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Future Accountants: Kerry’s journey into audit through apprenticeship
Choosing to take the alternative route into accountancy, Kerry started her career through an apprenticeship rather than university. Here, she shares how she’s building a rewarding career in audit – and why being curious, authentic, and supported makes all the difference.
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Future Accountants: Dan’s journey from English literature to Indirect Tax
From literature to ledgers, Dan Barber’s journey into Indirect Tax proves that the path to becoming a future accountant doesn’t have to be traditional. Now two years into his graduate programme, Dan shares how curiosity, support, and a love of problem-solving helped him thrive in a new field.
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Future Accountants: Julia’s journey from economics graduate to Tax Associate
Supported by a culture of encouragement and hands-on learning, Julia’s journey from economics student to Tax Associate began with a four-week internship that shaped her career path. In her own words, she shares how discovering her strengths, gaining real responsibility, and growing through feedback have helped her thrive in Financial Services Tax.
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Starting at the firm: How Emily balances audit, exams, and international hockey
Emily Dark, one of our Audit Associates, reflects on her first two years at Grant Thornton — from studying for her ICAS exams to representing Scotland in international hockey. She shares how the firm’s culture empowered her to thrive both professionally and personally, offering insights to help future trainees feel confident as they begin their careers and explore the opportunities ahead.
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Future Accountants: Yad’s journey from BTEC to Audit Associate
Yad’s path into audit began with a BTEC in Business and a job as a line chef, experiences that sparked his interest in teamwork, problem-solving, and learning by doing. Now an apprentice at Grant Thornton, he reflects on how feedback, support, and a collaborative culture have helped him grow into a professional member of the audit team.
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Future Accountants: Maria’s path from audit intern to Advisory Associate
Maria’s journey has been shaped by curiosity and continuous growth. In her own words, she shares how moving from Dubai to London opened the door to a career in accountancy, how her internship helped her find her fit in advisory, and why feedback, mentorship, and real responsibility have helped her thrive.
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Kevin's story
Everyone at Grant Thornton benefits from private medical insurance, and Kevin experienced its value first-hand. Here he talks about when his life changed dramatically in 2022, and how the support of those around him have allowed him to continue excelling in a role he loves.
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Future Accountants: Alex’s pivot from biomedical science graduate to audit trainee
Driven by curiosity and an appetite for variety, Alex’s journey from biomedical science graduate to audit trainee has been shaped by hands-on experience, a supportive culture, and a commitment to continuous learning. In her own words, she shares how embracing new challenges, building confidence through feedback, and living the firm’s values have helped her grow.
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Returning with purpose: Mike’s path back to the firm
Mike talks to us about rejoining Grant Thornton, his drivers for returning to the firm, and setting the right boundaries to achieve the right work-life balance.
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Empowered to progress: Oliver’s data-driven trainee experience
With a degree in modern languages, Oliver took an alternative route into professional services. Now working in transaction services, he shares how the firm has empowered him to grow, explore new areas of interest, and make a meaningful impact – even as a trainee.
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Back with balance: How Hadia found her rhythm after maternity leave
Returning to work after maternity leave can be daunting – but for Hadia, Accounting Advisory Manager in CFO Solutions, it became a story of support, development, and reconnection. She shares how the firm’s culture and policies have helped her find her rhythm and continue growing after entering the world of motherhood.
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Meaningful work and real connection: Lola’s first eight months in Real Estate Tax
Lola joined Grant Thornton as a member of the Real Estate Tax team. Originally from Nigeria, she brings a global perspective, a passion for meaningful work, and a deep appreciation for community – both inside and outside the firm. In just eight months, she’s already made an impact, not only through her work but also by helping others find their place at the firm. Here’s her story.
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Portraits of Power
Portraits of Power
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Top 10 career tips
Everyone benefits from a little advice, especially when they’re starting out. So, we've put together our top 10 tips to help you ace your applications and kick start your career in the best possible way.
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Ignite work experience
Are you ready to take the first step towards an exciting career in Accountancy? Our Grant Thornton Ignite Work Experience Programme is designed to give you a real taste of life at our firm.
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Interns and placements
Summer internships and 12-month placement programmes give you a fantastic opportunity to find out more about careers in professional services, and they can set you on a fast track through to an offer for your graduate programme.
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Graduate programmes
Our three-year graduate programme will take you from graduate to professionally qualified, opening up a world of opportunity.
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Apprenticeships
For anyone with A-Level (or equivalent) qualifications, an apprenticeship helps fast track you to qualification whilst you earn, and if you join straight after A-Levels, you can qualify ahead of your peers who go to university.
Alternatively, Grant Thornton
At Grant Thornton we do things differently - looking to the future, driving ambitious growth and pioneering positive change in our industry. Providing audit, tax and advisory services, we empower clients through strategic insight, curiosity, and genuine partnership. And we empower our people with real opportunity, an inclusive culture and work life balance. A true alternative.
With over 5,000 people in the UK, and a presence in 150 global markets, we're on an ambitious journey, from great to exceptional, and we need the best people to help us achieve our potential. And with that comes the opportunity to help redefine what our industry looks like, and what you want from your career.
Job Description:
You already know what an Audit Assistant Manager does, so we want to tell you what it’s like to work within Public Sector Audit at Grant Thornton, and what can we offer you that others don’t.
Why Public Sector Audit at Grant Thornton
Our UK audit practice is built of over 2300 people working across 24 locations. We’re really proud of the strong position our audit practice is in from a wellbeing, resource and quality perspective, the latter of which is shown through our recent positive AQR results.
Grant Thornton’s Public Sector Audit team is the well-established market leader in the provision of external audit to local government (including police and fire) and the NHS. Grant Thornton audits approximately 25% of the NHS market and 36% of local government. Our Public Sector Audit team works with some of the largest public sector bodies in the country. Our audit teams are well supported by specialist public sector financial reporting, audit quality, value for money and grants assurance teams. We are proud about the work we do in the sector and the important role we play for taxpayers.
Our size and culture allow us to give you more opportunities within your career. You will have more responsibility for client outputs, and more variety in the work you take on and the clients you work with. You can develop your career in a way that works for you, and the firm, and we’ll support you with development programmes and opportunities along the way.
We’re keen to support and hire those who have had career breaks or time away from public sector audit, who would like to return to a busy, flexible auditing role. Our vacancies for qualified Auditors are all open to supporting the up-skilling and re-integration of returners to our business.
Life is about more than work
The things you do, and the people you’re with outside of work matter, that’s why we’re happy to look at flexible working options for all our roles, whether that’s reduced or condensed hours, job shares, we’ll always do our best to keep your work and life in balance. Everyone in the firm is encouraged to work in a hybrid way, want to go for a run at 3pm, or collect children from school? That’s fine with us if it fits with your client work. Our framework for how we work underpins our approach, giving us all the confidence to make decisions that work for us, and our teams.
Knowing we’re right for you
Embracing uniqueness, the culture at Grant Thornton thrives on the contributions of all our people, we never settle for what is easy, we look beyond to deliver the right thing, for everyone. Building an inclusive culture, where we value difference and respect our colleagues helps our people to perform at the best of their ability and realise their potential.
Our open and accessible culture means you’ll interact with leaders who are interested in you and everything you bring to our firm. The things that set you apart, we value them. That’s why we give you the freedom to bring your whole self to work and pursue your passions inside and outside of work.
A look into the role
As an Audit Assistant Manager within our Public Sector Audit service line, you will:
- Excellent knowledge of UK GAAP / FRS102
- Extensive experience of using audit software and Microsoft packages
- A genuine interest in our clients with an ability to confidently discuss business challenges and needs
- An interest in maintaining and developing your technical knowledge in order to facilitate and lead valuable discussions with our clients
Knowing you’re right for us
Joining us as an Audit Assistant Manager, the minimum criteria you’ll need is a professional qualification (ACA, ICAS, CA, ACCA or CIPFA) with post qualification experience, and to be confident managing a large portfolio of audit clients. It would be great if you had some of the following skills, but don’t worry if you don’t tick every box, we’ll help you develop along the way.
- Experience of managing audits of public sector bodies in addition to dealing with complex technical matters
- Excellent knowledge of UK GAAP / FRS102
- Project management experience
- Experience of IFRS and auditing listed companies would be beneficial
- Extensive experience of using audit software and Microsoft packages
Beyond the job
The impact you can make here will go far beyond your day job. From secondments, to fundraising for local charities, or investing in entrepreneurs in the developing world, you’ll be giving back to society. It’s that drive to do the right thing that runs through our every move, grounded in our firm’s values – purposefully driven, actively curious and candid but kind.
We’re looking for people who want to contribute, spark fresh ideas and go beyond expectations. People who want to be able to proudly do what’s right, for the firm, our clients, our people and themselves. It’s how it should be.
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