When you work for Moore Kingston Smith, you will become part of a team that strongly encourages individual thinking and an entrepreneurial attitude. The environment is friendly, stimulating and progressive. You are treated as a person, not a number. With over 700 people across six offices, we are large enough to provide you with exposure to a huge variety of opportunities and responsibilities, but small enough to know who everyone is.

Joining Moore Kingston Smith on our AAT Level 4 apprenticeship training programme gets your career off to a great start as you study for the AAT qualification while gaining valuable experience on the job, working in audit, accountancy and taxation for a variety of businesses across a wide range of sectors including technology, charity, healthcare and renewable energy.

Our AAT programme is a great opportunity for those leaving school or college, or those looking to change career to get started in a career in accountancy. As an AAT accredited training firm, we are committed to giving each person that joins us first class training in a personal and friendly working environment, with support from a Buddy, Training Manager, Training Partner and dedicated Early Talent Team.

You’ll complete a comprehensive apprenticeship training programme over 2 years that will equip you with the knowledge, skills and behaviours you need to excel in the role and deliver the service our clients expect from us.

Right from the start of your training contract you will be working with clients, getting to know their business and understanding their challenges. You will be encouraged to take responsibility early on in your training contract and you will be exposed to all aspects of a job. Your experience will be varied; sometimes you will be working on projects lasting a few days, other times a few weeks. You will predominantly sit within our audit and accounts team, but will also gain experience in the tax teams. 

The majority of our trainees will have a generalist experience but we have opportunities for those who have an interest in more specialist audit experience.  Opportunities exist within our Non Profit team, or within our Corporate Client Services team who focus on our large and complex audit clients.

In addition to studying at college, you will be learning on the job through a range of key responsibilities including:

• Preparing a basic set of unincorporated or company accounts with reference to the relevant Financial Reporting Standards/Statement of Recommended Practice and legal requirements

• Drafting basic corporation tax computations

• Assisting with managing client expectations and deadlines

• Supporting drafting of recommendations to management following audit fieldwork completion

• Attending client meetings with the wider team

• Building an understanding of audit testing and approach when assisting the audit team

• Supporting with drafting of close out audit meeting agenda and points for discussion

• Accurately and efficiently process client accounting information using relevant software

• Using initiative to come up with innovative ideas to improve systems currently in practice with regards to client or staff matters and a platform to be heard in regular team meetings.

• Sustains awareness of all relevant ISA requirements and MKS internal policies in producing audit files

• Demonstrate a solid understanding of double entry/bookkeeping

• Working with other trainees to deliver assignments and assisting them with their personal development

• To attend client gatherings or client seminars on an ad hoc basis and to pursue specific areas of interest.

As you come to the end of your apprenticeship you will be considered for progression to the Level 7 Apprenticeship programme. If successful, after two years on the ACA programme, you will be a fully qualified chartered accountant. There is so much opportunity to progress at Moore Kingston Smith. Many of our partners started their career here as AAT trainees and through hard work, commitment and drive have succeeded and are now part of driving our business forward.

Moore Kingston Smith also offers a number of social activities, which is a great way for you to get to know other colleagues and vice versa. Social events at Moore Kingston Smith come in many shapes and sizes, from our annual charity day, sporting events and clubs, informal team socials after work, and our summer ball that has previously taken place at the Tower of London.

Who are we looking for?

The AAT training programme is open to students from a range of backgrounds and does not require a degree, whether straight out of college or someone looking for a career change or return to work. Our people possess an enthusiasm for working in collaboration with their colleagues, supported closely by partners and managers. Our key focus is to provide excellent client service, meaning a ‘can do’ attitude is vital. We’re looking for people who are adaptable, enjoy building relationships and are passionate about developing themselves.

In order to be eligible for the programme, you will also need to have:

• 96 UCAS points from three A-Levels (or equivalent)

• Availability to work from September 2024

• Permission to work in the UK for at least 2 years, from September 2024

• Eligibility to complete a level 4 apprenticeship. You will not be eligible if you have completed a degree in an accountancy related subject, and should instead apply for our ACA Programme.

Recruitment process

For more information about the recruitment process, please see details on our careers page.

The Early Talent team are here to support you throughout the recruitment process and on the training contract. In confidence, we can discuss the individual support and adjustments you may need. A few examples of the support we can provide include, but are not limited to: providing the application form in a different format, providing presentation slides in advance, scheduling regular comfort breaks, or printing copies of presentation slides. If successful in securing a place on our training contract, we will organise a confidential call to discuss how we can work with you on the training contract to enable you to perform at your best. To have a confidential conversation with the Early Talent team before applying, please contact earlytalent@mks.co.uk