Finance Officer Apprentice - ARK

We're looking for a motivated and ambitious Finance Officer Apprentice to join our friendly, collaborative, and high-performing Finance team at Ark and Ventures.

What you'll do

This is an exciting opportunity to start or build your career in finance while gaining hands-on experience in a supportive professional environment. Our team manages the finances of five entities, giving you exposure to a broad range of financial processes, operations and reporting.

As a Finance Officer Apprentice, you'll play an important role in supporting the smooth day-to-day running of finance operations across all Ark and Ventures entities. You'll develop practical skills in areas such as financial accounting, transaction processing, and the foundations of financial reporting, while also contributing to ad hoc finance projects that will broaden your experience and support your professional development.

We are committed to your development. As part of this role, you will complete the Level 3 Assistant Accountant Apprenticeship, fully funded by us. Alongside your day-to-day responsibilities, you'll receive dedicated support and protected Off-the-Job learning time equivalent to 6 hours per week to help you succeed in your studies and build the knowledge, skills, and confidence needed for a successful career in finance.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Day to Day Finance Transactional Responsibilities (all Ark and Venture entities)

• Monitor and maintain finance mailboxes and resolve issues raised
• Responsible for processing of purchase orders, supplier invoices and employee expenses
• Responsible for daily cashbook updates for all bank accounts across all entities
• Prepare weekly payment run for suppliers and employee expense claims
• Process donor income received on Beacon and liaise with the fundraising team to reconcile donor income with forecasts.
• Create and issue sales invoices to customers and inter company rechargers
• Reconcile supplier statements and follow up on queries or overdue payments
• Monitor and update supplier and customer account details
• Finance Projects & Process Improvements
• Support the implementation of the new finance system
• Assist the finance team with ad hoc project work, month end and year end
• Contribute to continuous improvement initiatives across finance processes

Training

BPP apprenticeship training programmes are delivered virtually by our fully qualified and industry-experienced training team.

Using their expert knowledge, we've purposefully built our programmes around the real-world use of modern technology, so that the skills we create can be directly applied in the workplace.

Throughout the apprenticeship learners receive coaching, help and guidance from a dedicated team who are there to ensure they get the most from their work experience.

After the apprenticeship

Successful candidates will have the opportunity to receive support with: Pursuing higher-level apprenticeships, Securing a permanent position and Growing within the team or across the wider Ark finance teams.

Skills

• Communication skills
• Attention to detail
• Organisation skills
• Problem solving skills
• Analytical skills
• Initiative
• Proficient in Microsoft Excel
• Other Office applications
• Written communication skills
• Accuracy
• Prioritise workload
• Driven
• Self-starter

Qualifications

• Essential: GCSE, 5 GCSEs including English and Maths (grade A*-C/9-4 or equivalent)

Things to consider

• Successful candidates will be subject to an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Services check

About the employer

Ark is an education charity committed to ensuring that every child, regardless of background, has access to an excellent education and real choices in life. We believe that, with the right support and approach, every school can succeed, even those facing the most challenging circumstances. Today, Ark Schools has grown into a network of 39 schools nationwide and is recognised as one of the highest-performing academy groups in the country.Our ambition extends beyond our own schools. Ark and Ventures was created not only to support pupils within Ark schools, but also to improve education systems more widely. Our ventures tackle some of the most complex challenges facing children today, including poor numeracy, inadequate support for pupils with dyslexia, and shortages of high-quality social workers.Ark's Finance team plays a vital role in enabling this mission. The team supports a diverse portfolio of ventures focused on improving education outcomes, by providing strong financial stewardship and strategic support.

Other Information

Our flexible working model offers the best of both worlds, balancing in person collaboration, in our state of the art West London office with the flexibility of remote working.

Our flexitime policy allows you to work your hours around our core hours of 10.00 - 16.00, helping you prioritise your work-life balance and personal commitments.

27 days annual leave plus bank holidays, rising with each year of service up to 30 days after 3-years' service. This entitlement is pro rata for part time employees. This entitlement excludes bank holidays.

Full office closure between Christmas and New Year.

As an Ark employee, you will have the opportunity to be part of the TPT (The Pension Trust) scheme, our workplace pension scheme where we make an 11% contribution; you are not required to contribute towards this scheme unless you choose to.

Access to high-quality professional learning throughout your career, offering both face-to-face sessions and a bespoke online learning platform.

Access to Ark Rewards scheme offering savings from over 3,000 major retailers, interest-free loans available for season tickets or a bike, gym discounts offering up to 40% off your local gym and free eye tests.

Apprenticeship details

• Course: Assistant accountant (level 3), Legal, finance and accounting
• Apprenticeship level: Advanced (level 3)
• Training provider: BPP PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION LIMITED
• Expected duration: 1 Year 6 Months
• Hours: 31 hours a week. Working week: Monday to Friday, 9.00am- 5.30pm. Flexible, 31 hours per week.
• Start date: 9 November 2026
• Positions available: 2
• Wage: £21,000 a year