Graduate Programme, Advisory Consulting - Bristol (December 2025)

At S&W, we help our clients thrive by simplifying the complex, illuminating new paths, and shaping solutions that make a difference. As one of the UK’s top 10 fastest-growing accountancy firms, we have been a trusted partner since 1881—helping businesses and individuals meet challenges and seize opportunities across generations.

Built on expertise and driven by ambition, we provide a comprehensive range of services, including tax and accountancy, advisory and assurance, digital and consulting. We are defined by our purpose—to help navigate challenges, unlock potential, and achieve the extraordinary.

Introduction

Advisory Consulting is our management consulting team that sit as part of our wider consulting practice that includes risk advisory, regulatory consulting, data and technology and cyber. The Advisory Consulting team is a small but rapidly growing group of 12 people across Bristol and London.

Being a dynamic and collaborative team, we give our people an opportunity to receive hands-on coaching and client exposure from day one. You will gain early responsibility, working closely with experienced consultants and stakeholders across various levels of seniority, across a diverse range of projects. Our client base spans many industries and we will be able to offer you a variety of experiences across clients. We support clients across sectors such as energy, infrastructure, retail and private- equity-backed businesses – helping them navigate complex transformation, remediation and turnaround challenges, or deliver strategic change and seize growth opportunities.

What will you be doing?

We provide strategies, advice and action plans to solve problems – whether a business is looking to grow, be more profitable, or if it has run into trading difficulties and needs turnaround support. You will obtain a breadth of professional experience and in-depth knowledge across a range of situations, including transformation and turnaround. This role will involve helping our clients to decide and then achieve their strategic objectives, whilst developing technical, business and commercial skills that will complement your career. We work with senior people in interesting and wide ranging businesses, enabling you to build an incredible network and your own commercial acumen and expertise. You will also contribute directly to a range of deliverables such as strategic roadmaps, client workshops, business model analysis and dashboards which will be received by external stakeholders.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Utilising data sources to research industry trends, comparable companies, and benchmark client performance
• Preparing financial analysis and support business plan modelling and options analysis
• Assisting with writing client reports and running client workshops
• Project management, prioritisation and time management to achieve deadlines
• Study towards your professional qualification.

To be successful in this role, you should:

• Be committed to completing the Associate Chartered Accountant (ACA) qualification, on a Level 7 apprenticeship
• On course for at least a predicted 2:2 degree, in any discipline
• A Level: Minimum 112 UCAS points in top three A Levels (or equivalent), excluding General Studies
• GCSE: Minimum Grade 5 (or equivalent), in English Language and Maths respectively

Learning & Development

You’ll be supported in completing your qualification; gaining the finance knowledge, accountancy skills and real-world business experience to jumpstart your career in accountancy, tax and business advisory. And you won’t do it alone - you’ll be joining as part of a cohort with your own personal support network, including a buddy to offer first-hand experience. Your qualification training will be supported by a leading UK training provider, and you’ll be given the space and time to study whilst developing a variety of skills to become a well-rounded advisor. You’ll receive guidance and support each step of the way by our dedicated Learning & Development team and training contact for your department to make sure you have everything you need to realise your potential from day one.   

As a colleague here at S&W you will have access to benefits that include:

• Fully funded training towards professional qualifications
• Competitive salary
• Private medical insurance
• Life assurance
• Pension contribution
• Generous holiday package
• Option to purchase additional holiday
• Cycle to work scheme
• Season ticket loan
• Eye care support
• Shared parental leave

We are proud to value the differences that a diverse workforce brings, representative of society and our clients. At S&W we have a wide range of highly active employee resource groups and we’re delivering multiple diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives across the organisation. It is our commitment to provide a workspace where all colleagues, regardless of identity, background, or circumstance, feel respected as individuals and feel that they can achieve their full potential and work in a safe, supportive, and inclusive environment.

We are happy to make any reasonable adjustments to accommodate for your needs throughout the application process. Please let your Recruiter know.

IMPORTANT NOTES FOR COMPLETING YOUR APPLICATION

When you click on the ‘I’m interested’ button you’ll be taken to your profile page. We’re in the process of updating it but in the meantime:

• We can only accept one application to any of our programmes in a recruitment season. If you are unsuccessful, you will need to wait until the next September when we re-open applications for the following year.
• Under the ‘Experience’ section, if you do not have any experience please enter ‘N/A’ into the ‘Title’ text box and choose a random end and start date
• Under the ‘Education’ section you do NOT need to include all your education details as we’ll ask for this separately once you’ve completed your profile. All you need to do is fill in the ‘Institution’ (aka University) question which is mandatory. If you have more than one degree please include your latest one.
• Under the ‘Resume’ (aka CV) section, it is mandatory for you to upload a document as this will be reviewed by the hiring manager.

• The ‘Message to Hiring Manager’ text box is NOT mandatory and will not be formally reviewed.