Job details
Job title: Level 7 Apprentice (Graduate) Finance Officer
Location: Sheffield
Number of vacancies: Two
Application closing date: 30 September 2020
Interview/assessment dates: W/C 12 October - online interactive test. W/C 26 October - final interviews, to be conducted online by zoom or similar platform.
Starting date: December 2020 (subject to obtaining references)
About the organisation
Sheffield City Council is looking for two graduates to join its Finance and Commercial Services team, to provide efficient and effective financial and commercial support to the service’s internal and external customers.
The council is offering a three-year fully-funded Masters Level Apprenticeship programme, leading to a professional accountancy qualification through the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA). It will be on a three-year fixed term contract, with the potential to progress within the organisation on successful completion of the qualification.
Role requirements
The ideal candidate for this role is:
- someone who will be graduating shortly, or a recent graduate, who wants to make a valuable contribution in the public sector, and who is seeking a fulfilling and challenging career in local government finance
- someone with commercial experience looking to further develop or specialise in financial or accountancy practice
- capable of producing a high standard of work in a fast-paced and changing environment
- able to work with a diverse range of individuals
- can handle the pressure of juggling work whilst studying to become a chartered public sector financial accountant
- financially, commercially and politically aware
- aspire to work towards fulfilling the standards outlined in the person specification.
Key Responsibilities
The role will require the successful trainee to commit to studying for the CIPFA qualification, alongside work responsibilities within Finance and Commercial Services, providing support for a defined area of work. These may include involvement in:
- advice and information
- financial accounting
- management accounting
- capital programme mentoring
- project advice and control
- procurement and supply chain
- internal audit
- engaging in a culture of continuous improvement across the service.
Benefits
The benefits for this role include:
- an attractive starting salary of £26,511
- a fully funded professional accountancy training package delivered through CIPFA
- study leave for professional studies and exams
- a work and study mentor
- access to the Local Government Pension Scheme
- access to the council’s flexible working and other employee-led schemes
- the opportunity to gain experience in public sector finance, working in a variety of areas within Sheffield City Council’s Finance and Commercial Service. The Service is forward looking and has adapted itself to the changing demands of the public sector, and offers a wide range of development opportunities
- an opportunity to work in a series of interesting and challenging roles supporting the delivery of key public services by providing financial advice and challenge.
Minimum entry requirements
A Bachelor’s degree of 2:1 or above preferred (a 2:2 degree would be considered for outstanding candidates), three A Levels grades A-C in any subject, GCSE grades A-C in Maths and English.
Please note: the person specification within the job description shows the requirements for the destination post at the end of the apprenticeship, i.e. a Grade 6 Finance Officer (unless successful candidates have been promoted in the interim). As such it contains a number of “essential requirements” we recognise that many applicants may not have, for example “evidence of continuing professional development” and “Full AAT or part qualified CCAB or relevant technical qualification or relevant experience”.
Please do not be deterred from applying by these requirements, as they are not essential requirements for those joining the apprenticeship scheme – instead they will be achieved by successful applicants during the scheme.
Interview/assessment dates
Week commencing 12 October - online interactive test.
Week commencing 26 October - final interviews, to be conducted online via Zoom or similar platform.
The selection process is likely to include: