Finance Graduate Trainee
£31-£41k
We are looking for ambitious graduates to join us and develop into qualified chartered accountants on our 4 year Finance Graduate Trainee programme.
Find out moreChoosing your first post-graduation job isn’t easy. You want challenges, responsibility, opportunities to prove yourself and long-term options – something a finance career offers in abundance. But you also want it to mean something: to society as well as yourself. At Newham, you can have the best of both worlds. Our directly-elected mayor’s vision is to put People at the Heart of Everything We Do. Share our values, bring us your drive and talent, and we’ll help you to start building a legacy here – even as you become CIPFA-qualified.
Different from the commercial sector; because it’s the people who call our Borough home who benefit from your hard work. This means different challenges; emerging technologies, evolving regulations, climate change or even the COVID-19 pandemic; the challenge of managing public sector finances has never been more complex – or critical to everyday life.
We’re different from other boroughs too. With the backing of our new Mayor, and our new senior leadership team, we’re revolutionising the way we work – and will ask you for big ideas and practical solutions that make our £1.5bn budget go further.
“We don’t just want to process numbers. We want better. We want to be more innovative and develop ways of working that add value to the lives of the residents of Newham.”
Conrad Hall
Corporate Director of Resources
The four-year CIPFA programme will see you take on a series of placements, based in our modern Dockside offices, or at one of our other sites around the Borough.
The work’s strategic and practical; technical and people-led. You’ll spend time focusing on operations, from month and year ends to risk management. There’ll be opportunities to join project teams, potentially working directly with residents and businesses. And throughout, you’ll build the knowledge, experience and contacts to progress at speed.
CIPFA is the only body to exclusively specialise in public finance. Its 14,000 members are leading figures in government, councils, audit agencies and all major accountancy firms, and its exams are sat by students in over 100 countries.
As well as giving you an exceptional understanding of the challenges the public sector faces and the tools to scale them; the CIPFA PQ is very flexible. You can choose to learn in the classroom, online or by distance. With all 12 papers online.
Finance or accountancy graduates can be exempted from some exams. However, 40% of current CIPFA students come from non-finance backgrounds.
Once qualified, you’ll be part of a close-knit professional community that enjoys access to exclusive events, accredited courses, e-learning and much more. Everything you need to excel in public finance.
We’re focused on your wellbeing as well as your work. Which is why we offer rounded benefits as well as a competitive salary and contributory pension from day one.
Fantastic career progression
More CIPFA members are senior managers in the UK than any other accountancy body.
Focused support
Senior management mentors, helpful colleagues, and regular 1-2-1s with our Chief Executive.
Career-led training
Meaningful placements and projects – plus full financial support towards your CIPFA PQ.
Great connections
The office is two minutes from Royal Albert DLR and only 24 mins from Stratford.
Vital benefits
Season ticket loan and discounts on gym membership and shopping.
Work life balance
23 days’ leave plus bank holidays, remote working, study leave and flexitime.
We asked our trainees
– current and past – their
thoughts on the programme.
Firstly, it’s important you have at least 2:1 degree. You also need a determination to succeed matched by a flair for analysis if you’re to tackle the technical challenges of becoming CIPFA-certified.
But equally, the programme here at Newham is designed for future leaders. It’s vital you also bring the ambition to take on challenges, and not merely deliver on what was agreed — but the very best that can be achieved.
You’ll be supported throughout: by your colleagues, and through learning and career opportunities. However, the focus will be on you to add vision and excellence to our finance operations and activities.
To help one of the UK’s youngest populations, you’ll need to be full of ideas. You need a forward-thinking nature that inspires people and powers initiatives like our £1.4m expansion of youth services – London’s largest such initiative in over a decade.
CIPFA is exclusively dedicated to improving the management of public sector organisations’ finances. We’re looking for a genuine drive to set new benchmarks for the industry – and understanding of the value to society your work can bring.
Throughout the programme, you’ll build a network of contacts – in and outside the Council – that will be vital over the coming years. So bring your charisma and gravitas. These are people to bounce ideas off, get advice from, and give you the green light to make things happen.
Our HEART values of Honesty, Equality, Ambition, Respect and Together guide our mission of putting people at the heart of everything we do. Even during the programme, you’ll make a big impression on our community. Imagine what you can do over the length of your career.
East London – and Newham in particular – is booming. But we’re also the 12th most deprived Borough in the country. So even with our substantial investment into Stratford and Canning Town, and 25,000 new homes planned at Royal Docks, a key issue is housing – especially if we’re to welcome 30% of the capital’s population growth over the next 10 years.
Our pioneering Community Wealth Building Strategy aims to address that poverty by ensuring all new investments create a fairer and more prosperous Newham. Not least, the urban regeneration projects – with Shape Newham enhancing 18 public spaces, and our Town Centres Regeneration Strategy using environmental, social, and economic innovation to update our urban hubs.
Beyond this, we have a youthful population with great aspirations. Everything from youth clubs to career services, healthcare to schooling – we need to improve at everything if we’re to match the expectations of the Borough. It’s these challenges that will define your first years here.
It takes four years to move through [number] different placements.
The next intake joins us in [date].
You’ll likely be based in our head offices in Newham Dockside. However, some placements may be based in other parts of Newham. Working remotely will usually be an option too.
Unfortunately, we can’t guarantee a permanent position. But we will give you the experience, skills and knowledge to give you the best possible chance of successfully landing a permanent role. 80% of newly qualified CIPFA members stay within the public sector.
Placements are chosen based on operational needs and your interests. We’ll work with you to find opportunities that are challenging and provide you with a range of different experiences. Naturally, we want you to be engaged by your work and stay on with us; so expect to join teams and projects that stretch and excite you.
At least a 2:1(2:2) degree (in any field), and the correct work permits if you are a foreign national (we can’t arrange visas). If you’re an accounting or finance graduate, you may be exempted from taking some of the CIPFA exams.
So long as you have a 2:1 degree, you simply apply through our site as normal.
The interview is a chance for you to see if we’re right for you, as well as for us to see if you’ll fit in here. We’re looking for people who are committed to making a difference for the people of Newham. The interviews will be held on Zoom, and all details will be provided once you have been given a date and time.
Please email us at [address] and we’ll try to accommodate you.
We’ll email you as soon as a decision has been made. Please be patient as we’re interviewing a number of graduates.
You’ll earn £29,766, rising to £39,774 in your last year.
They vary depending on the project and team, but they are usually around six months.
Not usually.
Of course. We’ll give you feedback on your performance at every stage of the application process.
Your CIPFA PQ studies are fully funded by Newham Council. We also offer study leave to help you focus on exams.
Depending on your academic background, you may be exempt from certain modules. To find out, call CIPFA directly on 020 7543 5678 or email studentsupport@cipfa.org.uk
We’ll give you all the support you need to get qualified. So as long as you’re performing well in your work, we’ll also cover the costs of retaking any failed exams.
We only offer support towards CIPFA accreditation as it’s exclusively focused on public sector finance, helping give you the skills to thrive here. While we don’t cover the expenses, you can top-up your CIPFA qualification with ICAS modules, which means you’ll additionally have Chartered Accountant (CA) status.
Our Finance Graduate Trainee programme will give you the perfect platform for a long-lasting public sector career. It’s tailored to give you a range of experiences of public sector finances, along with the professional accreditation to accelerate into more senior roles after the four years.
It’s important you have a real passion for public service. The work here is challenging, but rewarding – as everything you do benefits our 360,000 residents. Additionally, you’ll need:
Got the ambition to become a senior public sector figure? 4-year Graduate Finance programme with full CIPFA support
£31-£41k
We are looking for ambitious graduates to join us and develop into qualified chartered accountants on our 4 year Finance Graduate Trainee programme.
Find out morePlease contact Sasta.miah@havering.gov.uk