Finance Controller Apprentice

Start your Finance career with Thames Water 

Join Thames Water as a Financial Controller Apprentice and gain hands-on experience working with skilled finance professionals. You’ll learn the ins and outs of accounting, reporting, and financial management, tackle meaningful projects. 

What you’ll be doing as a Financial Controller Apprentice:  

• Improve developer services by streamlining systems and processes.
• Ensure accurate financial recording, reconciliation, and timely period‑end close.
• Provide clear insights on results and key cost drivers.
• Prepare audit‑ready financial information and support year‑end.
• Enhance finance processes for efficiency and consistency.
• Support regulatory returns and monitor reporting requirements.
• Deliver ad‑hoc analysis to boost cost visibility and business cases. 

Where you will work:  

Location: Clearwater Court, Reading, RG1 8DB    

Hours: 36 hours a week across four working days plus one off-the-job training day 

Start date: September 2026  

Training and qualification: You’ll study with First Intuition, one of the UK’s leading finance training providers, through classroom and online learning, face-to-face and live online development days, with support from a dedicated skills coach and access to an online learning platform throughout your programme. 

Qualification achieved: Assistant Accountant Apprenticeship Standard Level 3 or Level 4 Professional Accounting Technician Apprenticeship Standard & AAT level 4  

Duration: Permanent contract with an 18-month structured programme 

What you should bring to the role:

• GCSE English and Maths (grade 9-4 / A-C)
• 3 A Levels (or predicted) in relevant subjects
• To be eligible for the Level 4 apprenticeship they need to have completed level 3 AAT or equivalent. If you do not hold the level 3 you will need to start at level 3
• Good communication and time management skills
• Able to work well in a team and independently 

 

What’s in it for you? 

• Excellent salary: £22,500 annum  

• Annual Leave: 24 days holiday per year increasing to 28 with the length of service (plus bank holidays)  

• Performance-related pay plan directly linked to company performance measures and targets  

• 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 meaningful career opportunities, flexible working arrangements and excellent benefits. 

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 of 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. 

We’re committed to being a great, diverse, and inclusive place to work. We welcome applications from everyone and want to ensure you feel supported throughout the recruitment process. If you need any adjustments, whether that’s extra time, accessible formats, or anything else just let us know, 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.