Finance Trainee

Join a dynamic and supportive specialist Finance team with debt obligations of over £16bn, annual group interest costs of c.£500m and a derivatives portfolio with a notional value of over £10bn as a Finance Trainee and gain hands-on experience and professional qualifications. This role is perfect for recent graduates or similarly qualified career starters with a keen interest in finance and a desire to develop their finance career in a fast-paced, professional environment.

What you’ll be doing as a Finance Trainee

Treasury activities

• Daily treasury cash operations. (including support for holiday cover)
• Weekly bank transaction clearing on SAP to support bank reconciliations.
• Development of reports within the Treasury Management System.
• Assist in compliance reporting.
• Assist in audit point actions, including procedures manuals, and the organisation of Treasury data.
• Assist in half-year and year-end financial and regulatory reporting, including interaction with the wider Finance team.
• Assist in the preparation of data for investor or shareholder presentations.
• Monitor departmental invoices and gain payment approvals.
• Monitor debt trading levels and produce analysis and reports.

Tax activities –

• Support the Indirect Tax Manager in preparing and submitting group-wide VAT returns to HMRC.
• Support the Direct Tax Manager in ensuring compliance with tax requirements for contract workers under IR35.
• Provide support as required for the activities of other members of the tax team.

Finance activities –

• Preparation of year-end and half-year accounts.
• Preparing balance sheet reconciliations and journals.
• Financial controls monitoring / reviews.
• Supporting the payment of amounts to our suppliers.
• Supporting our regulatory reporting and audit processes.
• Producing research into technical accounting topics.
• Supporting the running of our financial systems & fixed asset processes.
• On an ad hoc basis, provide support to the Corporate Finance team.

Base location: Reading - Hybrid

Working pattern: 36 Hours

What you should bring to the role

• An analytically minded professional with academic training in a numerate subject.
• Strong attention to detail.
• Good at building relationships, a team player and an effective communicator.
• Good MS Excel skills.
• Willing to learn.
• Enthusiasm in pursuing your career in finance.

What’s in it for you?

• Competitive salary of £35,480 per annum
• Annual Leave - 26 days holiday per year, increasing to 30 with the length of service (plus bank holidays)
• Generous Pension Scheme through AON
• Access to lots of benefits to help you take care of you and your family’s health and wellbeing, and your finances – from annual health MOTs and access to physiotherapy and counselling, to Cycle to Work schemes, shopping vouchers and life assurance.

Find out more about our benefits and perks

Who are we?

We’re the UK’s largest water and wastewater company, with more than 16 million customers relying on us every day to supply water for their taps and toilets. We want to build a better future for all, helping our customers, communities, people, and the planet to thrive. It’s a big job and we’ve got a long way to go, so we need help from passionate and skilled people, committed to making a difference and getting us to where we want to be in the years and decades to come.

Learn more about our purpose and values

Working at Thames Water

Thames Water is a unique, rewarding, and diverse place to work, where every day you can make a difference, yet no day is the same. As part of our family, you’ll enjoy fast-tracked career opportunities, flexible working arrangements and excellent benefits.
Whether you’re interested in a role in one of our call centres or science labs, we’re looking for people like you with real passion and a burning desire to make things better.

So, if you’re looking for a sustainable and successful career where you can make a daily difference to millions of people’s lives while helping to protect the world's water for future generations, we’ll be here to support you every step of the way. Together, we can build a better future for our customers, our region and our planet.

Real purpose, real support, real opportunities. Come and join the Thames Water family. Why choose us? Learn more.

Our overarching aim is to ensure that Thames Water is a great, diverse, and inclusive place to work. We welcome applications from everyone and offer extra support for those who need it throughout the recruitment process. Our aim is to remove any real or perceived barriers to success, so if you need assistance, we’re here to help and support.

When a crisis happens, we all rally around to support our customers. As part of Team Thames, you’ll have the opportunity to sign up to support our customers on the frontline as an ambassador. Full training will be given for what is undoubtedly an incredibly rewarding experience. It’s also a great opportunity to learn more about our business and meet colleagues.

Disclaimer: due to the high volume of applications we receive, we may close the advert earlier than the advertised date, so we encourage you to apply as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.