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- Tasks: Join a hands-on programme to lead food safety and quality initiatives.
- Company: Award-winning company focused on developing future leaders in food production.
- Benefits: Gain qualifications, receive coaching, and access a fully-funded Mini MBA scholarship.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in food safety while growing your leadership skills.
- Qualifications: 2:2 degree or completed Degree-Apprenticeship; passion for food safety required.
- Other info: Dynamic rotations across sites with excellent career progression opportunities.
The predicted salary is between 30000 - 42000 £ per year.
A Triple Award-Winning Graduate & Training Initiative. As a Technical Leadership Graduate Trainee, you'll be right at the heart of how we make safe, high-quality food at scale. This is a hands-on, people-focused, detail-driven programme where you will build strong technical expertise and play a key role in protecting our products, customers and brands.
Are you motivated, ambitious, and hungry to grow into a future leader? Our 18-month Technical Leadership Programme is designed for graduates who want to lead people, drive performance, and make a measurable impact across our business. What matters most is your attitude, curiosity, and ambition to grow.
Programme Overview
- 18-month management development programme
- Three 6-month site rotations across Pilgrim's Europe Technical functions
- Rotation 1: Hyde (Sept-Feb)
- Rotation 2: Ashbourne (Mar-Aug)
- Rotation 3: Bromborough (Sep-Feb)
Your final placement location will be carefully matched to your interests, strengths, and development goals. Whichever site you join, you'll gain real responsibility across fast-paced operations and build a deep understanding of how exceptional food quality is delivered, maintained, and continually improved.
This is not an observational role — you'll roll up your sleeves, contribute to meaningful projects, and work closely with experts who will support, challenge, and stretch you throughout the programme.
What You'll Experience
You’ll become part of a high-performing Technical function, championing food safety, quality and authenticity. You’ll help deliver products and services that consistently meet — and exceed — customer and consumer expectations.
You will do this by:
- Building a strong understanding of the principles behind safe food production (hazards, prerequisites, allergens, traceability) and how quality standards are set, verified and maintained.
- Supporting day-to-day Technical and Quality activities, including completing checks, capturing data and maintaining accurate records.
- Auditing production processes, identifying opportunities for improvement and supporting structured problem-solving activities.
- Contributing to internal, retailer or customer audits and preparing evidence and documentation.
- Working with cross-functional teams to ensure standards, processes and behaviours deliver Technical Excellence every day.
Along the way, you will gain Food Safety and HACCP qualifications, enabling you to make fact-based, data-driven decisions and influence performance with confidence. By the end of the programme, you'll have a complete understanding of how food is manufactured from end to end — and a clear ability to show how Technical leadership protects our people, processes, products and brands.
Grow Into a Confident Technical Leader
Throughout the programme, you'll develop capability in:
- Technical Knowledge & Expertise
- People Management & Development
- Effective Communication & Influence
- KPI Management & Data Analysis
- Customer & Stakeholder Management
- Root Cause Analysis & Problem Solving
Your Career Pathway After the Programme
After successfully completing the programme, you will progress into a people-leader role within the Pilgrim's Europe Technical team — aligned to your strengths and long-term career ambitions.
You will:
- Continue to lead teams while building deeper technical expertise
- Play a critical role in delivering food safety and quality best practice
- Receive ongoing development, coaching and progression support
- Have the opportunity to apply for a fully-funded Mini MBA scholarship
This programme forms part of our Triple Award-Winning Graduate & Training Initiative, designed to develop the leaders who will shape the future of food.
Essential Criteria
You must have:
- A minimum 2:2 degree or a completed Degree-Apprenticeship
- Plus the attributes that make a future leader:
- Genuine interest in food safety and quality
- Motivated, resilient and proactive
- Strong communication and organisational skills
- Willingness to rotate across sites
- Full UK driving licence
- Hunger to learn, lead and progress quickly
- Right to work in the UK (sponsorship is not available)
To find out more about this programme, visit: Graduate Trainee Programme ¦ Pilgrim's Europe.
Locations
Technical Leadership Graduate Trainee in Cheshire, Hyde employer: Pilgrim's Europe
Contact Detail:
Pilgrim's Europe Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Technical Leadership Graduate Trainee in Cheshire, Hyde
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to current or past trainees on LinkedIn and ask them about their experiences. This not only gives you insider info but also shows your genuine interest in the programme.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for those interviews by practising common questions related to food safety and quality. We recommend using the STAR method to structure your answers — it helps you showcase your skills effectively!
✨Tip Number 3
Show off your passion for food safety! During interviews, share any relevant projects or experiences that highlight your commitment to quality and safety in food production. It’ll make you stand out!
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, you’ll find all the details about the programme and what we’re looking for in candidates.
We think you need these skills to ace Technical Leadership Graduate Trainee in Cheshire, Hyde
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion for Food Safety: Make sure to highlight your genuine interest in food safety and quality in your application. We want to see that you're not just looking for a job, but that you're excited about making a difference in the food industry!
Tailor Your CV and Cover Letter: Don’t just send out a generic CV! We recommend tailoring your CV and cover letter to reflect the skills and experiences that align with the Technical Leadership Graduate Trainee role. This shows us you’ve done your homework and are serious about joining our team.
Be Yourself in Your Application: We’re looking for motivated and ambitious individuals, so let your personality shine through! Share your unique experiences and what drives you. Authenticity goes a long way in helping us get to know the real you.
Apply Through Our Website: To make sure your application gets to us directly, apply through our website. It’s the best way to ensure we see your application and can consider you for this exciting opportunity!
How to prepare for a job interview at Pilgrim's Europe
✨Know Your Stuff
Make sure you brush up on food safety principles and quality standards. Familiarise yourself with terms like HACCP and traceability, as these will likely come up in your interview. Showing that you understand the technical aspects of the role will impress the interviewers.
✨Show Your Passion
Let your enthusiasm for food safety and quality shine through. Share any relevant experiences or projects that demonstrate your genuine interest in the field. This is a people-focused programme, so showing your motivation and ambition to grow will resonate well with the interviewers.
✨Prepare for Scenario Questions
Expect to face scenario-based questions that assess your problem-solving skills and ability to work in teams. Think about examples from your past where you've successfully tackled challenges or contributed to group projects. Be ready to discuss how you would approach real-life situations in the role.
✨Ask Thoughtful Questions
At the end of the interview, have a few insightful questions prepared. Inquire about the specific challenges the team faces or how success is measured in the programme. This shows that you're not only interested in the role but also eager to contribute meaningfully to the company.
