recommend applying as soon as possible.

About the office

Accountants Manchester | Tax Advisors - Saffery

The team

You'll have the chance to work with clients in the sport and landed estates/rural sectors. Our sport sector work involves advising professional sportspeople on their image rights and employment contractual matters, as well as their wider business interests.

We regularly advise our landed estate clients on complex tax issues, particularly around passing assets between family members and structuring of their businesses.

About your role

You'll work in a friendly and progressive environment on accounts preparation assignments, with exposure to clients from different industries. We guarantee an exciting and varied learning experience.

This is a client facing, fast paced role which includes advisory elements and often deals with high profile clients. You'll receive extensive coaching and always feel supported.

The work ranges from typical year end compliance through to ad-hoc advisory and project work. The client base is a mix of sole traders, partnerships, limited companies, limited liability partnerships, trusts and smaller private charities.

The role would include (but is not limited to) the following, within agreed deadlines:

• Preparing management accounts, including reconciling all key account balances and tailoring the presentation specific to each client
• Assisting and advising clients on issues in their accounting systems, including software migration
• Agreeing and executing payment runs on clients’ behalf using a variety of online banking platforms
• Preparing VAT returns
• Preparation of year-end financial statements and simple corporation tax computations
• Carrying out and reviewing ad hoc tasks such as cash flow forecasting, budgeting and providing information to third parties
• Maintaining relationships with clients and taking ownership of projects and tasks as appropriate
• Processing work on Xero, and other accounting software
• Responsibility for annual filing requirements, including with Companies House and the Charity Commission

You'll also receive excellent training and support for your studies. We use first-class tuition centres and organise our own off-site trainee programmes. You’ll get to meet and socialise with trainees across all offices, so it isn't all just work, and you can have fun too.

What you'll need

• A minimum of 120 UCAS points in your A Levels (or equivalent), and
• A minimum of 6 (or B) in GCSE Maths and English Language (or equivalent).

About the qualification

We offer a 4-5 year training contract to our trainees with a view to becoming an AAT and ACCA qualified accountant.

Studying as an apprentice won’t impact the time it takes you to complete the qualification, it just means that there is a defined study pathway in place to ensure you have the best chance of success. Not only will you gain technical knowledge through the course of the apprenticeship, but you will be introduced to key skills and behaviours required to help you develop in your role.

Where potential meets personal meets you

You'll share our values by being collegiate and enthusiastic, whilst acting with integrity and striving for excellence.

You'll be friendly and approachable with a mindset to be committed, take accountability, and go the extra mile to deliver our signature service. To put your hand up when you see something’s not working, and help to make it better. And yes, we expect drive and focus, effort and enthusiasm.

When you work with Saffery, you’re never a number. You’re you. Because we want everyone’s individual personality and style to shine through. And we care more, and ego less. We get on and we get on. You'll thrive in your close-knit team, delivering high quality in everything you do.

There’s genuine mutual respect here. A rewarding, reciprocal relationship that means we all get the best out of each other. 

We’ll help you to learn about our clients, but even better is if you already have an interest in the wider economic context that they operate in. Be inquisitive and always ask questions.

You’ll understand the level of commitment required during your ACA exams. It’s not easy, but we’ll be there to support you along your journey with us. You'll play a major part in our ongoing success.

Surrounded by people who value you, everything you bring, and everything you’re ready to achieve. Ready to take the first step in your Saffery story?

What we’ll offer you

Because you do the best job you can for our clients and your colleagues, we do everything we can for you. We provide a mixture of core and flexible benefits, all designed to save you money and make your life a little easier.

Core benefits

• Annual leave allowance, which increases in line with length of service,
• A 35-hour working week with flexibility around our core hours of 10am-4pm,
• A contributory pension plan (we’ll contribute 5% of salary on a matched basis with you from the date you join),
• Life assurance cover based on 4 x annual salary,
• Working from home allowance of £25 a month,
• Our Profit-Sharing Plan, enabling you to share in the firm’s profits (usually c.£1,000), and
• Paid overtime or time off in lieu.

Flexible benefits

• Our agile working policy gives you the option to work from home for up to three days per week,
• Access to health assessments and GP support, cancer screenings, and our BUPA health cash plan,
• Critical illness cover, dental, and travel insurance,
• We’ve got a Techscheme, Cyclescheme and a Gymflex scheme,
• A Workplace ISA,
• Paid travel expenses when working at offices other than your contracted office, and
• Generous referral bonuses if you help bring in new clients or colleagues.

We’re also committed to being a fully inclusive employer and have a huge focus on equality, diversity and inclusion (ED&I). When you start with us, you’ll have the opportunity to join a number of people network groups, as well as be a part of our growing ED&I network.

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.

Want to know more?

Life at Saffery