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Graduate Tax Trainee - ATT/CTA - June 2027 - Exeter
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In a nutshell
Join our AAT/CTA professional trainee programme and launch your career as a Chartered Tax Advisor.
This full-time, permanent role starts with three years of structured training and qualification support. You’ll gain hands-on experience, receive a competitive salary and have a clear route to develop your career. We offer the security of a permanent role from day one, cover your training costs and support you throughout your ATT/CTA journey.
As a certified Great Place to Work, we’re proud of our friendly and supportive culture, where colleagues work collaboratively and with integrity and honesty. We also recognise the importance of maintaining a healthy work-life balance while building a successful professional career, making this a strong place to start your journey in accountancy.
What you'll be doing
You’ll join one of our specialist tax teams, such as corporate tax, private client tax, tax advisory services or VAT, while studying towards your ATT/CTA qualifications. It’s a structured route into a professional tax career, combining practical experience with recognised qualifications.
From the start, you’ll see how tax works in real-life situations and learn how to interpret legislation, research tax rules and apply them to client queries. You’ll help prepare tax returns, computations and supporting documents, analyse financial information, and support colleagues with practical tax planning and client advice.
Over time, you’ll work with a wide range of clients, from large businesses to family-run companies and individuals, giving you varied experience and a strong foundation for your future career in tax.
You will:
- Develop technical, commercial and interpersonal skills
- Work in small project teams (typically 2-5 people) on audits lasting 1- 3 weeks for medium sized and large businesses
- Identify key issues and risks, using analytics tools and software to interpret data, draw conclusions, and make recommendations
- Gain experience in preparing annual statutory accounts and tax calculations, and assessing forecasts and projections
- Be part of a high performing, supportive team
As you progress, you’ll take on more responsibility and have opportunities to make a real impact.
About You
You’ll enjoy this job if you like:
- Research and investigation, digging into detail, finding the right answer and understanding how rules apply in different situations.
- Working with numbers, you’re comfortable reviewing information carefully, spotting patterns and using figures to support clear, practical advice.
- Being analytical and methodical, you like working through problems step by step, checking your work and making sure the details are right.
- Talking to people and building relationships — you can explain information clearly, ask thoughtful questions and build trust with colleagues and clients.
- Becoming an expert in your field, you’re interested in developing specialist knowledge over time and building a career where your advice makes a real difference.
- Being part of a supportive, fun team, you want to learn from others, contribute to a positive team environment and be part of a workplace where people support each other.
Studying alongside working is demanding, but you’ll be supported as you balance your role with regular independent study and revision for your professional exams. It typically takes around three years to qualify as a chartered tax advisor. The following one to two years are important for consolidating your knowledge, leading more complex projects and preparing for career progression into manager roles and beyond.
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Your development
Alongside your ATT/CTA qualification, you’ll receive training to help you develop the skills, behaviours and confidence needed to become a successful accountant.
You'll Be Supported Every Step Of The Way
- A buddy before you start, to help you settle in
- A line manager and student counsellor who will help you stay on track with your professional qualification and career goals
- Ongoing learning and development opportunities beyond qualifications, helping you progress into manager roles and beyond
- Opportunities to further develop your communication, critical-thinking, teamwork and leadership skills throughout your career
What we're looking for
Bright, motivated graduates who want to build a meaningful career in accountancy. This programme offers structured development, early responsibility, long-term security and genuine opportunities to progress within a supportive, friendly working environment.
Entry requirements:
- On track for, or have achieved, a 2.2 degree or above in any discipline
- Minimum of 112 UCAS points (obtained from three A Levels or equivalent excluding general studies and EPQ)
- GCSE Maths and English at grade 4 or above
- Willingness to travel to client sites and other offices as required
Salary
The salary for this role is £25,000 per annum. As your experience, responsibilities and qualifications develop, there will be opportunities for salary progression throughout your career with the firm.
In addition to a competitive salary, we’ll fully fund your professional qualifications and provide study support throughout your training. You’ll also have opportunities to accrue Time Off in Lieu (TOIL) and paid overtime, recognising the additional commitment in busy times and supporting a healthy work-life balance.
Recruitment Process
Our selection process is designed to give you the opportunity to showcase your potential and demonstrate the skills that are important for success in this role, including communication, teamwork, problem-solving, critical thinking and attention to detail.
- Online application
- Online assessments including video interview
- In-person Assessment Centre
Assessment Centres
Our assessment centres will be held at the PKF Francis Clark Torquay office on Monday 23 November. As our Head Office, Torquay provides a great opportunity to experience our culture and meet colleagues from across the firm.
We appreciate that some candidates may be travelling from other locations and are pleased to reimburse travel expenses of up to £50 for attending the assessment centre. To process your claim, please keep and submit receipts for your travel arrangements.
We're committed to creating an inclusive and positive experience for all candidates. If you require any adjustments during the recruitment process, whether related to a disability, neurodiversity or any other need, please let us know and we'll do our best to support you.
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Why work at PKF Francis Clark
As the largest firm of independent chartered accountants and business advisers in South West England, PKF Francis Clark offers a wide range of opportunities to develop your career in the way that’s right for you.
Established in 1919, we’ve grown to nearly 1,000 people across offices in Bristol, Exeter, Plymouth, Poole, Salisbury, Southampton, Taunton, Torquay and Truro. Our size means we can offer ambitious work with exciting clients and a friendly, supportive culture.
We want you to belong, be yourself and do your best work as part of a forward-thinking team, with a flexible approach to hybrid working and a strong focus on wellbeing, learning and development.
For the past four years, PKF Francis Clark has been certified as a Great Place to Work and ranked among the UK’s Best Workplaces, rising to 6th out of 100 large organisations.
We’re a top 10 Best Workplace for Women, as well as being ranked for Wellbeing, Development, and Consulting and Professional Services. These rankings are compiled by Great Place to Work, based on confidential, independent feedback from our people. In addition, we’re one of The Sunday Times Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers.
Being a Certified B Corp means we’re held to high standards for environmental and social performance. We’re independently assessed to ensure we support our people, act responsibly and make long-term decisions that balance people and planet.
We’re proudly independent, while collaborating internationally through the PKF Global family of firms. Together we’re the 13th largest provider of accountancy services in the UK, with connections to like-minded advisers in 150 countries.
Your core benefits
Financial wellbeing
- Group personal pension to help you build your future savings through employer and employee contributions
- Group life assurance providing cover up to four times your basic annual salary
- Group income protection available after six months’ service
- Health cash plan giving money back on everyday health costs, with free cover for up to four dependent children (up to age 24 in full‑time education) and the option to add a partner or spouse
Mental wellbeing
- Counselling and emotional support for you and your immediate family
- Virtual GP and second opinion services for you and your immediate family
- Access to trained Mental Health First Aiders for confidential, peer to peer support
Physical wellbeing
- Discounted membership at gyms, pools and studios across the UK
- Digital health and wellbeing tools available through the employee health cash plan
Additional Benefits
- One paid volunteering day each year to support local organisations
- Family friendly benefits, including enhanced pay, family leave coaching sessions and a parent network
- Gifts to mark key career and family milestones
- Expert led webinars on mental, physical and financial wellbeing
- Francis Clark Charitable Foundation, offering support for current and former employees experiencing financial hardship
Additional Information
- Closing date: Monday, 26 October 2026
- Start date: Monday, 28 June 2027
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