Bakkavor Product Development Lifecycle & Category Management Placement Programme

Product Development Lifecycle & Category Management Placement Programme

Salary -

Salary - £22,500 per annum

Duration – 12 Months Commencing July 2025

Location – You will be based at one of our hubs in either London Park Royal, Spalding Lincolnshire or Bo’ness (near Edinburgh)

Benefits!

• Relocation Financial Assistance - Any relocation payments made will be paid back in October!
• Access to Bakkavor benefits such as a discount platform

Assessment Centre Information -

Assessment Centers will be held be between 27/01/25 - 27/02/25

Assessment Centre will be held at either our Spalding site, Newark site or London site!

Why join us?

We are looking for motivated undergraduates who have a keen desire to gain experience within the Development Team at Bakkavor, working with chefs, process and operational teams and other developers bringing new products and new recipes to market. This is a 12-month placement aimed at those who elect to complete a year-in-industry as part of their degree. There are opportunities to return to Bakkavor once you have completed your undergraduate degree. Come and discover what Bakkavor has to offer!

What we do -

We're probably the biggest name you've never heard of. You've almost certainly eaten our food - you just didn't realise it! As global leaders in the fresh prepared food industry with over 16,000 employees, we create innovative products, including meals, soups, dips, salads, desserts, pizzas and bread for customers including Tesco, M&S, Sainsbury's and Waitrose in the UK.

About the Programme -

• If you share our passion for great food, you'll receive ample opportunities, development, and guidence to help you learn and grow throughout your placement.
• You'll gain skills in various areas, including critical path management, ingredient sourcing, costings, couriers, product benchmarking, trends, and actual product development alongside a chef team. Please note that this role is office-based, not kitchen-based.
• This entry-level placement is ideal for those currently studying a food-related degree, with the aim of entering the field upon graduation.

About you –

The most important qualities we seek are a motivated attitude to develop your skills and a strong ambition to progress within the food industry.

To be considered for this placement, you must meet the following criteria:
• A passion for food and ideally an undergraduate studying a business-related or food-science degree, though not exclusive to these However, we welcome applications from all degree backgrounds if you have a passion for food. (Must be mid degree, not mid masters)
• Demonstrated experience of working as part of a team
• An existing ‘right to work’ in the UK, we are unable to sponsor visas as part of the Placement
• A clearly articulated motivation to learn more about the food industry
• A desire to learn how Commercial teams contribute to a business success and drive engaging and valued partnerships with our customers
• An ability to apply practical ideas and demonstrate your adaptability
• A curiosity to explore, learn and show initiative
• An ability to demonstrate good attention to detail
• A full UK driver’s licence with own transport is preferred for Cheshire and Lincolnshire placements as our locations and suppliers are not always readily accessible by public transport

All placements are subject to successful right to work checks, and eligibility to work in the UK.

During the Development Placement you will receive career experience, skills & responsibility -

• You will work with an experienced line manager who will conduct regular performance reviews and support you through a skills checklist to ensure your development.
• Assuming everything progresses as planned, Bakkavor will assist you in identifying the right career opportunities upon completing your degree. This could include direct entry roles or positions within our Graduate or Apprentice programs.
• From day one, you will take responsibility for your work area and personal development, with comprehensive on-the-job training provided.

Proud to be Bakkavor

At Bakkavor, we have pride. And purpose. From our Icelandic origins we have grown to be the leading provider of fresh prepared food in the UK. And we continue to expand, in the US and China. Our world is fast-paced, exciting and energetic. And that’s just how we like it. We have drive. Ambition. Motivation. We are food heroes, who keep the supply chain moving despite challenging times. We work hard. We are resilient. We solve problems together. And we deliver for our customers. Our passion brings joy through the food we produce – and the communities we work in. Our values are extremely important to us, they drive the way we do business – they are what make Bakkavor different to everyone else.

Apply today!

Our Placements are for people who can think bigger and grow faster. We created them to offer opportunities to students who are looking for quality experience in the food industry.To learn more and apply online, visit: https://fierileadership.com/bakkavor-early-careers/

Closing date for applications – 12th December 2024

After applying, you can expect to complete some initial questions around some relevant scenarios at Bakkavor, followed by an online psychometric test and short video reflection. If successful, we will invite you to an assessment centre in January or February 2025. These interviews are for a July 2025 start on the Placement.

If you have any queries about this programme, or the recruitment process, please contact us at : EarlyCareers@Bakkavor.com or SP.EarlyCareersRecruitmentQueries@Bakkavor.com