Graduate Tax Trainee - Taxation ATT​/CTA

In a nutshell

Join us as a Trainee Tax Advisor (ATT/CTA) and build a long-term career in tax. You’ll earn while you learn, gaining hands‑on experience alongside your studies. We pay for all your training and qualifications and support you every step of the way. We’re proud to be certified as a Great Place to Work for the third year running, making this an excellent place to launch your tax career.

You’ll work within one of our specialist teams – corporate tax, private client tax, tax advisory services or VAT – while studying toward the ATT/CTA qualifications. This combination is the gold standard for tax professionals.

Tax is central to accountancy, and you’ll quickly learn how to interpret complex legislation and explain it clearly to clients. Your day‑to‑day work could include:

• Preparing profit and loss statements and tax returns
• Designing accounting processes for companies
• Analysing financial data to identify efficiencies and savings
• Supporting clients with tailored tax planning and advice

Our clients range from large corporate companies to family businesses and individuals, giving you a diverse and rewarding experience from the start.

You’ll enjoy this job if you like….

• Research and investigation
• Working with numbers
• Being analytic and methodical
• Talking to people and building relationships
• Becoming an expert in your field
• Being part of a supportive, fun team

Studying alongside working is demanding. As a trainee tax advisor you’ll need to do regular independent study and revision for your professional exams. It typically takes around three years to qualify as a tax advisor, by which time you may already be managing your own clients or leading a small team. Your development won’t stop once you’ve qualified. We have clear programmes to help you progress to manager roles and beyond.

We recognise that personal development training is essential in helping you to become a trusted adviser, so alongside your ATT and CTA qualifications you’ll receive personal development training to help you grow the skills and behaviours needed to become a successful tax professional.

You’ll be supported every step of the way:

• A buddy before you start, to help you settle in
• A line manager and student counsellor once you join, to keep you on track with your studies and career goals
• Ongoing learning and development opportunities beyond qualification, helping you progress into manager roles and beyond

Bright, motivated graduates who want to build a meaningful career in tax. This programme offers structured development, early responsibility, and long-term progression.

• On track to achieve or have obtained a 2.2 or above in any degree discipline
• Minimum of 112 UCAS points (from 3 A levels or equivalent, excluding general studies & EPQ)
• GCSE Maths and English at grade 4 (C) or above
/ulWhy work at PKF Francis Clark

As the largest firm of independent chartered accountants and business advisers in the South West England, PKF Francis Clark offers breadth of opportunities to develop your career the way that’s right for you.

Established in 1919, we’ve grown to a team of nearly 1,000 people, based across our offices in Bristol, Exeter, Plymouth, Poole, Salisbury, Southampton, Taunton, Torquay and Truro. This means we’re big enough to do challenging work for exciting clients, but small enough to maintain our friendly and supportive culture.

We work hard to ensure you can belong, be yourself and be brilliant as part of a forward‑thinking team. This includes a flexible approach to hybrid working. And our focus on wellbeing and learning and development has been recognised nationally.

For the past three years, PKF Francis Clark has been certified as a Great Place to Work and ranked among the UK’s Best Workplaces. In 2025, we climbed four places to 20 out of 100 large organisations on this prestigious list.

We’re also the UK’s #10 Best Workplaces for Women (6 out of 100 large organisations), as well as being ranked among the Best Workplaces for Wellbeing (35 out of 100), Best Workplaces for Development (24 out of 100) and Best Workplaces in Consulting and Professional…