Location & Salary:

•  Newcastle: £23,588 p.a. (rising to over £53,000 post-qualification)
• Start Date: Monday 1 September 2026

Kickstart your career with a fully funded ACA apprenticeship in a supportive and inclusive environment. This is an opportunity to:

•  Work with a range of government and public sector organisations.
•  Gain hands-on experience in financial audits, investigations, and high-impact studies.
• Develop professional, managerial, and leadership skills.
• Achieve the ICAEW Chartered Accountancy qualification (equivalent to a Master's degree).
• Be part of a strong peer network with dedicated mentorship.

Benefits:

• Highly competitive starting salary, and annual salary increases and additional raises upon passing exams
• 35 days’ holiday (including public holidays)
• 25 weeks fully paid study leave
• Civil Service pension scheme – add in employer contribution 28.97%
• Early responsibility and career progression opportunities

Work Arrangements:

• Based in London or Newcastle (relocation or commuting required). Please select your preferred location.
• Initial three-month induction with office and college-based learning.
• Hybrid working post-induction, including office, client sites and remote work (minimum 2 days a week in office).

Application Deadline:

We recruit on a rolling basis and may close applications early if positions are filled. Early application is therefore encouraged. Applications are shortlisted at each stage of the process.

Key Responsibilities:

As you navigate your path towards Chartered Accountancy as an Audit Associate, you will:

• Support financial audits and gradually take on larger and more complex projects.
• Work with government and public sector clients.
• Contribute to investigations and high-impact studies.
• Develop expertise in financial analysis and audit methodology.

You can find out a lot more about us and our work from our website https://naoaccountancyscheme.co.uk/ and our main website https://www.nao.org.uk/

Key Skills:

• Analytical thinking and problem-solving.
• Sound judgement and effective communication.
• Initiative, teamwork, and relationship management.
• Strong organisational and time management skills.
• Understanding of broader business and economic contexts.

Entry Requirements:

• 5 GCSEs (grade 9-4 / A-C), including Maths and English.
• 120 UCAS points (or 300 under the pre-2017 tariff) from your top 3 A-Levels (excluding General Studies)
• Applications considered with 104 UCAS points (or 260 pre-2017) based on socio-economic background (please visit our website for more details on our contextual recruitment system)
• If you studied overseas, please contact HRServiceDesk@nao.org.uk with details of your GCSE and A-Level equivalent subjects and grades and we will map across using NARIC.
• Applicants must NOT hold a degree. If you have a degree, please apply for the Graduate Accountancy Training (ACA) Scheme when we reopen in September 2026.
• You must NOT be under a training contract or part-qualified with another accountancy firm.
• Evidence of academic qualifications required; international qualifications will be assessed for UK equivalency.

Eligibility Requirements:

• UK nationals, Commonwealth citizens with UK work rights, or EU/EEA/Swiss nationals eligible under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• Must have the right to work full-time in the UK for the full 5-year programme. We are not able to provide sponsorship.

For queries about your eligibility, visit the UK government website or contact us at HRServiceDesk@nao.org.uk.