Our team at Holy Brook is what makes us special and most of our staff are long term (even our 2024 intern has ended up staying over a year!), so we don’t often recruit. However, to keep up with the increasing demand for our services and as part of our commitment to keep our impact growing, we’ve decided now is the time to recruit our first ever graduate trainee.
If you know someone who is excited about taking a first step in an accountancy career, and wants to combine tehcnical training with meaningful real-world impact for organisations that matter – please share this role with them.
About Holy Brook
At Holy Brook Accountants, we’re a specialist accountancy practice dedicated to supporting charities, social enterprises and purpose-led organisations: our goal is to make accountancy work for their mission. The work we do strengthens communities and helps these organisations stay financially resilient, freeing them to focus on the people and causes they serve.
Recognised as Reading Internship Scheme’s Employer of the Year 2025, we’ve built a reputation for nurturing early-career talent. After years of welcoming and supporting interns from the University of Reading, we are now looking to recruit our first graduate trainee!
About the role
This role is designed for a motivated graduate who is excited by the idea of combining technical training with meaningful, real-world impact. From day one, you will be trusted, challenged and genuinely valued. We’re a small, close-knit team, but we work with over 100 purpose-driven clients across the UK. Our size means we are agile, collaborative and deeply connected to the organisations we support. For you, it means genuine responsibility, real variety and abundant opportunities to grow with the support of experienced colleagues.
What you will do
As a Graduate Trainee Accountant, you will build a strong foundation in accountancy and learn quickly by doing real work that matters. As your career develops you can expect to:
- Aid the preparation of year-end accounts for companies, and not-for-profits
- Support clients with bookkeeping, VAT returns and management reports
- Learn to use cloud accounting tools such as Xero and QuickBooks, and will be encouraged to obtain their certifications.
- Assist with independent examinations and charity-specific reporting
- Build strong working relationships with clients and learn how to work with them effectively
- Develop an understanding of payroll processes
- Support content creation, such as writing blog posts and updating our social media.
- Contribute to a diverse range of internal projects that shape how our small firm grows.
What you will gain
Your growth matters to us, which is why we’ll give you the freedom to choose the qualification that aligns with your ambitions. Whether you pursue CIMA, ACA or ACCA, we will invest fully in your development.
You’ll benefit from:
- Full study support toward your chosen professional qualification (CIMA/ACA/ACCA)
- A competitive salary, reviewed regularly as you progress – we are a National Living Employer.
- Personal mentoring and direct support from the founder of the business, offering unique access and accelerated learning.
- 25 days’ holiday plus bank holidays.
- Discounted gym membership offering multi-access to over 100+ fitness and wellness centres all over the UK.
- A generous pension – we are a certified living pension employer.
- Hybrid working – while we operate from a modern shared office space in Reading town centre, we also allow home working
Who we are looking for
Potential comes in many forms, so we welcome applicants from any degree discipline, provided you’re on track for, or have achieved, a 2:1 or above. What matters most is that you have a real enthusiasm for a career in accounting and a commitment to pursuing your professional qualification. We welcome candidates from all backgrounds – we are a diverse team and we appreciate the life experience you may bring.
This role is suitable for candidates who are:
- Curious and eager to learn, with a growth mindset – someone who is not afraid to ask questions and is active in developing their skills.
- Excellent communicators who enjoy working collaboratively in a team.
- Comfortable working with numbers and strengthening their analytical skills.
- Conscientious and organised – a strong attention to detail and a commitment to producing accurate work.
- Genuinely interested in working with charities and not-for-profit organisations as well as small businesses.
- Motivated and proactive, willing to take ownership and initiative.
- Adaptable and open to taking on a variety of tasks in a small, supportive team.
- Keen to work and be based in Reading
- Note that, as we are not a VISA sponsor, you must have the right to work in the UK to apply
How to apply
We don’t believe in an onerous process, but we want to know why you are the right person for this role and we are the right team for you. Candidates should submit the following before 5pm on Monday 16th March.
- Your CV
- A cover letter expressing why you have applied for this role and why you think you would be the right person for it.
If we are able to shortlist you, we will contact you shortly after the deadline to schedule an interview.
