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 AI    At 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 programme    Year 1 – Build your foundations    Get 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 ownership    Step 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 impact    Operate 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 you    By 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-(Apply online only)