Audit Apprenticeship (AAT) – Nonprofit sector- March 2027

Start date: 3rd March 2027

At Moore Kingston Smith, we believe in the potential of people to make a positive impact, fuelled by the power of genuine understanding.

As an accredited training firm, we’re committed to providing first-class professional development in a supportive and friendly environment. Through our Level 4 Audit Apprenticeship, you will gain hands-on experience, develop essential skills, and build the foundation for a successful career in audit. You will work with a wide range of our nonprofit clients, delivering exceptional client service while earning a Level 4 Diploma in Professional Accounting from the Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT).

Our award-winning Nonprofit group deliver a comprehensive range of auditing and accounting services, as well as specially tailored offerings for the nonprofit sector. We focus on charities, education and trade associations and membership bodies. According to the data collated over the last 10 years from the Charity Finance’s Audit Survey our charity team has consistently ranked first for overall service among the top 10 charity specialist firms in England.

As part of our nonprofit team, you will gain valuable experience working with a diverse range of charities and independent schools, as well as corporate exposure through engagement with trading subsidiaries and corporate membership organisations. With a team of over 70 professionals, we are deeply committed to growth, development, and supporting trainees every step of the way.

From the outset, you will work with our clients, who choose us because we understand them so well. You will get to know their businesses, uncover the obstacles they face and become familiar with their sectors. The experience is varied. Some projects last a few days, others a few weeks. We encourage you to take responsibility early on, and you will get to grips with all aspects of the role and audit process. In this role, you will predominantly work on clients within the nonprofit sector but will also gain exposure to other teams and sectors.

How We Work

As a trainee, you'll gain the most from your programme by being immersed in the office environment, working alongside colleagues and learning through observation. While we offer some flexibility depending on office and team requirements, trainees should generally expect to be in the office most working days. Your team will provide specific guidance on attendance expectations when you join. Travel to and attendance at client sites is also an essential requirement of the position.

With support and training, key responsibilities in the first 12 months will include:

• Develop a strong understanding of accounting principles, financial reporting standards, and auditing guidelines.
• Attend client offices and represent the firm professionally as part of the audit team.
• Assist in planning audits, including reviewing prior year information and preparing lead schedules.
• Perform audit testing on key financial areas such as income, expenses, assets, and liabilities.
• Check the accuracy of financial schedules and ensure figures agree with supporting records.
• Prepare financial statements in line with relevant standards and legal requirements.
• Draft corporation tax computations and support tax-related audit procedures.
• Liaise with clients to gather documentation, clarify queries, and support audit progress.
• Maintain accurate and well-organised working papers in line with internal procedures.
• Review and update client data in accounting and tax software systems.
• Identify and suggest improvements to client systems and internal processes.
• Support the preparation of audit close-out meeting materials and discussion points.
• Communicate effectively with internal teams, including technical and tax departments.
• Help manage client expectations and meet deadlines throughout the audit process.

As you develop experience and confidence, you will start to take more ownership of audit sections and communicate more directly with clients. You will begin mentoring newer team members, contributing to planning discussions, and handling more complex technical areas.

As you near completion of the AAT apprenticeship, you will be considered for progression onto the Association of Chartered Accountants (ACA) pathway, which after 2 further years of study, would lead to becoming a fully qualified Chartered Accountant with the Institute of Charted Accountants England and Wales (ICAEW).

We have clear progression routes, and there’s plenty of opportunity to take your career in the direction you desire at Moore Kingston Smith. In fact, many of our partners started out as trainees here and through hard work, commitment and drive have gone on to leadership roles.