Finance Analyst Apprentice

We are looking for a numerically talented and highly motivated apprentice who is interested in pursuing an accounting career within the insurance industry.

The successful applicant will primarily support the day to day running of the accounting team within the Insurance Centre of Excellence. The team is responsible for production of quarterly financial reporting on various metrics and annual accounts and regulatory reports.

We are also responsible for end to end oversight of various providers of financial data required to manage the financial position of two insurance companies. Excellent controls are a vital part of financial reporting and you will help maintain process and control documentation. The team is also involved in various projects and there will be opportunities to be involved in system migrations and continuous improvement activity, working closely with our IT colleagues.

The apprentice will also have an opportunity to learn more about insurance products, different asset classes and develop an awareness of actuarial liabilities.

The M&G plc Financial Reporting & Control team within Finance supports and enables the business to grow successfully. To support this, we have five key priorities:

Build exceptional talent – attract and retain the best talent in the industry, with advanced skills and capability and diverse perspectives
More valued relationships – deepen partnership with the business to support growth ambitions
Deliver external reporting – produce leading financial and non-financial reporting within a reduced working day timetable
Strengthen our controls – strengthen the risk and control culture, with clear ownership and responsibilities, enhanced monitoring and management of risks, and deliver the control improvement plan
Transform our function – embed ‘Centres of Excellence’ model, clarify roles and responsibilities and simplify governance to enable effective decision making

This Junior Finance Analyst role will sit within the Insurance Financial Reporting & Controls team and contribute to the achievement of one or more of these outcomes in order to deliver the vision for Finance.

Your daily duties may include:

Monthly reconciliation and oversight of financial operational reconciliations
Preparing working files in advance of quarterly reporting
Maintenance of mappings for financial reporting and liaising with IT teams for any updates required
Running data loads and trial balances to complete sub entity accounting for inclusion in quarterly reporting outputs
Assisting with change activity which impacts financial reporting production
Providing ad hoc support to wider team as and when required
You will also get exposure to a number of different projects and initiatives within the team, providing accounting support where applicable
A chance to participate and contribute in regular team meetings. The regular team meetings offer the team a chance to chair the meetings, present new ideas, challenge the status quo and discuss priorities for the week ahead

Key Knowledge, Skills & Experience:

Good and confident communication skills, both written and verbal

High level of accuracy and good attention to detail

Structured approach to work and very well organised. Ability to prioritise and meet deadlines

Basic understanding of MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)

Good numerical skills

A proactive team player who is confident about working with others but also independently and can promptly escalate any issue and work remotely where required

Logical and analytical approach coupled with intelligence, passion and a drive to learn

Ability to formulate own opinions by thinking analytically about problems

We are looking for a confident individual with a positive outlook, can-do attitude, and aspiration to want to progress.

We are looking for someone that looks at problems and situations differently – how can this be done better?

The successful applicant will have powerful desire to learn and a genuine interest in Accounting.

Applicants who succeed with us are self-motivated, capable of building and maintaining relationships and work effectively as part of a team.

The applicant would ideally have an inquisitive nature and be curious. The successful applicant should feel confident to use their own initiative and work alone where required.

Qualification Required:

As a minimum, candidate will have either 5 National 5s with Maths and English grades 4+ and 2 Highers with good grades in Maths and English (A-C).

Future Prospects:

Upon completion of the apprenticeship, there may be opportunities for career progression within our Finance Centre of Excellence team or other relevant departments based on performance, business needs, and available opportunities. . If recruited into a permanent role, the individual will follow the career progression applicable to the specific role/department.

Training Provided:

As a Finance Analyst Apprentice with M&G, you will undertake the Accounting SCQF Level 6 Apprenticeship. The apprenticeship will be delivered through a blend of live online learning, pre-recorded lectures, and face to face inductions and masterclasses

This is a fixed term contract for 12 months upon which the business may decide to retain, subject to the Apprentice performance, headcount, and available funding. If recruited into a permanent role, the individual will follow the career progression applicable to the specific role/department.