Internal Audit - Public Sector Graduate - Southampton

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Job description

We're BDO. An accountancy and business advisory firm, providing the advice and solutions businesses need to navigate today's changing world.

We'll broaden your horizons

The work of our Audit teams is essential, not just to BDO, but to the whole economy. Working within a range of companies, from start-ups to FTSE350 companies, in multiple sectors, they verify the accuracy of our clients' financial statements for stakeholders, ensuring the stability and authenticity of the financial market. It's not just analysing numbers though; Audit teams really get to know their clients. That means you'll spend every day working as part of a team, often on clients' premises, working with key individuals to understand their financial performance, business systems, culture and risks. The graduate programme offers unparalleled exposure to a range of sectors and the potential for international secondment.

Audit means much more than crunching numbers. Auditors are integral to keeping the UK financial system safe for investors and the public. As auditors we use smart questions to get to know our client's businesses, and maintain scepticism throughout the audit process to ensure we remain impartial. At the completion of an audit we can provide constructive feedback to our clients helping to improve the business's operations, whilst also helping shareholders to have a full understanding of a company's financial performance and business risks. As the majority of the audit process involves us working in different teams, with people at varying stages of their career, we're fortunate to get to know our BDO colleagues really well and often become life-long friends.

As part of the South East Audit team, you would also be given the opportunity to work with a range of businesses, this would include a variety of those in the corporate space as well as specialists areas including Not-for-Profit and Pensions Audit teams, giving you wide and invaluable knowledge before deciding on your own career path upon qualification. Our corporate audit experts work with both public and private companies across a number of industries, exposing you to work in areas such as manufacturing, real estate, retail and technology. Known to be one of the largest specialist teams in the accounting profession, our NFP specialists are acknowledged as being the experts in delivering services to the education, social housing, charity and membership body sectors.

We'll help you succeed

The three-year Audit Graduate Programme is your opportunity to learn our sector inside out, get real experience on real projects and achieve a recognised professional qualification. We'll cover your exam fees and give you the study leave and extra training you'll need to pass them while you balance your own workload. That training isn't just about passing the exams, you'll learn a range of personal, management and client-related skills that will help you become a full rounded BDO advisor and achieve your full potential.

Programme & Qualification

BDO offer the globally recognised Association of Chartered Accountants (ACA) qualification as a Level 7 apprenticeship programme, enabling individuals to become qualified chartered accountants and member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW). The ACA qualification and apprenticeship provides a broad range of accounting, finance and business skills. It opens a wealth of opportunities. The duration of this programme is 36 months.

Responsibilities

• You will assist within the wider team by obtaining audit evidence necessary to support opinions given
• Prepare analysis of accounting data from client's books and records
• Ensure audit files have all relevant documentation on the appropriate section; review appropriate and sufficient documentation obtained to support the opinion and conclusions
• Active engagement with client staff in the gathering of appropriate audit evidence
• Active adherence to budget and timetable, bringing matters to the attention of the Senior or Manager, particularly when actual time is in excess of budget
• Involvement in the planning, execution and finalisation of the audit assignment supporting the Audit Manager
• Ensure compliance with internal (audit methodology and risk management) and external (regulatory) requirements
• Identify and understand client needs, including providing initial solutions to client challenges, then communicating these needs and solutions to your Senior or Manager
• Build strong relationships with new and established clients
• Carry out ad hoc assignments as reasonably required by your group
• Undertake any training or development co-ordinated by your group
• Coaching and assisting more junior trainees on the team, both at client premises and in the office
• Participate in group, stream and firm wide activities
• Successfully study towards your professional qualification and, where relevant, corresponding apprenticeship

When you join us

We understand that everyone learns in different ways and the same environment isn't always suited to every task. We'll help you deliver the best quality output by giving you choice and flexibility around how, when and where you work. When you need to work collaboratively, you'll be able to work closely with colleagues, whether that's in our offices, onsite with clients, or one of our brand-new hubs; when you need to focus, you'll be able to work from home or in one of our quiet concentration spaces, using technology to stay connected with colleagues. We'll provide the environment, digital tools and training to enable you to perform at your best, whatever the task in hand, for yourself, your team, and your clients.

When you join us, we'll make your growth our priority. If you're right for us, you'll thrive in an environment built to help you succeed. We're looking for someone with:

• A 2:2 degree in any discipline (obtained or predicted)
• Three A-levels or equivalent at A* to C excluding General Studies and Extended Projects (obtained or predicted)
• A 9-4 in Maths and English at GCSE or equivalent (we will also consider qualifications from outside the UK)

We're in it together

At BDO, we believe that when our people feel valued and rewarded, their potential is unlimited. We offer highly competitive starting salaries and review remuneration packages regularly to ensure that our pay always positively reflects performance. As well as offering support with tuition and professional qualifications, we also provide the following core benefits:

• 25 days' holiday;
• access to a Group Personal Pension Plan, with matched employer contributions;
• Life Assurance cover;
• Income Protection insurance;

That's not all. We understand that everyone is different, so we offer a range of voluntary benefits to suit every lifestyle. Our flexible benefits platform, Flexcel, means our people can choose from a range of tax efficient options to design a benefit package that best suits them. Through Flexcel, they can:

• buy up to ten days' extra holiday;
• add on Private Medical, Personal Accident, Dental or Travel Insurance; Home Technology
• enrol in our Bikes to Work scheme;
• enjoy discounts at cinemas, dining out, shopping and gyms through our Employee Discounts arrangement;
• receive an interest free season ticket loan or interest free graduate loan;
• access additional services like our financial wellbeing platform, online GP service or our Employee Assistance Programme

Our firm is distinctive and we want to preserve and build on the strengths of our culture and the characteristics that make us both successful and different. We look for people from all kinds of backgrounds who share these same qualities.