Help make sure public money is spent effectively. And gain exposure to a surprising variety of work that might not be as available in other areas of Assurance.
Find out more about Assurance
Assurance
What we do
We audit 15% of local government and health bodies. In central government, we have framework contracts with the National Audit Office to deliver financial and value for money audits. And we also have numerous clients in the education, housing and voluntary sectors. So you'll learn a huge amount about many different types of public organisation.
Plus our successful partnerships with consortia and internal audit teams in public sector organisations offer yet another area to gain experience in as you train.
Our services range from external and internal audit to compliance work, from risk management to value-for-money reviews. We also provide newsletters, tailored advice and training to clients on the latest developments in accounting and corporate governance. A recent example is the imminent adoption of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) by public sector organisations.
What you'll do
The sheer variety is what attracts many people to Public Services Assurance.
As part of audit teams working on-site at clients, you’ll help check that accounts are true and fair. You'll work anywhere from NHS trusts to local authorities, from charities to government agencies, often spending weeks at a time on assignment and occasionally based away from home.
You'll work mostly in large teams and on large clients. But sometimes you might see a job through from start to finish on your own - from planning through execution to writing up a report. This will be challenging, pressurised even. But you'll be fully supported and we're confident you'll find it both rewarding and career-enhancing. You might also experience ad hoc projects - such as due diligence, allowing you to develop useful consulting skills; or non-audit regulatory compliance work, building your technical knowledge.
Overseas assignments are possible too. Some of our trainees have enjoyed stints working on corporate clients abroad.
Our culture
In Public Services Assurance, we know our work can lead to greater efficiencies, improved performance, fewer risks and better public services. And that means you'll enjoy the satisfaction of seeing the results of your work in the public arena. Many of our projects are reported in the news and discussed by the public.
Because of our links with public services, many of our people are actively involved in the community affairs projects that form part of PwC’s corporate responsibility agenda. We’ll encourage you to take part too. The chances are you’ll not only find it personally rewarding but also a surprising way to develop your professional skills.
Training & development
You’ll not only benefit from technical training (in the form of study for the ACA qualification). You’ll also enjoy regular, first-class, on-the-job development. As well as a coach to help you identify your development needs, you’ll have a partner who'll act as your mentor.
Although you'll be fully supported by a personalised development plan, we'll expect you to take responsibility for your own development. That means recognising if you need to boost things like your time management, project planning or report-writing skills, and investigating the resources we have to help you.
After your initial training, you'll have the chance to broaden your experience. You might decide to investigate other areas of Assurance, different clients, project work or even another part of the firm. In the process, you'll become a more rounded assurance professional and gain a better idea of where you’d like your career to take you.
About you
You'll need to be committed to delivering outstanding results for our clients, good with detail and highly numerate. Shrewd judgement, and people and teamwork skills are equally crucial. Our most successful people are also flexible about the work they do and where they do it.
In addition, within Public Services Assurance, we're keen to see a proven interest in the government and public sectors, and a real motivation to work for the good of public services organisations.
You'll also need a 2.1 in any discipline plus 300 UCAS points (or equivalent).
If you’re looking for huge variety, and work of immense interest that’s relevant to everyone, join Public Services Assurance.