Assistant Accountant Apprenticeship - Level 3

The Met Office is delighted to open our advertising for Apprenticeships 2026. This is an exciting opportunity to join the Met Office as an Assistant Accountant Apprentice for up to 15 months commencing at the start of September 2026. You will develop skills and workplace experience in this occupation which may lead to progression to a Level 4 Professional Accountant Apprenticeship, which may then lead to a permanent position on successful completion of the full AAT qualification or the knowledge to gain employment within the wider industry.

As our Assistant Accountant Apprentice, the job may be suitable for hybrid working, which is where an employee works part of the week in the office and part of the week from home. This is a voluntary, non‑contractual arrangement and the location advertised will be your contractual place of work. While we value the flexibility that hybrid working offers, we also recognise the benefits of connecting in person with colleagues and customers. In line with our Finance team charter, you'll be expected to attend the office at least six days each month, spread throughout the month, in addition to your study day. Our opportunity is full time, 37 hours per week. Our people are at the heart of what we do, and we'll do our best to agree a working pattern that works for everyone.

This Apprenticeship can offer you the support, training and industry recognised qualification to get you on the path to a career in Finance and is an exciting opportunity to see first‑hand what we do. The Finance Team is made up of four areas: Finance Operations, Business Support, Corporate Systems, and Plans & Performance. Together they are responsible for delivering all financial advice, processes, and support across the Met Office.

This Level 3 Assistant Accountant Apprenticeship combines structured study with practical experience, including sales and purchase ledger, credit control, cash management, management accounts, financial accounts and financial systems, enabling you to contribute meaningfully from an early stage while developing the skills needed for long‑term progression. The blend of the AAT qualification and hands‑on experience provides a strong foundation for your career and offers a clear pathway for advancement within the Finance Team.

We would look for you to join us in September 2026 with your apprenticeship training beginning shortly afterwards. You will be managed by a line manager and have a mentor to offer further support. You will have on the job training and in house development opportunities during your apprenticeship. You will have 1 day per week dedicated to your 20% off the job training with the training provider, Exeter College. They will deliver the off the job training in a face‑to‑face style and you will have a tutor(s) delivering learning sessions at the Future Skills Centre. From September 2026 this course runs for 12 months plus a further 3 months to complete the End Point Assessment. You will also have regular review meetings with your tutor and line manager. Alternative training providers or delivery methods may be considered to support individual learning styles. As well as the taught content, there will be a large amount of self‑study, regular assignments, exams and an end‑point assessment period. You must be committed to your own development and training as this element forms a significant aspect of a modern apprenticeship.

Please note: Before applying, we recommend you consider if the delivery method suits your learner needs. We would also recommend you look at the information about the apprenticeship on the training providers website, try the AAT Skill Check tool, as well as researching the requirements of an apprenticeship to help you decide whether an apprenticeship is right for you.

Successfully complete the externally delivered Level 3 Assistant Accountant Apprenticeship. Maintain a logbook and portfolio, as required by the learning provider, throughout the apprenticeship. This should record the projects and activities undertaken to demonstrate your developing skills and learning. Apply the knowledge gained through your studies to the day‑to‑day operations of the Finance Department, developing competence in core financial processes and building confidence through hands‑on experience.

The Met Office is Great Place to Work UK certified. We are also featured on their 'Best Workplaces in Tech' 2023 and 2024 lists, as well as their '54 Best Workplaces for Women' 2023 list. As our Assistant Accountant Apprentice Level 3, your starting salary will be £23,400 and you will have the opportunity to progress to £24,700 over time. Your total reward package is potentially worth up to £33,434 annually, which includes basic salary, potential corporate bonus and employer pension contributions.

We also offer:

• An outstanding Civil Service pension, with an average employer contribution of 28.97%
• Annual Leave starting at 27.5 days (plus Bank Holidays) rising to 32.5 days (plus Bank Holidays) after 5 years and option to buy or sell up to 5 days per year of annual leave
• Access to discounted shopping, inclusive of retail, leisure and lifestyle brands

Essential Criteria, skills and experience:

• AAT Level 2 Foundation Certificate in Accounting or relevant A'levels and/or relevant experience
• A minimum of two A 'levels at grade C or above/BTEC National Diploma or equivalent
• GCSE Maths and English at grade 5 or above
• Ability to plan and organise work effectively, using your own initiative to manage study and work tasks and meet deadlines
• Good interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to work collaboratively and build positive working relationships with the team and customers
• A genuine interest in working in a numerate, finance environment, demonstrating motivation to develop accounting skills with accuracy and attention to detail

The panel may perform a preliminary sift of the lead criteria as indicated above.

In addition to the criteria listed above, you must also be eligible to qualify for apprenticeship funding by meeting the following:

• Not be enrolled on another funded apprenticeship or another funded further education or higher education programme at the time you start this apprenticeship.
• Are applying for an apprenticeship that is unrelated to any qualifications you already hold at the same or higher level than this apprenticeship.
• Are living in England at the time the apprenticeship commences.

Please note: suitability and eligibility will also need to be verified by the training provider.

If you share our values, we'd love to hear from you! Click apply to begin your application. Please complete your career history (this could include voluntary or work experience roles) and provide evidence against each of the essential criteria in the supporting statement questionnaire. We recommend candidates use the CARL method (Context, Action, Result and Learning) for presenting evidence of experience and skills.

Using AI in your application: We welcome applications that use AI tools for support in drafting or refining, as long as they accurately reflect your own skills and experience. All hiring decisions at the Met Office are made by people, not AI.

Closing date: 23:59 8th March 2026. Please note we often receive a high volume of applications, but we will contact everyone who applies once the closing date has passed. Interviews will be completed by end of April 2026.

If you have any questions or would like to discuss this opportunity further, please contact us. If you're considering applying and need support to do so, please get in touch. You can request adjustments either within your application or by contacting us.

Should you be offered an interview, please be aware there may be a selection exercise which could include a presentation, written test or a scenario‑based activity. You can select in your application to be considered under the Disability Confident Scheme. To be invited to interview/assessment under this scheme, your application must meet the essential criteria for the role.

We understand that great minds don't always think alike and as an equal opportunities employer we welcome applications from those with all protected characteristics. We recruit on merit, fairness, and open competition in line with the Civil Service Code.

We can only accept applications from those eligible to live and work in the UK - please refer to GOV.UK for information. We require Security clearance, for which you need to have resided in the UK for at least 3 of the last 5 years to be eligible, 2 of these years must be immediately preceding the point of your application. You will need to achieve full security clearance within your first 6 months with us.