ESG / Sustainability Industrial Placement (12 Months Commencing July 2024) - Bakkavor

Discover Bakkavor

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.

Bakkavor has an exciting opportunity for an undergraduate passionate about sustainability to gain real work experience of implementing Environment, Social and corporate Governance (ESG) strategy and programmes in a large and complex food business. 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 ESG/ Sustainability Placement

If you share our values and a desire to explore the complexities of food sustainability in an international business, you can expect to receive opportunities, development, and support to enable you to learn and grow throughout your placement. You can expect to gain key skills and knowledge in food sustainability topics, corporate communications, strategic thinking, ESG data analysis and regulations. From day one you will influence the decision-making processes that make our business more sustainable.

This is the first placement of its kind at Bakkavor, and as such we are considering a wide range of undergraduate candidates who are interested in gaining skills and experience in corporate sustainability. The role will be at Group level, and as well as supporting our UK business, may involve supporting our US and China businesses. Because of the broad nature of ESG topics, we will consider candidates from all degree disciplines, but this role would particularly suit those undertaking degrees in business management, sustainability, or related disciplines.

Locations: Placements will be in London on a hybrid basis (likely minimum 3 days in the office), with potential regional travel, (there is an additional living allowance for London placements).

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

oA salary of £21,000 per annum

oRelocation Financial Assistance

oAccess to Bakkavor benefits, such as a discount platform

•Career Experience, Skills & Responsibility

oAn experienced line manager who will complete regular performance reviews and support you through a skills chart checklist of experience

oProviding everything goes to plan, due to Bakkavor’s size and breadth, we will 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.

oYou’ll take responsibility for your work area and personal development from day one, however full in role training will be provided.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED TO APPLY:

The most important thing for us is a motivated attitude to develop your skills and an ambition to learn more about ESG in the food industry.

We do have some criteria that we will be looking for – you’ll need these to pass our assessment screening process:

o Are currently studying towards a degree

o Excellent writing and communication skills

o An existing ‘right to work’ in the UK, (We are unable to sponsor visas)

• A desire to learn how food manufacturing works and to get into the detail of:

- Corporate ESG and sustainability in the food manufacturing sector, including across different geographies.

- Corporate communications in the ESG context

- Interpreting and analysing data

- Climate change mitigation strategy development

- Regulatory and governance issues around ESG

- Social and well-being initiatives.

• The ability to demonstrate excellent communication skills and interpret complex subjects for a broad audience.

• 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.

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

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, click here!

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 2024. 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 us at: EarlyCareers@Bakkavor.com