Graduate Audit Trainee (ACA) - Peterborough - September 2027

Your future starts here. Are you looking to start your career in Audit, helping businesses build confidence in their financial reporting and decision‑making? We’re seeking ambitious individuals from all backgrounds to join our team as a trainee, studying towards the ACA qualification.

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.

Who We Welcome: We recognise that talent comes from different paths, so we encourage applications from recent graduates or career changers. We do not expect applicants to have any prior relevant work experience.

About The Programme: Our training contract takes three years to complete with full support and access to first‑class tuition centres. You’ll follow a structured development programme combining professional study with on‑the‑job learning. As your knowledge and confidence grow, you’ll take on more responsibility within audit engagements, contribute to more complex areas of work and build your confidence working directly with clients. If you’re AAT Level 4 qualified, you will be eligible for exemptions; otherwise, we ask for all trainees to complete the full ACA syllabus.

Key Dates To Apply: Monday 14 September 2026 - Sunday 4 October 2026. We encourage early applications to avoid disappointment, as roles may close early due to high demand. Due to the volume of applications, you may occasionally experience delays; however, we remain committed to reviewing all applications fairly.

Your role and development: Your growth doesn’t just come from exams. It comes from valuable work experience and real‑world learning.

What You’ll Do:

• You’ll be taken through the various stages of an audit from planning to completion.
• Support audit engagements for clients across a diverse range of industries by testing financial information and reviewing key controls.
• Prepare clear, well‑structured audit documentation and working papers.
• Work with client financial data using a range of accounting systems and audit tools.
• Assist with planning and fieldwork, both in the office and on client sites.
• Build strong relationships with clients to gain a deeper understanding of their business.
• Help identify and investigate differences or inconsistencies in financial information.
• Work closely with colleagues to deliver high‑quality audit work to agreed deadlines.

What You’ll Learn:

• Core audit and accounting principles, including regulatory and reporting requirements.
• How audits are planned, delivered and reviewed in practice.
• How businesses operate and how their financial processes and controls work.
• How to assess risk and evaluate financial information critically.
• The practical application of your professional qualification studies in a real‑world environment.

We’ll support you every step of the way through mentorship, structured training, and our off‑site trainee programmes as well as regular social events to build friendships with colleagues.

What You'll Need:

• 2:1 undergraduate degree (expected or obtained) in any discipline.
• A minimum of 120 UCAS points from your top 3 A Levels or Highers (or equivalent), excluding General Studies and AS Levels.
• A minimum of 6 (or B) in GCSE or National 5 Maths and English Language (or equivalent).

We welcome applications from candidates who are AAT qualified. If you have completed AAT studies (up to Level 4) in place of A Levels or Highers, please detail this under the A Level, Scottish Highers (or equivalent) qualifications section on your application form.

If you have over 12 months relevant experience within a training contract at another firm, we recommend exploring part‑qualified opportunities on our Experienced Hire vacancy page.

Where potential meets personal meets you: At Saffery, we look for people who share our values. We're looking for individuals who are collaborative, responsible, progressive and act with integrity, whilst always striving for excellence. You’ll be approachable, committed and ready to take ownership of your work, with a proactive and curious mindset and a genuine interest in how businesses operate.

What We’ll Offer You: We believe that supporting our people leads to success, so we provide both core and flexible benefits tailored to your needs.

• Financial support & flexibility.
• Competitive salary.
• Profit‑sharing scheme (approx. £1,000 per year).
• Generous annual leave & flexible work arrangements.
• Contributory pension plan (5% salary match).
• Work life balance & wellbeing.
• Buddy scheme and/or line manager support.
• Agile working policy (up to three days working from home, however in your first few months we do encourage up to 4 days in the office to reap the benefits of training around your managers and colleagues).
• Health assessments, GP access, & cancer screenings.
• Access to mental health & wellbeing resources.
• Personal development and belonging.
• Mentorship & career progression opportunities.
• Participation in our Equality, Diversity & Inclusion (ED&I) programme.
• Volunteer to join one of our People networks, including Accessibility, Cultural Heritage, Faith, LGBTQ+, Social Mobility and Gender Equality.

What To Know Before You Apply: Before submitting your application, take some time to familiarise yourself with our recruitment process by visiting How to apply - Saffery. Through this page you can also navigate to guidance on how to appropriately use AI in your application.

If you require any reasonable adjustments, please look out for further details throughout our assessment process on how to request throughout each stage of our application and assessment process. We’re committed to assessing all applicants fairly and want to do everything we can to support your success throughout the process.