Finance Trainee

£25,000 - £30,000 per annum plus benefits including study support

Reports to: Finance Manager

Directorate: Finance, Governance & Assurance

Contract: Permanent

Hours: Full time 35 hours per week

Location: Location Office-based with high flexibility (1-2 days per week in the office)

Closing date: 19 October 2026 23:55

Visa sponsorship: You must be eligible to work in the UK to apply for this vacancy. Cancer Research UK is not able to offer visa sponsorship.
Recruitment process: 1 -2 stage competency-based interview Interview date: W/C 26 October 2026

At Cancer Research UK, we exist to beat cancer.

As a Finance Trainee, you'll join Cancer Research UK's Finance Training Academy, where you'll build a broad range of skills while working in a fast-paced and supportive environment. Through rotations across a variety of business-critical finance functions, you'll gain valuable hands-on experience while studying towards your ACCA or CIMA qualification.

Supported by qualified accountants and experienced managers, you'll receive comprehensive on-the-job training and development, helping you apply your studies in a practical setting and accelerate your professional growth.

This is an excellent opportunity to launch your career in finance. You'll gain exposure to a wide range of disciplines across the finance function, from transactional accounting and treasury through to financial reporting, business partnering, and financial analysis, providing a well-rounded foundation for a successful finance career.

Your day-to-day responsibilities will vary depending on the team you're working in, the stage of your training programme, and your progress towards qualification, ensuring a varied and rewarding learning experience.

What will I be doing?

As part of the Finance Training Academy, you'll complete a series of rotations across our finance function, gaining experience in a variety of specialist areas. Each rotation will have clear objectives and development opportunities, helping you build technical expertise and progress towards your professional qualification.

You may gain experience in:

Transactional Finance

Processing donations, income and financial transactions accurately and efficiently.

Supporting Accounts Payable activities, including supplier invoice processing and payments.

Assisting with pension administration and responding to member queries.

Contributing to financial controls and reconciliations to ensure the accuracy of financial records.

Financial Accounting & Control

Supporting the preparation of year-end accounts and statutory reporting.

Assisting with audit processes and maintaining strong financial controls.

Completing balance sheet and account reconciliations.

Identifying opportunities to improve processes, controls and ways of working across the finance function.

Management Accounting & Reporting

Supporting month-end activities, including accruals, prepayments and financial reviews.

Assisting with the preparation of monthly and quarterly management reports.

Gaining exposure to key accounting areas such as payroll, fixed assets and investments.

Helping improve reporting processes and the quality of financial information.

Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A)

Supporting budgeting, forecasting and financial planning activities.

Producing financial analysis, variance commentary and management insights.

Working with stakeholders across the charity to understand financial performance and future requirements.

Providing ad hoc analysis and reporting to support business decision-making.

What We're Looking For

Skills & Knowledge

Strong numerical, analytical and problem-solving skills.

Good Excel and IT skills, with confidence using spreadsheets and financial systems.

Excellent attention to detail and accuracy.

Strong organisational skills and the ability to manage competing priorities.

A customer-focused approach with the confidence to build positive relationships with a range of stakeholders.

Behaviours

Motivated and eager to learn, with a genuine interest in finance.

Able to work independently while contributing positively to a team environment.

Committed to delivering high-quality work and meeting deadlines.

Open to new ideas and opportunities for continuous improvement.

A collaborative and professional approach that reflects Cancer Research UK's values and mission.

Qualifications & Experience

A strong interest in pursuing a professional accounting qualification (ACCA or CIMA).

Demonstrates the commitment and motivation required to balance work and professional studies.

Our organisation values are designed to guide all that we do.

Bold: Act with ambition, courage and determination  

Credible: Act with rigour and professionalism   

Human: Act to have a positive impact on people  

Together: Act inclusively and collaboratively

We’re looking for people who can believe in and embody these organisation values and can use them to drive forward progress against our mission to beat cancer.

If you’re interested in applying and excited about working with us but are unsure if you have the right skills and experience we’d still love to hear from you.

What will I gain?

We create a working environment that supports your wellbeing and provide a generous benefits package, a wide range of career and personal development opportunities and high-quality tools. Our policies and processes enable you to improve your work-life balance, take positive steps in your career and achieve your personal wellbeing goals.

You can explore our benefits by visiting our careers web page.

How do I apply?

We operate an anonymised shortlisting process in our commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion. CVs are required for all applications; but we won’t be able to view them until we invite you for an interview. Instead, we ask you to complete the work history section of the online application form for us to be able to assess you fairly and objectively.

Please note that applications can’t be edited once submitted.

Owing to the nature of this position, any offer of employment for this role will be subject to a satisfactory basic DBS check.

For more information on this career opportunity please visit our website or contact us at recruitment@cancer.org.uk.  

For more updates on our work and careers, follow us on: Linked In, Facebook, Instagram, X and YouTube.

Our vision is to create a charity where everyone feels like they belong, benefits from and participates in, the work we do. We actively encourage applications from people of all backgrounds and cultures, in particular those from ethnic minority backgrounds who are currently under-represented.

We want to see every candidate performing at their best throughout the job application process, interview process and whilst at work. We therefore ask you to inform us of any concerns you have or any adjustments you might need to enable this to happen. Please contact recruitment@cancer.org.uk or 020 3469 8400 as soon as possible. 

Unfortunately, we are unable to recruit anyone below the age of 18, so that we can protect young people from health & safety and safeguarding risks.