Applications for July 2024 start are now open.

Gap year placements provide invaluable hands on experience unobtainable through study alone. We will give you responsibility from the beginning and support all the way.

Hillier Hopkins take pride in our opportunity for university students seeking to complete a years work placement in their penultimate year.

We have had feedback from many previous Gap students who found the year not only invaluable for the range of work they complete but how it also makes sense of some of their University modules.

We give you exposure to real work from Day 1 and provide you with support from our expert and successful team members who you will get to know as friends.

If the placement year is successful, it can lead to securing a place after Graduation on our 3 year ACA programme.

Your Role

• Ensure the planning, prioritising and allocation of all relevant client audit (and some accounts preparation) work ensuring effective team briefings and overall workflow.
• Ensure establishment of scope and budget for each piece of client work and ensure adequate briefing to team members.
• Ensure satisfactory completion of all client work in line with agreed budget ensuring adherence to relevant standards and procedures such that the completed work can be easily reviewed and signed off by a Principal.
• Monitor work progress and ensure appropriate levels of communication with clients and team on progress for each project or task.
• Ensure proactive management of instances where the ‘work done’ exceeds the agreed client fee to ensure agreement of a mutually acceptable outcome.
• Return phone calls and written correspondence in accordance with service standards and agreed deadlines with clients and third parties.
• Maximising of billing and chargeable inputs. Minimisation of non-chargeable inputs and write-offs.
• Taking and developing opportunities to promote the good name of the Firm.Any additional ad-hoc duties

Key skills and behaviors required

• Organisational Ability: Demonstrated by the ability to prioritise and manage delegated tasks.
• Technical Excellence: To understand Auditing Standards and basic accounting concepts, including double entry bookkeeping.
• Training & Development: Ask for feedback from all jobs completed and improve on the areas highlighted. Liaise with managers about areas you need training on, which will be indicated by the feedback received.
• Quality Control: Through all jobs you deal with, ensure that the accounts process complies with applicable standards. Check that testing completed follows the audit programme and does not just replicate prior year.
• Team Player: Demonstrated by the ability to work successfully for multiple supervisors, managers and Audit Seniors. Accept responsibility for delegated activities.
• Client Relationships: Working with clients and inspiring confidence through effective communication.

Academic Requirements

• GCSE English Language and Mathematics at Grade B or above
• Good A Level Grades with a  minimum of 300 UCAS points (pre 2017) or 120 UCAS points (post 2017) from 3 grades
• An undergraduate expecting a degree result of 2:1 or above

The position is based from our Watford office requiring travel to other offices and client premises.

‘Taking a gap year from university to become a work placement student at Hillier Hopkins has provided me with invaluable experience that has allowed me to get a whole year’s head start in the Accounting world. It has been a tough year for everyone due to COVID-19 and working from home has been a new experience, but the teaching and training has been non-stop since starting my placement. I have always been warmly welcomed into any team that I’ve worked with and everyone has been very helpful in making sure I was exposed to all the key areas of accounting and audit. I would highly recommend Hillier Hopkins as a great company to start your professional career!.’ – Anjali Dave Dukes, Work Placement Associate