The role is designed to provide practical experience of NHS finance, accounting processes, financial systems, reporting, analysis, governance, and stakeholder support.

During the two-year programme, apprentices will complete two structured Finance placements. Approximately 12 months will be spent within the first allocated team, followed by a formal rotation into a different Finance team for the second year. Initial placements and rotations will be determined according to organisational requirements, candidate strengths, and development needs.

Placement Areas Include

• Finance Business Partnering supporting budgets, forecasting, management accounts, transformation, and operational decision-making.
• Financial Accounts supporting reconciliations, control accounts, balance sheet processes, cash, fixed assets, statutory reporting, and audit.
• Costing, Reporting and Income supporting costing, Trust financial reporting, income, contracts, and data quality.

Alongside your formal placements, you will have planned opportunities to shadow colleagues and undertake development activities across the wider Finance Directorate.

Workplace attendance forms an important part of the apprenticeship and learning experience. The programme operates through a mixture of workplace-based and hybrid working, with arrangements determined by the apprentice's allocated placement and service requirements. Apprentices will be expected to attend the NELFT site or service location associated with their placement as required, enabling them to work alongside colleagues, engage with stakeholders, and gain practical experience. Apprentices may also be required to attend other NELFT locations for meetings, training, shadowing, and development activities.

You will develop your use of Microsoft Excel, including formulas, lookups, pivot tables, data validation, and presenting information, as well as gaining practical experience of NELFT financial and workforce systems. You will also develop professional communication, analytical, organisational, problem-solving, customer service, and stakeholder-management skills.

As an apprentice, you will be expected to take responsibility for your learning and development. This includes attending training sessions, completing coursework and examinations, maintaining evidence of workplace learning, attending progress reviews, and completing the required off-the-job learning and end-point assessment.

Regular supervision and feedback will be provided throughout the programme. As your knowledge and experience develop, you will be expected to demonstrate increasing independence, accuracy, judgement, and accountability.

Applicant Requirements

Applicants must have English and Maths at GCSE grade 4/C or above, Functional Skills Level 2, or equivalent, and must meet the relevant apprenticeship funding and eligibility requirements.

We welcome applications from school or college leavers, people returning to work, and candidates looking to begin a new career. Previous NHS or finance experience is not essential.

Please note that if you already hold an accounting or finance-related qualification at the level of the apprenticeship being applied for, you may not be eligible for apprenticeship funding. The appropriate apprenticeship level will be determined based on your existing qualifications and experience.

Working for Us

Joining #TeamNELFT means you’ll become part of a welcoming and supportive working environment. We’re CQC rated Good, and we want you to join us on the journey towards an Outstanding rating. NELFT has sites across North East London and Essex. We provide community and mental healthcare services to adults and children within these areas.

The Trust has award-winning equality and diversity initiatives, along with staff health and wellbeing activities. We invest significantly in your development because when you feel valued and supported, we can deliver the highest quality care to our patients. We are a Level 3 Disability Confident Leader, have been recognised in the Working Families Top 10 Employers benchmark for five consecutive years, and hold a Carers UK Level 1 Accreditation. Through our staff networks and training opportunities, we strive to foster a just and compassionate culture at NELFT.

Our Values 2025 - 2030

Working With Our Colleagues, Patients And Carers, We Have Co-produced Three Values That We Aim To Embed Within Our Culture Here At NELFT

• We are kind.
• We are respectful.
• We work together with our communities.

These three values help us to strive to provide the best care by the best people.

Starting with NELFT

NELFT places a great deal of importance on new starters being properly welcomed and inducted into the Trust. All new starters will join the Trust on the first Monday of each month and will undertake a comprehensive induction of up to two weeks, which will include mandatory training, systems training, and the allocation of equipment.

As part of the process, new starters will have the opportunity to meet the executive team and senior managers and attend a number of drop-in sessions focusing on engagement, health and wellbeing, and key processes.

The induction will be held at our head office at Goodmayes Hospital.

Probationary Period

This post will be subject to a probationary period.

High Cost Area Supplement Outer London

This post also attracts payment for High Cost Area Supplement of 15% of the basic salary (with a minimum of £4,714 to a maximum of £5,941 p.a. pro rata for part time).

Certificates of Sponsorship

Although we are a registered sponsor organisation, we are unable to offer sponsorship for all job roles. Please check your eligibility under the UKVI points-based system. When calculating the basic salary for sponsorship, HCAS (High-Cost Area Supplement) is not included to ensure fairness and consistency within our Trust.

Please see the attached job description, person specification, and Finance placement profiles for more information about this role, the different areas of Finance in which apprentices may be placed, and working at North East London NHS Foundation Trust. We encourage you to refer to these when completing your application.

We welcome your application even if you do not meet all the criteria listed in the person specification. Please apply as soon as possible as some posts close early to limit the number of applications.

When completing your application, please tell us why you are interested in developing a career in finance, what strengths you would bring to the programme, and examples of how you have demonstrated accuracy, teamwork, organisation, and a willingness to learn.

Name: Mijanur Rashid
Job title: Finance Business Partner
Email: mijanur.rashid@nhs.net