UCC Academy is the internal partner for accelerating the delivery of University College Cork’s priorities. We bring targeted professional capabilities and deep institutional knowledge to every engagement, enabling the University to achieve its strategic and operational goals.
We uniquely collaborate, innovate, advise, and operate with flexibility—ensuring our work is aligned with UCC’s evolving needs.
Mission
We harness our talent and best practices to support the delivery of UCC priorities, fostering a culture of excellence and continuous improvement. As part of the UCC group, we collaborate and operate flexibly and cost effectively to realise our mutually aligned goals.
Our Values
* Delivering Excellence and Value
* Success and Growth
* Wellbeing and Balance
* Trust and Collaboration
Role Overview
The Trainee Accountant supports the operational delivery of UCC Academy’s finance function, contributing to a wide range of financial activities including transactional processing, reporting, audit preparation, and compliance. Working under the guidance of the Finance Manager, this role offers hands-on experience across core finance processes and systems, while supporting the development of financial insights and controls.
This is a developmental role designed to build technical competence and professional confidence. The Trainee Accountant will engage with internal and external stakeholders, assist in maintaining financial records and systems, and contribute to continuous improvement initiatives. The role provides a strong foundation for part-qualified accountants who are looking to develop their skills and professional experience while working as part of a finance team.
Key Responsibilities
* Accurately process routine financial transactions, ensuring compliance with internal controls and reporting deadlines.
* Perform Balance Sheet reconciliations for key subledger accounts, identifying discrepancies and escalating unresolved issues.
* Support the preparation of weekly and monthly cashflow reports, including variance analysis and commentary.
* Assist in the production of statutory financial accounts and reconciliation schedules, ensuring completeness and accuracy.
* Support the timely and accurate preparation of monthly accounts.
* Assist with banking and treasury activities, including preparation of VAT, PSWT, and other regulatory returns.
* Help prepare external funding body claims, ensuring accuracy with requirements.
* Contribute to the development of budgets and forecasts under guidance.
* Support procurement governance by maintaining the procurement contracts database and assisting with third-party tendering processes.
* Assist with processing vendor payments and verifying approvals in line with financial controls.
* Maintain and update financial records including intercompany schedules and Chart of Accounts (COA).
* Support the preparation of financial reports for internal and external stakeholders.
Audit & Compliance
* Assist with the external annual audit, preparing documentation and resolving queries.
* Support internal audit activities and contribute to strengthening internal controls.
* Ensure adherence to data protection and compliance requirements in all financial activities.
Process Management
* Support the integrity and maintenance of the Financial Management system.
* Collaborate on process improvement initiatives within the Finance and Business Information function.
* Liaise with the Data team to support the development of financial dashboards and reporting tools.
Systems & Administration
* Assist with system administration tasks including user setup and COA updates
* Support the use of financial platforms.
* Liaise with third-party service providers to support service delivery and compliance.
Requirements
* Currently pursuing or recently completed a professional accounting qualification (e.g. ACA, ACCA, CIMA, CPA) or equivalent.
* 2 years’ experience in a finance role or equivalent.
* Strong understanding of basic accounting principles and financial processes.
* Experience with transactional finance activities (e.g. AP/AR, payroll, reconciliations).
* Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and familiarity with accounting software (e.g. Xero, ADP, or similar).
* Ability to manage multiple tasks and meet tight deadlines with accuracy.
* Strong attention to detail and commitment to data integrity.
* Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to work collaboratively across teams.
* Demonstrated ability to handle confidential information with discretion.
Conditions of Employment
* Employment Type: Full-time. A six-month probationary period will apply.
* Eligibility: You must be eligible to work in Ireland to be considered for the role.
* Salary on commencement: €38,000– €52,006 per annum.
* Term: Permanent on successful completion of a 6-month probationary period.
* Annual Leave: 25 Days plus up to 5 discretionary Company Days.
* Pension: Company Defined Contribution Pension Scheme available after 6 months in post.
* Location: Our place of work is the Western Gateway Building, UCC.
UCC Academy is an equal opportunities employer
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