Overview

Finance Apprentice | Chichester | Launch Your Career in Finance

If you join us as a Finance Apprentice, you'll gain hands-on experience in Accounts Payable and Accounts Receivable, learning the fundamentals of finance in a fast-paced business with a turnover of over £400m. As you grow in confidence, you'll have the opportunity to explore other areas of finance, including management accounting, reporting, and financial planning.

We'll also support you in studying for your AAT qualification (Level 2/3), giving you dedicated study time, expert guidance, and real-world experience every step of the way.

If you're keen to join a friendly team, learn, grow, and build a long-term career in finance, we'd love to hear from you.

What you get from us

Fully funded study support towards a recognised accounting qualification, including study leave
A structured, supportive rotation through the finance function with real responsibility from day one
A dedicated workplace mentor and regular progress reviews
The opportunity to build a long-term career in finance within a growing food manufacturing business
A collaborative, down-to-earth finance team culture
Profit-share bonus scheme
Employer matched pension
Health cash plan
Cycle to work scheme
Colleague discounts, e.g. Gym membership & shopping discounts
Star Awards
Flexibility in pay frequency each month
Access to online GP
Employee assistance programme

How we'll support your growth

Phase 1 - Accounts Payable & Accounts Receivable (approx. first 9-12 months)

Process supplier invoices, matching to purchase orders and delivery notes, and resolving queries
Prepare supplier payment runs and support day-to-day cash management
Reconcile supplier statements and maintain accurate vendor records
Raise sales invoices and credit notes, ensuring accuracy against customer contracts and pricing
Monitor the sales ledger, chase outstanding debt, and support credit control activity
Perform bank and ledger reconciliations
Respond to internal and external queries from suppliers, customers, and colleagues
Support month-end AP/AR close activities, including accruals and prepayments

Phase 2 - Rotation into wider finance (indicative, subject to business need)

Management accounts: assisting with journal postings, balance sheet reconciliations, and variance analysis
FP&A: supporting budgeting, forecasting, and reporting cycles, including exposure to departmental and consolidated reporting
Fixed assets / capex: assisting with capex tracking and asset register maintenance
Exposure to audit support activity and basic technical accounting under guidance

Phase 3 - Specialisation and qualification

Building towards a defined role within the finance team aligned to the apprentice's strengths and interests
Completing the apprenticeship qualification, including end-point assessment

Your Key Responsibilities

Deliver accurate, timely transactional processing within agreed controls and deadlines
Build strong working relationships with suppliers, customers, and internal stakeholders across the business
Maintain data integrity within the finance systems (e.g. accounting/ERP system)
Identify and help resolve discrepancies, escalating where appropriate
Contribute to continuous improvement of finance processes and controls
Complete apprenticeship coursework, assignments, and off-the-job training hours as required
Adhere to NWF's policies, including data confidentiality and financial controls

Skills & Experience

Essential

A-Levels or equivalent, ideally including a numerate subject
Strong numerical accuracy and attention to detail
Good working knowledge of Microsoft Excel and Office
Clear written and verbal communication skills
A genuine interest in building a career in finance/accounting
Well organised, able to manage deadlines and prioritise a varied workload
A proactive, curious approach and willingness to learn
Comfortable working as part of a team and building relationships across departments

Desirable

Some prior exposure to a finance or administrative environment (e.g. part-time work, work experience)
Experience with accounting or ERP software
Interest in the food manufacturing/FMCG sector

Nature’s Way Foods is the leading manufacturer of prepared salads, coleslaw and “food-to-go” for retailers and QSR, and as such we work closely with farmers across Europe. But there’s lots more to us than the products we make.

Our culture is inclusive, and our people are diverse spanning 39 different languages. We operate four manufacturing facilities capable of producing over 326m units per year. It is an exciting time to join Nature’s Way Foods as we are growing rapidly and there are genuine opportunities to progress within the organisation.

Interested?

Click apply, submitting an up-to-date CV including an introductory statement explaining why you are interested un a finance career and this apprenticeship. We look forward to hearing from you.

At Nature's Way Food, we believe that diversity and inclusion are key to driving innovation and achieving excellence. We are committed to creating a workplace where everyone feels valued, respected, and empowered to reach their full potential. We are dedicated to building a diverse team that reflects the communities we serve and the world we live in.

Join us in our mission to create a more inclusive and fairer world. Together, we can become best at fresh.

Natures Way Foods Ltd

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