Finance & AI Graduate Programme

Location: Huddersfield Company: Buy It Direct Salary: £26,500 - Increasing by up to £5,000 each year, based on performance milestones and experience Qualifications: Fully funded CIMA + AI development pathway Launch your career at the intersection of finance and AIAt Buy It Direct, you won't just train to become a qualified accountant; you'll play a hands-on role in transforming a fast-growing eCommerce business through AI and automation. This is a three-year graduate programme designed to fast-track you into a Finance Manager or Business Partner role, combining a professional qualification with real-world impact from day one. What you'll get

• Starting salary of £26,500 per annum
• Increasing by up to £5,000 each year, based on performance milestones and experience
• Fully funded CIMA qualification
• A structured development programme with clear progression
• Hands-on experience with AI, automation, and data-driven decision-making
• The opportunity to work on real projects that directly impact the business

The programmeYear 1 - Build your foundationsGet to grips with how finance works in a real business.

• Support month-end processes (journals, accruals, reconciliations)
• Assist with audits, reporting, and core finance operations
• Develop strong financial and analytical skills
• Begin your CIMA qualification
• Start using AI tools to support reporting and analysis

Year 2 - Take ownershipStep into more responsibility and start influencing decisions.

• Take ownership of parts of the month-end process
• Prepare VAT returns and balance sheet reconciliations
• Analyse performance vs budgets and forecasts
• Present insights to internal stakeholders
• Contribute to automation and AI-driven process improvements

Year 3 - Make an impactOperate at a Finance Manager / Business Partner level.

• Own management accounts for a business area
• Lead month-end and deliver accurate, timely reporting
• Partner with stakeholders across the business
• Provide insight and challenge to support better decisions
• Lead AI and automation initiatives to improve performance
• Mentor junior team members

What we're looking for

• A 2:1 degree (any discipline - we value mindset over subject)
• Motivation to complete a professional qualification (CIMA)
• A proactive approach and willingness to take ownership
• Curiosity about how businesses perform and grow
• Strong numerical and problem-solving skills
• Interest in technology, automation, and AI
• Resilience and adaptability in a fast-paced environment

Where this can take youBy the end of the programme, you'll be:

• A fully qualified management accountant
• A confident commercial thinker influencing business decisions
• Experienced in using AI and automation to improve performance
• Ready to step into a Finance Manager or Business Partner role

If you're looking for more than a traditional finance graduate role and want to be part of how technology is shaping the future of business, this is your opportunity You may have experience in the following: Finance Graduate, CIMA Graduate, Finance & AI Graduate, Graduate Management Accountant, Commercial Finance Graduate, Finance Analyst Graduate, Business Partner Graduate, Finance Automation Graduate, Accounting Graduate Programme REF-