Tax Graduate Programme

Start date : 2 September 2026

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. Over three years, you'll gain hands-on experience, develop essential skills, and build the foundation for a successful career in corporate tax. You'll work with businesses across a wide range of sectors while earning your ACA and CTA qualifications, to become an ICAEW Chartered Accountant and Chartered Tax Advisor.

We're all about working together to realise ambitions. So, our Corporate and Business Tax team provide their clients practical, commercially driven, risk-assessed advice. They've been helping businesses with every aspect of their taxes for over 80 years, from managing risk, to employment tax, to navigating partnerships and LLPS and beyond.

From the get-go, you'll work with all kinds of clients, from large corporate groups to single entities. Our clients choose us because we understand them so well, so you'll get to know our corporate clients and their owners, uncovering the obstacles they face, their preferences and the ways their industries work. The experience is varied. Some projects last a few days, others a few weeks. We encourage you to take responsibility early on, and you'll get to grips with all aspects of the role. You'll predominantly work with our Corporate and Business Tax team which provides a range of services to clients of the wider firm and tax only clients.

Key responsibilities of the role for the first 12 months include:

• Managing your time and communicating effectively with those you work as you typically working on around three projects a week, picking up ad-hoc tasks along the way.
• Making a direct impact on your clients' business with tasks ranging from the annual tax compliance cycle (including a growing portfolio of large, complex international clients), tax audit, and working on bespoke tax advisory projects.
• Understanding a company's financial statements and information, inputting relevant data into Alphatax, the software used for the preparation of corporation tax returns.
• Developing knowledge and understanding of tax legislation and adjustments required in a tax computation in order to calculate a company's liability to tax.
• Receiving training across corporate tax such as transfer pricing, R&D and creative tax.

You'll receive support and guidance in all your tasks, as you gain exposure across the wider business and learn the different ways we support and engage with our clients.

Whatever path you choose, 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 our as trainees here and through hard work, commitment and drive have gone on to leadership roles.

This role is a three-year training contract, during which time you will study towards the ACA/CTA qualification

What this means for you:

• To obtain the ACA and CTA qualifications, you'll complete 16 exams across three levels—Certificate, Professional, and Advanced—alongside additional specialised learning.
• You will gain 450 days of relevant work experience, supported by on-the-job learning and guidance from your manager.
• You will develop key professional skills through structured training
  
  and development.
• You will be accountable for maintaining your ICAEW training file.
• You will follow a planned schedule of work and study, with regular revision and training sessions leading up to key exams during the year.

We'll be providing comprehensive support throughout, including:

• You will attend in-person tuition with our trusted training provider during set
  
  study blocks.
• Paid study leave.
• Ongoing support from a Buddy, Training Manager and Training Partner, with regular feedback and development reviews.
• Access to wellbeing resources and a supportive network to help you thrive.

We understand that completing a training contract is a significant commitment, requiring time management and a proactive mindset. That's why we're here to support you every step of the way. In return, you will work towards a globally respected qualification within an internationally recognised network and build a strong foundation for a rewarding career in audit and beyond.

Our Tax Graduate Programme is open to graduates welcomes applicants from all degree backgrounds - whether you're a recent university graduate, changing careers, or returning to work. While recent changes have been made to Level 7 apprenticeship funding, there are no upper age limits for joining any of our programmes.

You'll be provided with training and support throughout your career with us, and the ACA/CTA qualification pathway has a structured study and exam programme to allow you to prepare proactively, so you don't need to have prior technical knowledge or experience, but we do look for is:

• A clear motivation to pursue a career in corporate tax, supported by an understanding of the ACA and CTA qualifications
• Enthusiasm for building strong relationships and collaborating with clients and colleagues, with close support from your manager.
• A proactive, results-driven attitude, ensuring excellent client service and a commitment to delivering high-quality work with integrity and professionalism.
• A dedication to ethical standards, ensuring your work aligns with professional guidelines and best practices.
• Strong commitment and reliability, enabling you to balance your studies and exams (with paid study leave) alongside your full-time role and responsibilities.
• A growth mindset and adaptable approach, with a willingness to continuously acquire new skills and knowledge, supported by your manager, learning coach and dedicated early talent team.
• A commitment to understanding, built on respect, collaboration, and active listening.

In order to be eligible for the programme, you will also need:

• Have obtained at least 112 UCAS points from three A-Levels, or equivalent qualifications
• Have achieved a 2:1 or above, from a degree in any discipline
• Be permitted to work in the UK, for at least 3-years from the start date of the programme

We recruit on a rolling basis, so would encourage you to apply at your earliest convenience to avoid missing out. The application process is made up of four stages:

1. Application

2. Interactive assessment

3. Virtual interview with one of the Early Talent team

4. Final interview in the office which you're being considered for

If your application is progressed, we will reach out by inviting you to complete an interactive assessment online with more information on how to prepare and what to expect.

The Early Talent team are here to support you throughout the recruitment process and on the training contract. In confidence, we can discuss the individual support and adjustments you may need. A few examples of the support we can provide include but are not limited to: providing extra time in our interactive assessment or sharing interview questions ahead of time. If successful in securing a place on our training contract, we will organise a confidential call to discuss how we can work with you on the training contract to enable you to perform at your best.

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

Working with small, medium and large clients, we are a multi-disciplinary advisory, tax and audit firm with expertise across multiple sectors, uniquely positioned to help people realise their ambitions.

Our London and regional teams deliver quality results locally and nationally, and worldwide alongside the Moore Global network.

Through respect, collaboration and active listening, understanding is at the heart of everything we do with our clients, colleagues and communities. We value people and projects that promote positive change for the future.

Come and join us to make a difference.