Job description
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. We're ambitious, full of ideas, and we're keen to find more people who share our passion for quality food to join us. We’re looking for the next generation of talented individuals to join Bakkavor and drive our success.
As well as being the leading provider of fresh prepared food in the UK, we also have a growing international presence in the US and China. Our headquarters are in London, and we have 19 factories in the UK, 5 in the US and 9 in China.
If you share our passion for great food and our strong values, then this company is for you!
We have a diverse range of career opportunities and programmes available for you to kick start your career and make a real impact in the food industry.
We are looking for motivated undergraduates who have a keen ambition to gain experience within the Commercial Team at Bakkavor working with UK Grocery Retailers. 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.
The Placement
If you share our passion for great food, you can expect to receive opportunities, development and support to enable you to learn and grow throughout your placement. Expect to gain skills in a range of areas such as food safety, microbiology, internal auditing and factory hygiene. This entry-level placement will be perfect someone who is in the process of studying a food related or food science degree with the aim of entering this field upon obtaining their qualification.
You will be based in Lincolnshire or Cheshire and will be provided with a broad range of activities and projects. The structure of the placement is:
- A 6-month placement with our Central Technical office-based team, working with our technical systems from a Group level that determine how we manage our corporate governance, as well as specific projects.
- A 6-month placement with our Technical factory-based team, working alongside our manufacturing operations to ensure high quality and food safety, as part of the Quality Assurance team. Activities include a variety of technical tasks, such as GMP audits, taste panels, micro-sampling. In really busy periods (i.e. Christmas), there is even the opportunity to get a real understanding of food manufacturing and work with manufacturing on production.
Locations:
Placements will be based at our sites in Spalding or Bourne in Lincolnshire or Wigan in Cheshire. If applying for a Lincolnshire placement, a full UK driving licence and own transport will be required.
Length: 12 months, starting in July 2024
What will the placement offer you?
Our Placement programme is designed to broaden your perspective and offer you a variety of learning opportunities as an entry into the food industry. On the Placement, you’ll receive:
Reward Package
- A salary of £21,000 per annum (additional allowance is provided for extra living costs in London placements)
- Relocation Financial Assistance
- Access to Bakkavor benefits, such as a discount platform
Career Experience, Skills & Responsibility
- An experienced Line Manager who will complete regular performance reviews and support you through a skills chart checklist of experience
- Providing everything goes to plan, due to Bakkavor’s size and breadth, we are able to work with you to identify the right career opportunities for your professional development once you complete your degree. This could be a direct entry role, or as part of the Graduate or Apprentice programmes.
- You’ll take responsibility for your work area and personal development from day one.
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 click here
What we are looking for
The most important thing for us is a motivated attitude to develop your skills and an ambition to progress within the food industry.
We do have some criteria that we will be looking for – you’ll need these to pass our assessment screening process:
- Are currently studying towards a Technical, Food or Science based degree
- 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 food manufacturing works and to get into detail of:
- What makes food safe
- How factories consistently produce great quality food time after time
- 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 and own transport is preferred and is mandatory for any 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.
Qualifications
Are currently studying towards a degree
Accepted degree subjects
- food sciences
Additional job details
- Location
- Cheshire
- Spalding · Wigan
- Salary
- £21,000
- Contract, dates and working times
- Fixed term
Start Date 1 July 2024 (approx)
Full-time
How to apply
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. These interviews are for a July 2024 start on the Placement.
If you have any queries about this programme, or the recruitment process, please contact: EarlyCareers@Bakkavor.com
Click Apply to start your application now. This job will be available on Prospects until 31 December 2023
Don't forget to mention Prospects to employers when you contact them.
Closing date: 31 December 2023