
Bristol
New Jobs
Contract, Contract
£37,614 - £38,577 a year
Trainee Accountant
Salary: £37,614 ? £ 38,577 plus generous Civil Service defined benefit pension
Fixed term: 3 years
Location: Bristol
Build a finance career that makes a difference
Whatever your route into finance, if you're looking for a career where you can develop professionally, maintain a healthy work-life balance and do work that matters, we'd like to hear from you.
About us
The Office for Students (OfS) is the independent regulator of higher education in England. We regulate higher education on behalf of all students, ensuring that every student, regardless of their background, has a fulfilling experience that enriches their lives and careers. We have high ambitions and offer great opportunities to get involved in bringing that vision to life.
What you'll get:
Learn, develop and grow
As a trainee accountant, you'll gain experience across the full finance function through duties in Financial Accounting and Business Partnering. You'll work on a wide range of activities, from financial transactions and month-end processes to budgeting, forecasting and supporting decision-making across the organisation.
Alongside your day-to-day role, we'll support you to study towards a CCAB -recognised professional accounting qualification (ACCA, CIMA - others considered). You'll receive practical experience, professional development and dedicated support to help you succeed.
Our Finance and Procurement team is small, supportive and highly regarded. You'll work closely with experienced colleagues, take on meaningful responsibilities from an early stage and gain exposure to senior stakeholders across the organisation.
About the role
We're looking for a trainee accountant to join our Finance and Procurement team. This is an opportunity to build a professional finance career while contributing to work that has a real impact on people's lives.
What you'll get:
Learn, develop and grow
As a trainee accountant, you'll gain experience across the full finance function through duties in Financial Accounting and Business Partnering. You'll work on a wide range of activities, from financial transactions and month-end processes to budgeting, forecasting and supporting decision-making across the organisation.
Alongside your day-to-day role, we'll support you to study towards a CCAB -recognised professional accounting qualification (ACCA, CIMA - others considered). You'll receive practical experience, professional development and dedicated support to help you succeed.
Our Finance and Procurement team is small, supportive and highly regarded. You'll work closely with experienced colleagues, take on meaningful responsibilities from an early stage and gain exposure to senior stakeholders across the organisation.
About you
You'll be a recent accountancy graduate or have previous finance experience, including being part-qualified with a CCAB body or AAT qualified. You'll also have:
For the purposes of recruitment to the role, we are measuring the following core competencies:
Collaborating and partnering
Communicating and influencing
Managing a quality service
Developing self and others
Application process
There are 3 online application questions to complete, alongside providing a copy of your CV, which will allow you to demonstrate your relevant experience.
Reasonable adjustments
We are committed to ensuring our recruitment process is accessible to everyone. If you require any reasonable adjustments to support you through the application stage, please contact us at recruitmentteam@officeforstudents.org.uk and we will be happy to help.
Working for us
The OfS regulates the higher education sector on behalf of all students. We value diversity and the wealth of perspectives, experience and ideas that it brings to our work, and we strive to embed equality of opportunity in everything we do.
We recruit based on fair and open competition and welcome applications from candidates regardless of age, disability, race and ethnicity, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation.
Flexibility is important to the OfS, as we recognise that it can enable people to work more effectively. A set of organisation-wide principles shape our approach to flexible and hybrid working, which our teams use as guidance on how they deliver their business goals. In a typical week, we expect colleagues to spend several days working from the office, balancing business needs, team collaboration and individual responsibilities.
To attract the widest possible field of qualified applicants, flexible working, for example job share and part time working, apply to this role.
Closing date for applications: 25 August 2026 at noon
Interviews: From w/c 7th September
For information: the OfS does not hold a UK Visa & Immigration (UKVI) Skilled Worker Sponsor Licence.
This job is broadly open to the following groups:

Bristol
New Jobs
Contract, Contract
£37,614 - £38,577 a year