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About Accountancy
Entry Requirements
Training
Development

About Accountancy
Standard Life could not work without accountants. Effective money management, forward - planning and reporting of results are critical in any business - but in a financial services organisation, they are absolutely essential. Accountants make a big contribution to important business decisions, such as whether to expand into a new country or develop a new product. It is also essential to keep up with regulatory changes, and adopt and implement new accounting standards.

At Standard Life, you'll train as a Chartered Accountant while working at the leading edge of the industry. Based in the Finance Shared Service Centre (FSSC) division, you'll follow a professional training programme laid out by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland (ICAS), qualifying after three years. You can find out more at www.icas.org.uk.

Entry Requirements
You need to have:

• A strong academic record, with a first or 2:1 in accountancy, business, maths or a science-related degree
• An analytical mind
• A strong desire to achieve
• Excellent communication skills
• The ability to be a team player

Training
As well as various internal training, you'll attend block release or intensive courses run by ICAS in Edinburgh. You'll be given a good amount of study leave, but you'll also be expected to study in your own time to pass three sets of exams. These are:

• Test of Competence (from which Accountancy graduates are exempt)
• Test of Professional Skills
• Test of Professional Expertise.

Exams are a combination of case studies and short technical questions. Throughout the training period you'll have individual support from an ICAS tutor, who will mark your home exercises and mock exams. You must also complete an Achievement Log. This records your work experience, and ensures that you meet required competences for admission to ICAS at the end of your training contract. Read on for more details.

Development

As an accountancy trainee, you’ll be based in the FSSC Division, and follow a programme of six-month placements in a variety of departments including: FSSC Consolidation Team, Life and Pensions Financial Reporting, Standard Life Investment Finance, Standard Life Bank Finance and Internal Audit. You'll work to a three-year development plan, which is reviewed annually.

On each secondment, you’ll work for a manager (usually a qualified CA), and follow agreed objectives. To help you know exactly how you’re getting on, every three months you’ll meet with your mentor to discuss your progress.

You'll also have formal and informal meetings with your assigned Training Principal and Counselling Member. You'll discuss your progress and, towards the end of your training programme, the various permanent positions that are available to you when you qualify.

Closing Date
We’ll be accepting applications for summer 2009 from September 2008, however as vacancies are generally filled by November, we recommend you apply early.