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.
Bakkavor is the leading provider of fresh prepared food in the UK, with a growing international presence in the US and China. We are number one in the UK in the four food product categories of meals, salads, desserts, and pizza & bread, providing high-quality, fresh, healthy, and convenient food. We have over 19,000 employees, our headquarters are in London, and we have 23 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 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.
Our Product Development Lifecycle & Category Management 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 critical path management, ingredient sourcing, costings, couriers, product benchmarking, trends, and actual product development working with a chef team (this role is office based not kitchen based).
This entry-level placement will be perfect for someone who is in the process of studying a Food related degree with the aim of entering this field upon obtaining their qualification.
Length: 12 months, starting 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 to 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:
- Ideally studying towards a Food or Hospitality related degree, with a passion for food
- 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
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- A desire to learn how Development teams support 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 and own transport is preferred, as some of 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
- Edinburgh and East Central Scotland
- London
- Spalding
- 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