Public Sector Audit 12 Month Placement Programme (Summer 2025)

More than you expected

Grant Thornton UK LLP is part of a global network of independent audit, tax and advisory firms, made up of some 73,000 people in over 150 countries. We're a team of independent thinkers who put quality, inclusion and integrity first. All around the world we bring a different experience to our clients. A better experience. One that delivers the expertise they need in a way that goes beyond. Personal, proactive, and agile. That's Grant Thornton.

Great minds. Nothing alike.

Get to know us, our clients and start learning more about yourself. As a 12 month placement student, you’ll be connecting with the issues our clients are facing, providing independent advice so they can confidently do what is right and make the best decisions for the future. The constantly evolving landscape calls for an approach that puts what is right first and you will need to push ideas harder and ask difficult questions, giving our clients the assurance they need.

Our Audit and Assurance practice is comprised of over 10 different teams and over 50 partners. We audit over 8,000 entities annually, ranging from FTSE and AIM listed groups to small and medium sized enterprises. There’ll be challenges along the way, but you’ll be supported and able to meet each one with a solution. That’s how you excel here.

Our Not for Profit Audit team is part of our wider Audit and Assurance practice, and is currently going through an exciting period of expansion. This provides a unique opportunity to join a dedicated practice and help shape the future of our work within the sector and grow our business. Our Not for Profit client base includes a variety of well-known charities, higher education institutions and independent schools, meaning that the clients we work with cover a wide range of organisations in the sector.

A look into your future

Our 12-month placement programme is designed so you can experience life working right at the heart of the business. Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll experience during your year with us:

• Hands on experience in the different aspects of audit, with a variety of clients, from NHS trusts to Fire Authorities and Local Councils
• Our portfolio of clients includes the biggest and most significant of local public bodies, including household names as Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, the Metropolitan Police and the majority of England’s core cities.
• You’ll get experience working on all kinds of projects with work including the application of state of the art data analytics tools and techniques, that include the automated interrogation of financial information systems
• Responsibility and the opportunity to take ownership for interesting and challenging client work
• You’ll develop a great internal and external network to learn from
• You’ll be required to spend time going out to work at client sites
• Working closely with colleagues to provide robust challenge and market leading insights to help clients meet their regulatory needs and business objectives
• On the job learning, alongside structured training
• At the end of the programme, you’ll have gained a wide range of skills and experience which will support your learning and development back at university and when you return to the workplace

Knowing that you’re right for us

We’ve set ambitious growth targets for the firm, and we need the right people to help us achieve these. We’re looking for people who will bring ambition and drive to their role. In changing markets, we need to be able to work at pace and be adaptable to change and to be curious, asking questions of ourselves, each other and our clients to ensure we are delivering the services and quality we expect.

We’ve got an adaptable approach to academic entry requirements, and we’ll consider these alongside your strengths and motivations. We’re looking for people who want to contribute, spark fresh ideas and go beyond expectations. People who want to be able to proudly do what’s right, for the firm, our clients, our people and themselves.

How we work

We have a trust-based way of working at Grant Thornton, driven by responsible people who have the best interests of our firm and our clients at heart. Our teams work between our offices, client sites and at their homes. As a trainee, in-person working is important and is a great way to help you learn even more about the firm and the work we do, as well building relationships and connections with your peers. Once you know the team you will be joining, we will advise of their working patterns, and of course where required there is flex within this.

Knowing we’re right for you

The culture at Grant Thornton is what sets us apart, we’re known for our inclusive culture and creating environments where all our people can flourish. The things that set you apart, we value them, and this helps us all to perform at our best.

Our values are the unwavering principles that shape our daily behaviours and decisions, alongside our drive to do the right thing. We’re looking for people who align with our values and are purposefully driven, curious and candid but kind.

It’s not just about our culture and values, in additional to a competitive salary and reward package, us you’ll also get:

• Tailored development programmes and access to coaching
• Adaptable bank holidays – allowing you to celebrate the days that are important to you
• Benefits including pension, life assurance and private medical, additional holiday purchasing and health benefits
• Anytime benefits giving you access to shopping discounts, gym memberships, financial advice

And more. Visit our benefits section to read more.

Beyond the job

Life is more than work. Our framework for how we work outlines our approach to agile working, and together with your people manager and team, you’ll decide the best way of working, for your clients, your team and for you. Everyone here enjoys a competitive salary, and you’ll receive our core benefits including, life assurance, income protection and private medical cover plus access to a range of voluntary benefits to choose from focused on health, family and wellbeing.

The impact you can make here will go far beyond your day job. From secondments, to fundraising for local charities, or investing in entrepreneurs in the developing world, you’ll be giving back to society. It’s that drive to do the right thing that runs through our every move, grounded in our firm’s values – purposefully driven, actively curious and candid but kind.

You deserve the best start to your career. Come to where you’ll learn more, where you won’t limit yourself, and where you’ll discover exactly what you’re capable of. Choose Grant Thornton. It’s how it should be.

Before applying, we would encourage you to visit our employability hub to get a feel for what it’s like to start your career with us and to get some hints and tips for the next stage in our process.