Description
Ready to earn, learn and launch your career? This is more than your first job. You’ll gain real experience, work towards a recognised qualification and build skills that will shape your future.
Our Finance Operations team helps keep Howden’s Retail business running smoothly. From checking employee expenses and managing corporate card costs to processing invoices and supporting supplier payments, the team makes sure money is handled accurately and payments are completed at the right time.
You’ll work with colleagues across the business, gaining a valuable understanding of how a finance function operates while building practical skills that you can use throughout your career.
You’ll join Howden on a permanent role and complete an 18-month development programme designed to develop your technical knowledge, professional skills and confidence to kick start your career.
What you’ll be doing?
You will begin with a structured induction before joining our Finance Operations team, where you will work alongside experienced colleagues and gradually take on more responsibility.
During the programme, you'll:
- Learn how employee expenses are managed and use our expense claim system to review submissions.
- Check expense claims against company rules, making sure information is accurate and costs are in line with expectations.
- Support the management of corporate credit card costs and check that the correct approvals are in place.
- Review invoices from suppliers and help prepare them for payment.
- Help set up new suppliers by completing due diligence checks, including confirming accurate bank and business details.
- Use your attention to detail to maintain clear and accurate expenses records and documentation.
- Respond to questions from employees and work with teams across the business, including colleagues responsible for payments.
- Spot missing information or mistakes and escalate any issues to the Accounts Payable Manager.
Who are we looking for?
No insurance experience is needed; we’ll teach you everything you need to know!
You'll be:
- Confident working with numbers and interested in understanding how finance works.
- Organised and comfortable following clear processes.
- Detail oriented and able to complete your tasks with a high level of accuracy and actively spotting mistakes or missing information.
- Able to manage different tasks and meet regular deadlines.
- Able to articulate your ideas clearly, both in writing and verbally.
- Curious, willing to learn and open to feedback.
To be eligible for our apprenticeship, you must:
- Have the full and unrestricted right to work in the UK.
- Have lived permanently in the UK for the last 3 years.
- Have achieved a grade C/4 in GCSE English and B/5 in GCSE Maths.
- Not already hold a qualification that significantly overlaps with the content of this apprenticeship.
Application process
Our application process is designed to help you show your potential, not to test what you already know!
- Online application form – no CV required: We believe you're more than just a document, so we won’t ask you to submit a CV.
- Online gamified assessment: We’ve created games that will help us understand your natural strengths and how you approach different situations.
- Pre-recorded video interview: You will record your answers to a few questions using your phone or laptop, giving you the chance to tell us more about yourself in your own time in a relaxed setting.
- Assessment centre: Our final stage is an in-person assessment centre at one of our offices.
Why should you apply?
At Howden, people are at the heart of everything we do. As an employee-owned business, we believe success is built through collaboration, learning and supporting one another. You'll gain exposure to an exciting global industry, receive structured development throughout the summer and build relationships that could shape your future career.
You'll also benefit from:
- £23,000 and a generous pension scheme.
- Completing fully funded professional qualifications relevant for your role.
- Structured learning and development through our 18-month apprenticeship development programme.
- 25 days' annual leave, plus bank holidays.
- Access to discounted personal health policies, wellbeing support and a range of employee benefits and insurance products.