Early Careers Programme Manager

Location: Hybrid Working – London N3 / EC4M

Working Hours: Monday to Friday, 35-hour week (Flexitime)

Reporting To: Talent & Development Senior Manager

Direct Reports: None

Salary Range: £55,000 - £65,000 (depending on qualification and experience)

About BKL

BKL is a Top 40 accountancy and advisory business supporting a diverse client base, from entrepreneurs and high-net-worth individuals to ambitious owner-managed businesses and multinational groups. With a legacy spanning over 130 years, we’ve evolved into a modern, purpose-driven business that balances profit with impact. We are proud to be a certified B Corp, reflecting our commitment to sustainability, transparency, and responsible governance.

A Message from the Hiring Manager

Early Careers in our profession is changing, and the role of the accountant needs to shift with it. We are committed to being a training organisation but that means we need to train people for professional capability not just qualification. This role is for someone who can run complex trainee programmes across departments and help deliver a real change in standard of What Good Looks like at an Early Careers Level. You will be joining the People & Culture Team but working in our three biggest departments being Audit, ABS and Tax.

If you are an L&D Manager in professional services, a qualified accountant who has moved into training/development or you have worked with professional service firms on the provider side, this might just be your opportunity. This is not a “traditional Early Careers admin” role.

You will own the health and performance of our early careers pipeline, and you’ll be expected to deliver on two key areas:

• Running the programme day-to-day (cohorts, exams, apprenticeship requirements, provider delivery, trainee support).
• Drive and deliver the Early Careers strategy and build the professional capability our trainee cohorts will need to add real value to our clients and our teams.

If you’re looking for a role focused mainly on recruitment, careers fairs, or HR administration, this probably won’t be the right role for you.

How You’ll Make a Difference

• Run a high performing trainee programme.
• Own and maintain accurate, up‑to‑date records of every trainee’s study route, exams and outcomes.
• Ensure bookings, results, deferrals, resits and exemptions are recorded promptly and correctly, so trainees do not miss exams or learning opportunities.
• Ensure we are making full and effective use of apprenticeship opportunities and levy funding.

Build Strong Provider Partnerships

• Own the day‑to‑day relationship with providers (e.g. Kaplan/BPP), including the annual delivery calendar.
• Ensure the right people are on the right courses, with the right materials, at the right time.
• Shape delivery schedules that support business timeframes, not just standard exam timetables.

Understand and strengthen our Early Careers talent pipeline

• Build a clear, evidence‑based view of who our strongest early‑career talent is and why, looking beyond exam results to capability, behaviours and trajectory.
• Spot emerging talent early and work with service lines to ensure the right stretch, exposure and development is in place.
• Use data, manager insight and programme evidence to articulate the strengths and risks in the pipeline, supporting longer‑term workforce and succession planning.

Spot risks early and put practical support in place

• Work closely with managers to identify trainees who may be at risk academically or professionally.
• Put clear, practical support plans in place quickly. Whether that’s coaching, resit planning, timetable changes or manager involvement.
• Act early to prevent exam failure, disengagement or unnecessary attrition.

Shape learning that builds BKL professionals

• Contribute to skills development focused on professional judgement, commercial capability, client confidence and advisory mindset.
• Help shape and deliver the New Joiner Bootcamp, ensuring trainees are supported with the right skills from day one.
• Use feedback from service lines to plan and schedule targeted technical upskilling where cohorts need additional support to deliver client work.

Drive the Early Careers Strategy

• Take ownership of the Early Careers Strategy, translating long‑term goals into clear annual priorities and delivery plans.
• Work closely with Service Lines to understand their biggest challenges with early‑career professionals and ensure our programmes respond to real business needs.
• Use data, feedback and insight from across the firm to continuously refine and evolve our approach to Early Careers.
• Help us integrate AI into early careers development in a practical way, building capability, not hype.

You’ll Be Ideal for This Role If You Are

We want to be upfront that this is not a traditional HR generalist role. This role would be a great fit if you are:

• An L&D/Talent Development Manager in professional services who wants to own the full early careers programme.
• A qualified accountant (or similar) who has moved into learning or development and wants to shape trainee capability.
• From an apprenticeship college/ provider environment who wants to step into an internal role.

What you’ll bring (must-haves)

• Experience working with apprentices, trainees or early‑career professionals in a professional services, regulated or similarly structured environment.
• A strong understanding of study routes, exams and qualification pathways (e.g. ACA, AAT, ATT, CTA or similar).
• Experience working with external training providers, resolving issues and holding others to agreed standards.
• Strong operational ownership, you take responsibility, follow things through and deliver against agreed outcomes.
• Ability to handle sensitive situations fairly and calmly (performance, conduct, exam failure).
• Clear, confident communication skills and the ability to work collaboratively with managers and People & Culture.

We know you have a lot to offer, which is why we want to give you the freedom to thrive no matter who you are or what your background is. You will have every opportunity to use your creativity in how you approach your work and the support to innovate. Inclusion, diversity, and talent development are a fundamental aspect of who we are, and we welcome applications from candidates who share and champion these values. You will play an integral part in helping to make BKL a great place to work with a sense of belonging for everyone.

High challenge, high support

If you enjoy problem-solving and a fast-changing environment, you will thrive in this role. As in all BKL roles, you will be able to take a flexible approach: balancing independent work with teamwork, and remote working with time in the office with colleagues.

We’re proud to be one of the few Certified B Corporations in the accountancy sector. In joining us, you’ll become part of a business that’s committed to balancing profit and purpose.

Take your next step

If this sounds like the role for you, we’d be delighted to discuss the career you could build at BKL.