Payroll Apprenticeship 2026

4 days ago Be among the first 25 applicants

The Opportunity As a Payroll Apprentice in Chesterfield, you’ll quickly start to contribute to meaningful client work, not just shadowing. You’ll apply growing technical knowledge on real assignments, with support from your training manager, peer buddy, and our external training provider, MBKB Training.

How Our Payroll Training Works Whether you’re leaving sixth form/college, changing career, or a university graduate, this route lets you start working in a payroll bureau now, preparing and processing weekly and monthly payrolls to clients’ specifications, whilst working towards your Level 3 Payroll Administrator professional qualification. Your professional training will be delivered as part of an apprenticeship, combining practical work experience and fully funded tuition. Over the course of 18 months, you’ll be fully supported in the completion of your apprenticeship, with a training agreement covering the costs and study time associated with your professional training. Make no mistake, it’s a challenging journey. Balancing professional exams with client work demands focus, organisation and resilience – but the reward is huge. You’ll finish the programme with a respected qualification, hands‑on experience, and the confidence to build a career that’s entirely your own.

The Benefits

• Starting salary £24,629
• Fully funded training – including tuition, support and exam fees.
• 22 days’ annual leave (plus bank holidays).
• Pension contributions of 5.3% when you contribute 3.2%.
• Additional NI savings passed on to you when joining salary sacrifice pension.
• Healthcare cash plan.
• Life cover 3 x salary.
• Employee assistance programme.
• Regular wellbeing and social events.
• One and a half paid volunteering days each year to support local causes.

What We’re Looking For

• Our minimum entry criteria is: Five GCSE’s including English Language and Maths at grade C/4 or above.
• You’ll also ideally have: 96 UCAS points from three A-Levels graded C or above (or equivalent).

If you don’t meet these exact requirements but can demonstrate the same level of ability through other experience, whether that’s from work, self-employment, further study, or another demanding environment, then we’d still encourage you to apply.

Beyond meeting the minimum criteria, what we look for during the recruitment process is people who share our values and care about clients and colleagues. This isn’t a programme for the undecided – we’re seeking people with a passion for Payroll, who bring drive, determination and a real enthusiasm for learning. You’ll thrive here if you’re motivated, personable and proactive, able to take responsibility for your progress and make the most of every opportunity that comes your way.

We welcome applications from all backgrounds and experiences and will provide reasonable accommodations during the hiring process. If there’s anything you need support with, just let us know.

Application & selection process

• Online application – provide details of your academic history and submit a CV.
• Online assessments – usually two short tests.
• Intro call – an informal conversation with a member of our Talent team.
• Interview – usually held in person in a BHP office.
• Assessment centre or practical exercise – for some roles, you may be invited to a group activity or case study to see how you approach real‑life scenarios.

We’ll keep you informed at every step and make sure you know exactly what to expect.

Why start your career at BHP

We love what we do, we’re proud of who we are, and we have fun along the way. We don’t just crunch numbers – we build futures. We’re the largest independent firm of chartered accountants in Yorkshire & North Derbyshire, with 450+ people across five regional offices. We’re big enough for variety and complex work, yet agile enough to see you and support you as an individual from day one. Expect open-door leadership, a collaborative, inclusive vibe, and a programme designed to help you thrive. We’re Great Place to Work-Certified, award‑winning, and proud of a people‑first culture guided by our values: Fairness, Honesty, Caring, Progressive, Humility.