Chartered Accountants since 1919
Join our ACA trainee programme and launch your career as a Chartered Accountant.
This full-time, permanent role includes three years of structured training and qualification support, giving you hands on experience, a competitive salary, and a clear path to long term career progression. We offer the job security of a permanent role from day one, cover your training costs, and support you every step of the way.
As a certified Great Place to Work, we're proud of our friendly and supportive culture, where colleagues work collaboratively and with integrity and honesty. We also recognise the importance of achieving a healthy work-life balance while developing a successful professional career.
As a trainee accountant within our Professional Practices team, you'll support law firms and other professional clients with the financial information and advice they need to manage their businesses effectively. You'll gain broad experience across accounting, tax (partnership, company and personal), audit (statutory and client money audits), and preparing analysis, forecasts and projections.
Our team has extensive expertise in the legal sector, and for law firm clients we produce detailed discussion documents explaining the accounts, benchmarking analysis, advising on capital funding and providing tax analysis. We have a strong national reputation in this area of work with clients across the country.
You will:
As you progress, you'll take on more responsibility and have opportunities to make a real impact.
You'll enjoy this job if you like:
Studying alongside working is demanding, but you’ll be supported as you balance your role with regular independent study and revision for your professional exams. It typically takes around three years to qualify as a chartered accountant. The following one to two years are important for consolidating your knowledge, leading more complex projects and preparing for career progression into manager roles and beyond
Alongside your ACA qualification, you’ll receive training to help you develop the skills, behaviours and confidence needed to become a successful accountant.
You'll be supported every step of the way:
Bright, motivated graduates who want to build a meaningful career in accountancy. This programme offers structured development, early responsibility, long-term job security, and genuine opportunities for career progression within a supportive and friendly working environment.
Entry requirements:
The salary for this role is £25,000 per annum. As your experience, responsibilities and qualifications develop, there will be opportunities for salary progression throughout your career with the firm.
In addition to a competitive salary, we’ll fully fund your professional qualifications and provide study support throughout your training. You’ll also have opportunities to accrue Time Off in Lieu (TOIL) and paid overtime, recognising the additional commitment in busy times and supporting a healthy work-life balance.
Our selection process is designed to give you the opportunity to showcase your potential and demonstrate the skills that are important for success in this role, including communication, teamwork, problem-solving, critical thinking and attention to detail.
Our assessment centres will be held at the PKF Francis Clark Torquay office on Wednesday 9 December. As our head office, Torquay provides a great opportunity to experience our culture and meet colleagues from across the firm.
We appreciate that some candidates may be travelling from other locations and are pleased to reimburse travel expenses of up to £50 for attending the assessment centre. To process your claim, please keep and submit receipts for your travel arrangements.
We're committed to creating an inclusive and positive experience for all candidates. If you require any adjustments during the recruitment process, whether related to a disability, neurodiversity or any other need, please let us know and we'll do our best to support you.
As the largest firm of independent chartered accountants and business advisers in South West England, PKF Francis Clark offers a wide range of opportunities to develop your career in the way that’s right for you.
Established in 1919, we’ve grown to nearly 1,000 people across offices in Bristol, Exeter, Plymouth, Poole, Salisbury, Southampton, Taunton, Torquay and Truro. Our size means we can offer ambitious work with exciting clients and a friendly, supportive culture.
We want you to belong, be yourself and do your best work as part of a forward-thinking team, with a flexible approach to hybrid working and a strong focus on wellbeing, learning and development.
For the past four years, PKF Francis Clark has been certified as a Great Place to Work and ranked among the UK’s Best Workplaces, rising to 6th out of 100 large organisations.
We’re a top 10 Best Workplace for Women, as well as being ranked for Wellbeing, Development, and Consulting and Professional Services. These rankings are compiled by Great Place to Work, based on confidential, independent feedback from our people. In addition, we’re one of The Sunday Times Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers.
Being a Certified B Corp means we’re held to high standards for environmental and social performance. We’re independently assessed to ensure we support our people, act responsibly and make long-term decisions that balance people and planet.
We’re proudly independent, while collaborating internationally through the PKF Global family of firms. Together we’re the 13th largest provider of accountancy services in the UK, with connections to like-minded advisers in 150 countries.
Financial wellbeing
Mental wellbeing
Physical wellbeing
Additional benefits
Additional information
Closing date: Monday, 26 October 2026
Start date: Monday, 16 August 2027
INDEC
To apply for the Graduate Accountant Trainee - Professional Practices - ACA - August 2027 role click the ‘Apply now’ button below. It should take no longer than 10 minutes to complete your application.
If you would like an informal chat about the role before applying then please contact Isabella Talbot on: [email protected].
PKF Francis Clark is an Equal Opportunities employer with a strong and passionate commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. We’re dedicated to fostering a work environment that supports, inspires, and respects all individuals. We do not discriminate based upon age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, or any other applicable legally protected characteristic.
We welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds and all aspects of employment at PKF Francis Clark are based on merit, qualifications, and business needs. We’re committed to providing reasonable adjustments or accommodations for applicants, so if you need assistance or support during the recruitment process please let us know. We promise to reply to all applications.
