Finance Graduate Trainee Finance Grade

Position Details

Finance Department

Location: University of Birmingham Edgbaston Birmingham UK

Full time starting salary is normally in the range 33002 to 35608 with potential progression once in post to 39906

Grade: 6

Full Time Fixed Term contract up to August 2029 (2 positions are available)

Closing date: 23rd February 2026

Our offer to you

People are at the heart of what we are and do.

The University of Birmingham is proud to have been a part of the City of Birmingham and the wider region for over 100 years and we are equally proud to be recognised as a leading global university. We want to attract talented people from across the city and beyond support them to succeed and celebrate their success.

We are committed to helping the people who work here to develop through our sector-leading Birmingham Professional programme which provides all professional services staff with development opportunities and the encouragement to reach their full potential. With almost 5000 professional services jobs in a wide-range of functions in Edgbaston and in our campus in Dubai there are plenty of opportunities for you to be able to develop your career at the University.

We believe there is no such thing as a typical member of staff and that diversity is a source of strength that underpins the exchange of ideas innovation and debate. We warmly welcome people from all backgrounds and are committed to fostering an inclusive environment where diversity is at the heart of who and what we are and how we work.

Supporting our people to achieve a healthy work/life balance is important both to our employees and to the success of the University and depending on the role we offer a variety of flexible working arrangements. We therefore welcome discussions on all forms of flexible addition you will receive a generous package of benefits including 40 days paid holiday a year one paid day a year for volunteering occupational sick pay and a pension scheme. We also have three high quality subsidised day nurseries.

The University is situated in leafy Edgbaston and there are excellent transport links to our beautiful campus including main bus routes and a train station on site. On campus we have a state-of-the-art sports centre with pool shops places to eat and drink our own art gallery museum and botanical gardens.

Find out more about the benefits of working for the University of Birmingham

Please note this role starts in September 2026 and is only for graduates.

Background

The University of Birmingham is one of the largest employers in the West Midlands. With over 8000 members of staff working across a huge variety of roles running an organisation of this size and complexity offers a challenge to rival that of any major business or public sector body. Committed to attracting the best and brightest employees our Finance Graduate Training Scheme provides ambitious and high calibre graduates with an entry point to a dynamic and stimulating financial career within the university.

The three year programme provides an opportunity to gain hands on experience through a series of 6 month rotations across key Finance teams. These placements are designed to support your progression towards the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) qualification while giving you broad exposure to financial operations. Youll develop strong business acumen build professional skills and work alongside experienced colleagues who will help you grow into a confident finance professional.

Role Summary

The Finance department at the University of Birmingham provides a range of services and advice to all areas of the University to ensure that the finances present and future support the Universitys delivery of the Birmingham 2030 Strategic Framework. These services and the teams that deliver them are outlined below:

Transaction Services a large team that covers four functions. Accounts Payable - ensuring that invoices received from suppliers are processed. Accounts Receivable responsible for the raising of invoices and credit control for research and student fees and accommodation. Income Processing raising sundry ledger invoices and reconciling all income received across the University. Buying reviews and process smaller purchases before sending orders to suppliers.

Procurement and Insurance providing procurement support and advice to all areas of the University to ensure that it gets best value for money from all its suppliers.

Financial Services another large team that includes four teams. Financial Business Partnering informing interpreting and strategically advising the Universitys Colleges and Professional Services on financial matters to support decision making. Tax and Treasury subject matter experts on tax requirements and advise on fund investment. Corporate Accounting Statutory and regulatory reporting including the support of year end audits the management of the Universitys asset register and financial support for the Universitys subsidiaries. Management Accounts producing the monthly management accounts and variance analysis supporting the Colleges Professional Services and Campus Services.

Analysts - focus on developing financial reporting and automating financial processes.

Internal Audit an independent function that provides assurance that the Universitys and its subsidiaries risk management governance and internal control processes are operating effectively.

Core Systems Optimisation Team (CSOT) managing maintaining and improving the Universitys HR Payroll and Finance systems.

University of Birmingham Enterprise providing an end-to-end service for academics that are seeking to take their ideas and concepts to market. Services include practical and financial support for proof of concept studies and market research training for academics and facilities for hi tech and biomedical startups.

Finance Trainees will work across the whole finance department gaining knowledge and skills in each area while studying the CIMA qualification.

Over the three-year learning period the Finance Trainee will be supported by expert professionals throughout the Finance department to develop their knowledge and skills to become a finance professional. The CIMA qualification will be delivered through an external professional training organisation.

Main Duties

The Finance Trainee will learn and develop skills across a broad range of teams within the Finance department over the three-year programme. Whilst each trainee will undertake two placements a year the below indicates the variety of placements on offer across the Finance department and outlines some of the experiences that a trainee can expect. These placements have been designed to align as best as possible to the structure of the CIMA programme.

Year one

Transaction Services

Accounts Receivable (AR): working in the AR team to liaise with our students/research partners/customers to ensure payments are collected in line with terms and resolve queries and disputes that arise.

Cash Management: to work with the team to ensure that the University bank accounts are reconciled to system transactions in a timely manner and that variances are investigated and resolved expediently.

Accounts Payable (AP): working in the AP team to process invoices against valid purchase orders validating they are in line with university guidelines are duly authorised by budget holders are received from bona-fide suppliers are correctly calculated (including VAT) and sufficiently detailed to meet HMRC guidelines.

Reconciliations: following working in the other areas of Transaction Services to gain an understanding of the systems and processes in place in those teams work with the Reconciliation Accountant to prepare the month end control account reconciliations between the system subledgers and general ledger; investigating and resolving variances and differences.

Buying Team: working in the team to convert end user purchase requisitions into purchase orders by assessing best value for money in line with procurement contracts and types of purchasing required. To close and true-up old purchase orders to clear the general ledger. To manage the Service-Now inbox for end-user enquiries.

Procurement

Procurement: to support end users to prepare contracts for tendering analyse tenders to determine the overall best value for the University prepare contract packs for signature and ensure relevant documents are completed related to contract award. To deal with queries related to procurement and contracting activity.

E-Marketplace: to support the maintenance of the e-marketplace in relation to clearing daily held requisitions due to changes or updates in information. To review and upload new price schedules or remove product lines that have been updated.

Year two

Corporate Accounting: joining the Corporate Accounting team supporting the preparation and planning processes for the external statutory audit as well as helping with the compilation of the Universitys Annual Report and Accounts. Assisting with the financial tracking and oversight of the University capital programme.

Management Accounting: to work with the Management Accounting team on preparation of college/ professional services monthly management accounts and variance analysis ensuring costs are being captured and reported accurately. Assisting the teams with financial forecasting and planning activities.

Taxation and Treasury Management: working with the Tax team to manage the University taxes deliver processes and ensure documentation is complete assist with month end processes and manage user queries through the VAT inbox. Also working with the Treasury team to support the actions from the University Investment Sub Committee relating to the efficient investment of University funds. Support cash flow reporting and forecasting as well as reconciliations of the cash and investments balance sheet accounts.

Year three

Business Partnering: to work with the Finance Business Partnering team supporting the Colleges/Professional Services with monthly financial reporting and analysis explaining and presenting financial information. Assisting with the budgeting and forecasting processes to help with prioritisation and decision making.

Internal Audit: to support in the delivery of the Universitys Internal Audit plan that reviews the governance risk management and control arrangements across the University as it seeks to deliver its organisational objectives. Working alongside a Senior Internal Auditor learn about the role and methodology of internal audit by assisting with fieldwork to review the existing controls an area has in place to mitigate their risks and test their effectiveness. Input into the writing of the audit report to document Audit findings and provide the auditee with recommendations to address any weaknesses identified.

Finance Projects: to work across the University to deliver financial and commercial support on large University-wide projects. To work across the Finance team on a large and varied range of finance and corporate related projects and to coordinate implementation across Finance teams.

Specialised placements are also available in the following areas:

Birmingham Enterprise: support the protection of Intellectual Property (IP) including inventions patents and copyright helping academics progress their ideas into real innovations. Ensure new developments have the appropriate commercial protection and provide consultancy to academics on innovation development.

Core Systems Optimisation Team (CSOT): to assist the CSOT team with ServiceNow incidents and triage support operational activities to ensure the smooth running of the Core Systems service and provide support to assist area leads with operational activity in the Oracle system.

Insurance: working in the team to manage the insurance ServiceNow inbox to resolve daily insurance enquiries to manage personal claims and assess for validity against the Universitys insurance policy. To assist in the annual insurance renewal programme (updating the insurance record of liabilities and cover required) and support students and staff with insurance cover related to travel or special projects.

Person Specification or Required Knowledge Skills Qualifications Experience

We are looking for future leaders and our ideal candidates are bright inquisitive graduates who are passionate about the University and the city of Birmingham and its wider region. We value diversity and recognise that by embracing different perspectives thoughts ideas and values we will be more effective in achieving our objectives. We provide equal access to opportunity and welcome applications from people who identify with any of the Protected Characteristics such as race/ethnicity disability sexual orientation or gender identity/expression. Our culture is based on our shared values which we seek to embody throughout the organisation.

You should be able to demonstrate the following qualifications attributes and skills:

Demonstrable interest in a career in Finance;

Interested in working in a large and complex organisation with an ability to adapt to work effectively in new environments;

Able to manage the demands of working and studying simultaneously;

The ability to think analytically and to be resilient;

At least a 2.1 in a first degree in any subject in the past three years (between 1 January 2023 1 August 2026 or a postgraduate qualification completed in the same period having previously achieved at least a 2.1 in a first degree;

GCSEs to a minimum of grade 4 or C in English and Mathematics (or equivalent qualifications);

A high degree of initiative resourcefulness flexibility and a self-motivating approach;

The ability to form effective working relationships with a diverse range of colleagues;

The ability to communicate clearly and effectively through oral and presentational skills as well as excellent writing skills;

Knowledge of the protected characteristics of the Equality Act 2010 and how to actively ensure in day to day activity in own area that those with protected characteristics are treated equally and fairly.

The application process

There are three stages to the application process:

Stage 1: Online application

For the first application stage you will need to complete a brief online form and upload a current CV and cover letter through the Universitys online jobs portal. Please note that your CV and covering letter should be uploaded as one your cover letter you should answer the following questions:

1. Why are you interested in a career in Finance and in particular why at the University of Birmingham

2. What is your proudest achievement to date

3. Can you describe a time when you showed initiative

Your cover letter should be no more than 1000 words

Stage 2: Online Interview week commencing 2 March 2026

A brief interview will be held via Microsoft Teams giving you the opportunity to highlight the skills you possess that align with the requirements of the role and to learn more about what the position involves.

Stage 3: Assessment centre 16 March 2026

The assessment centres involve a variety of activities designed to enable you to show the skills and qualities that we are looking for in our Finance Trainees. It is also an opportunity for you to meet members of the finance team learn more about working at the University and decide whether a career in Higher Education is for you. The assessment centre will take place over one day and will include activities such as group discussions individual interviews and an individual task. It is designed to be both enjoyable and challenging.

Career Pathway

Chartered Accountant

Financial Accountant

Management Accountant

Finance Business Partner

Tax Accountant

External/Internal Auditor

Informal enquiries to Amy Hayes email:

View our staff values and behaviours here

Use of AI in applications: We want to understand your genuine interest in the role and for the written elements of your application to accurately reflect your own communication style. Applications that rely too heavily on AI tools can appear generic and lack the detail we need to assess your skills and experience. Such applications will unlikely be progressed to interview.

We believe there is no such thing as a typical member of University of Birmingham staff and that diversity in its many forms is a strength that underpins the exchange of ideas innovation and debate at the heart of University life. We are committed to proactively addressing the barriers experienced by some groups in our community and are proud to hold Athena SWAN Race Equality Charter and Disability Confident accreditations. We have an Equality Diversity and Inclusion Centre that focuses on continuously improving the University as a fair and inclusive place to work where everyone has the opportunity to succeed. We are also committed to sustainability which is a key part of our strategy. You can find out more about our work to create a fairer university for everyone on our website.