NIAO: About Us

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What does the NIAO do?

Our objectives are to provide effective support to the Northern Ireland Assembly in its task of holding Departments and their Agencies to account for their use of public money and effective local government audit. We also aim to provide support to Northern Ireland public sector bodies in their pursuit of improved financial reporting and value for money, including support for efforts to combat public sector fraud. So this isn’t routine auditing. It’s about detailed investigations, commentary on financial controls and the joint development of best practice.

The people served by Government come from every walk of life - and so do we. Not just in terms of race, age and gender, but professional background too. We recruit people from every kind of academic institution and employer, creating an exceptional pool of insight that ensures extremely effective performance. But different as they may be, all our people have certain things in common. Like us, they’re committed to promoting accountability and the best use of public money. To achieve this we provide objective information, advice and assurance on the use of public funds and encourage the highest standards of financial management and reporting and propriety in the conduct of public business.

How can I find out more?

You can visit our website at www.niauditoffice.gov.uk

Here you will have access to:

general information on the role of the office
published reports of the office and related press releases, and
corporate and planning information.

Other useful websites include:

How do I apply?

NIAO Graduate Trainee Accountant vacancies are advertised on our website and in the following newspapers:

Belfast Telegraph - Tuesday edition
Irish News - Thursday edition
Newsletter - Thursday edition.

Application forms will only be available when a position has been advertised.

Application forms may be obtained by writing to:

Central Services Branch,
NI Audit Office,
106 University Street,
Belfast, BT7 1EU.

or emailing: info@niauditoffice.gov.uk

Before forwarding a completed application form, you should, by reference to the Job Specification and Information for Applicants leaflet, ensure that you are eligible to apply and that the form is fully completed. Incomplete application forms will not be considered. CVs, letters, or any other supplementary material will not be accepted in place of, or in addition to, completed application forms.

Entry Requirements

GCSE level Mathematics and English at Grade C or above
Honours Degree in any discipline at 2:1 or above, either obtained or expected before the date of appointment.

Selection Process

Your completed application form will be used to determine whether you will be called to undertake an aptitude test. If you are successful at this stage you will be selected for an interview.

For 2008 competition, the timetable will be

Advertise WB 10th March

Closing date Friday 28th March

Aptitude test WB 7th April

Interview* Monday 28th April to Wed 7th May

Offers Monday 12th May

Start Date Mon 1st September

For subsequent years

Advert Early November

Closing date End of November

Aptitude test 1st Week December

Interview 2nd Week January

Offers End January

Start Date September

What’s in it for me?

NIAO will offer you:

A very attractive/competitive starting salary of of £19,514 rising to £25,713 on qualification;
Up to five weeks annual (personal) leave plus 12 public holidays;
An opportunity to gain a recognised professional accountancy qualifications;
A generous training contract with paid time off to attend professional training with the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA), day release for class, paid study leave, payment of professional fees, examination bonuses and relevant on-the-job training.
Excellent advancement and career opportunities following successful attainment of your professional accountancy qualification;
Paid maternity/paternity/special leave, subject to conditions;
Flexible working hours;
Use of in-house Fitness Suite; option to join the NICS Sports Association (facilities at the Maynard Sinclair Pavilion in the Stormont Estate) and the NIAO Sports and Social Club (providing a range of sports and social events); and
Option to join a private healthcare scheme at attractive rates.

What is the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA)?

The Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) is one of the six professional accountancy bodies in the United Kingdom. It is the leading authority on accountancy and financial management for the public services.

CIPFA Northern Ireland was set up in 1994 to “improve the quality of financial management and management throughout the public services in Northern Ireland”. It assists public service managers find solutions to far reaching issues by providing advice and a range of training and related services and products. Its services are used by over 100 public service organisations in Northern Ireland, including the Northern Ireland Audit Office.

What is the CIPFA Accountancy Qualification?

The CIPFA Professional Qualification is the leading public finance accountancy qualification. The qualification is designed to equip students with the knowledge and skills required to become successful public finance executives.

CIPFA’s training package provides:

study flexibility through a choice of methods such as open learning and day-release training;
support for study by an on-line ‘study lounge’ and telephone help-line; and

CIPFA and the NIAO

NIAO and CIPFA have worked together successfully for many years. Our partnership develops accountancy trainees and provides continuous development to those already qualified. CIPFA is very pleased to endorse the NIAO as a progressive employer.

What will the training contract involve?

The NIAO operate a training contract which enables you to achieve your professional qualification in three years.

As a Graduate Trainee Accountant for NIAO your working experience will be predominantly in Central Government Financial Audit but over the period of your training contract you will spend periods in both the Central Government Value for Money and Local Government Audit.

What is Central Government Financial Audit and what would I be doing?

Financial Audit is the examination of financial statements with a view to forming an opinion on them.

In undertaking a financial audit, you will use your professional training and skills to provide the Assembly/Parliament with independent assurance that:

the financial statements of departments, agencies and other bodies:
- give a true and fair view, or fairly present, the transactions of that body;
- have been prepared in accordance with relevant accounting and other requirements; and

the financial transactions reported in those statements are in accordance with the authorities that govern them.

What is Central Government Value for Money Audit and what would I be doing?

Value for Money Audit is the examination of the economy, efficiency and effectiveness with which an organisation has used its resources to carry out its functions.

In undertaking a value for money audit, you will use your professional training and skills to provide the Assembly or Parliament with independent information and advice about how Departments, Agencies and other bodies have used their resources and to help audited bodies improve their performance in achieving value for money.

What is Local Government Audit and what would I be doing?

Work in Local Government Audit involves:

the audit of the accounts of the 26 District Councils, joint comittees of councils. The Local Government Staff Commission and the Northern Ireland Local Government Officers’ Superannuation Committees; and
providing on behalf of ratepayers, and other interested parties, an audit service which assists in achieving, within councils and other audited bodies, the highest standards of financial stewardship and value for money.