Trainee Graduate Accountant

Details
Reference number

435028

Salary

£30,485

A Civil Service Pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

GBP

Job grade

Executive Officer

Contract type

Fixed term

Length of employment

2 years - with the opportunity to be made permanent

Business area

DVLA - Finance and Assurance Services

Type of role

Accountancy

Corporate Finance

Finance

Working pattern

Flexible working, Full-time, Job share, Part-time

Number of jobs available

1

Contents

• Location
• About the job
• Benefits
• Things you need to know
• Apply and further information

Location

Swansea

About the job
Job summary

Would you like to develop a career in accounting?

Are you an excellent communicator?

Can you work as part of a team?

If so, we'd love to hear from you

Joining our department comes with many benefits, including:

• Employer pension contribution of 28.97% of your salary. Read more about Civil Service Pensions here
• 25 days annual leave, increasing by 1 day each year of service (up to a maximum of 30 days annual leave), plus 8 bank holidays a privilege day for the King's birthday
• Flexible working options where we encourage a great work-life balance.

Read more in the Benefits section below

Find out more about what it's like working at

Job description

This is a unique opportunity to join the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) Trainee Accountant Programme for graduates. The programme will offer up to 4 years funded training to achieve qualified accountant status. Providing the successful candidate demonstrates on-going progress, commitment and achieve objectives set in both their studies and overall performance during their 2 year contract, they will be offered a permanent contract to complete their Accountancy Qualification.

Successful candidates will be provided with the opportunity to work within various finance disciplines, broadening their professional skills and meeting the experience required to become a qualified accountant. You will have the opportunity to work across five key finance disciplines: finance reporting, finance business partnering, project accounting, investment appraisal, and financial planning.

We will support you through a professional accounting qualification (CCAB or equivalent) which will be fully funded, and you will be given study time within your usual working hours. You will work in a supportive team in the wider Finance and Assurance Services Directorate which consists of colleagues with a variety of experience and qualifications. We encourage mentoring and coaching to help our staff thrive and develop.

At the end of the 4-year Programme (or before, if you become qualified sooner) a competence-based assessment will be held to confirm fitness to progress to the next grade (Higher Executive Officer) and achieve a pay rise associated with that promotion. Successful candidates will be expected to have a Student Membership of a Professional Accountancy body following their appointment. Please review the attached Trainee Accountant Programme document for detailed information on the Programme.

Responsibilities

• Providing support and advice to business area(s) on financial matters.
• Supporting input to the development and/or implementation of financial policies and processes.
• Completing assignments in compliance with the terms and conditions agreed at the outset.
• Ensuring accuracy, validity and quality of financial information.
• Developing and maintaining good working relationships with colleagues, customers and stakeholders in relation to business as usual and/or development programmes, ensuring due process is followed.

For further information on the role, please read the role profile. Please note that the role profile is for information purposes only - whilst all elements are relevant to the role, they may not all be assessed during the recruitment process. This job advert will detail exactly what will be assessed during the recruitment process.

Additional information

The programme will include undertaking a number of examinations as well as on-team training. There will be regular assessment points to evaluate the progress and proficiency of candidates. You will be assessed throughout the programme, failure to successfully meet the standard could result in 3 months' notice being provided to cease employment.

Person specification

Essential qualifications/licenses:

1. A 2:1 class degree in any discipline or a 2:2 where you have additional qualifications such as a Master's degree.

Applications will be accepted from those currently working towards a degree, providing they meet the above requirements to start the Programme in September 2026.

You will be required to provide evidence that you hold any essential qualifications/licenses at some point during the recruitment process. If you cannot provide evidence, your application will be withdrawn.

Required experience:

To be successful in this role you will need to have the following experience:

1. Be self-motivated with a passion for a career in finance and accounting, and commitment to studies alongside work with the goal of achieving a qualification.

2. Strong communication and presentation skills, with the ability to tailor this to your audience.

3. Build strong stakeholder engagement.

If applying as an Internal DVLA Candidate

Internal DVLA applicants are eligible to apply. Staff currently working in DVLA who are do not complete the 2 years successfully, would be redeployed back into the agency in line with the posts available at the time at their substantive grade. If there are no suitable posts available at that time, then DVLA redeployment processes will apply. This would be underpinned by a loan agreement.

Note to current Civil Servants: If your current department do not agree to a loan, you will still be offered an appointment on a fixed-term basis but please be aware that if you are not able to return to your previous post this could result in redundancy from the Civil Service on the conclusion of your appointment. Please contact us if you would like more information.

Candidates who do not secure a permanent role will exit at the end of their Fixed Term Appointment as planned. However, the programme will have provided you with the skills, experience and certifications that you would have developed throughout the two years coupled with experiences such as interview techniques to support your future employment.

Working hours, office attendance and travel requirements

Full time roles consist of 37 hours per week.

Whilst we welcome applications from those looking to work with us on a part time basis, there is a business requirement for the successful candidate to be able to work at least 35 hours per week.

This role is suitable for hybrid working, which is a non-contractual arrangement where a combination of workplace and home-based working can be accommodated subject to business requirements.

The expectation at present is a minimum of 60% of your working time a month will be spent at either your designated workplace (one of the locations cited in the advert) or, when required for business reasons, in another office/work location/visiting stakeholders. Your designated workplace will be your contractual place of work. There may be occasions where you are required to attend above the minimum expectation.

Visa Sponsorship

Please note that we do not hold a UK Visa & Immigration (UKVI) Skilled Worker Licence sponsor and are unable to sponsor any individuals for Skilled Worker Sponsorship. Candidates must ensure they have the appropriate rights to work in the UK before application.

Qualifications

Applicants should have a minimum of a 2:1 undergraduate degree from any field of study. A 2:2 degree may be considered if accompanied by a relevant postgraduate qualification such as a Master's degree.

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Making Effective Decisions
• Changing and Improving
• Working Together
• Delivering at Pace
• Communicating and Influencing

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £30,485, Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency contributes £8,831 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Alongside your salary of £30,485, Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency contributes £8,831 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Being part of our brilliant Civil Service means you will have access to a wide range of fantastic benefits:

• Employer pension contribution of 28.97% of your salary. Read more about Civil Service Pensions here
• 25 days annual leave, increasing by 1 day each year of service (up to a maximum of 30 days annual leave).
• 8 Bank Holidays plus an additional Privilege Day to mark the King's birthday.
• Access to the staff discount portal.
• Excellent career development opportunities and the potential to undertake professional qualifications relevant to your role paid for by the department, such as CIPD, Prince2, apprenticeships, etc.
• Joining a diverse and inclusive workforce with a range of staff communities to support all our colleagues.
• 24-hour Employee Assistance Programme providing free confidential help and advice for staff.
• Flexible working options where we encourage a great work-life balance

Find out more about the benefits of working at DfT and its agencies .

Things you need to know
Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles , and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths, Ability and Experience.

How to Apply

Our selection process ensures a comprehensive assessment of each applicant's qualifications, skills, and potential fit within our organisation.

The selection process for this role will be:

Stage 1: Online test

Stage 2: Sift of CV and personal statement. Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

Stage 3: Interview

You must be successful at each stage to progress to the next stage.

Stage 1: Online test

At this stage, you will be assessed against the following Success Profile elements:

• Ability

After submission of the first stage of your application you will be invited to complete a Civil Service Numerical Test. If you successfully pass the test, you will be invited to complete the final stage of the application. (please see 'stage 2: sift' for further information).

Please complete the online tests as soon as possible (within 24-48 hours is recommended), the closing date for the tests is 23 November 2025 at 23:55. If you fail to complete the online test before the deadline your application will be withdrawn. Guidance for the test will be available when you are invited to take the test. The tests are administered online and accessed via the CS Jobs website.

Guidance for the tests will be available when you are invited to take the test. The tests are administered online and accessed via the CS Jobs website.

Stage 2: Sift

At sift, you will be assessed against the following Success Profile elements:

• Experience – you will be asked to provide a CV (unlimited wordcount) and personal statement (500-word count). Please provide evidence of your Experience of the following:

• Working together to achieve an outcome or objective.

• Commitment to learning and development. This could be related to employment (paid or voluntary), education, extra-curricular activities or hobbies.

The sift will take place week commencing 24/11/25

Stage 3: Interview

At interview stage, you will be assessed against the following Success Profile elements:

• Behaviours – Making Effective Decisions, Changing & Improving, Working Together, Delivering at Pace & Communicating & Influencing

• Strengths

You will also be required to create and deliver a presentation to assess the Behaviour, Communicating & Influencing.

Guidance will be provided if you are invited to interview.

The interviews will take place week commencing 08/12/25

This interview will be conducted in-person at our DVLA, Swansea office. Further details will be provided to you should you be selected for interview.

You can find out more about our hiring process, how to apply, and application and interview guidance on our careers site .

Please note that we will try to meet the dates set out in the advert. There may be occasions when these dates will change.

Further information on the selection process

Feedback on your application can only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

We will also hold a 12-month reserve list for this role, which may lead to potential opportunities beyond the role you applied for. You can read more about our reserve lists here.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

You must ensure that any evidence submitted as part of your application or used during interview is truthful and factually accurate. Applications may be rejected if plagiarism is detected. Examples of plagiarism can include presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or concepts generated by artificial intelligence, as your own.

Reasonable Adjustments

As a Disability Confident Leader employer, we are committed to ensuring that the recruitment process is fair, accessible and allows all candidates to perform at their best. If a person with a visible or non-visible disability is substantially disadvantaged, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.

Complete the "Assistance required" section in the "Additional requirements" page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need during the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at an interview, or if you're deaf, a Language Service Professional.

If you need a reasonable adjustment so that you can complete your application, you should contact Government Recruitment Service via as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

Document Accessibility

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.

This job advert contains links to the DfT Careers website. Our website provides useful guidance and information that can support you during the application process. If you cannot access the information on our website for any reason, please email for assistance.

Further Information

For more information about how we hire, and for useful tips on submitting your application for this role, visit the How We Hire page of our DfT Careers website. You can find detailed information about the recruitment process and what to expect when applying for a role

Pre-employment Checking

Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant's details held on the IFD will be refused employment.

A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5-year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.

People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles .

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy .

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans initiative.

The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants
Job contact :

• Name : Gareth Thomas
• Email :

Recruitment team

• Email :

Further information

If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, in the first instance, you should contact Government Recruitment Services via email:

If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission: Visit the Civil Service Commission website Here

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