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- Tasks: Join a hands-on programme to lead food safety and quality initiatives.
- Company: Triple Award-Winning company focused on developing future leaders in food production.
- Benefits: Gain qualifications, receive coaching, and access a Mini MBA scholarship.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in food safety while growing into a confident leader.
- Qualifications: 2:2 degree or completed Degree-Apprenticeship and a passion for food safety.
- Other info: Experience rotations across multiple sites for diverse learning opportunities.
The predicted salary is between 28800 - 42000 £ per year.
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: Westerleigh (Sep–Feb)
- Rotation 2: Corsham (Mar–Aug)
- Rotation 3: Anwick or Ruskington (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)
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.
To find out more about this programme, visit: Graduate Trainee Programme | Pilgrim's Europe
Technical leadership Graduate Trainee - Westerleigh, Corsham, Anwick and Ruskington in Newport employer: Pilgrims Europe
Contact Detail:
Pilgrims Europe Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Technical leadership Graduate Trainee - Westerleigh, Corsham, Anwick and Ruskington in Newport
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Get out there and connect with people in the industry. Attend events, join relevant groups on social media, and don’t be shy to reach out to professionals on LinkedIn. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings!
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching the company and its values. Understand their mission and how you can contribute to their goals. Practise common interview questions and think about how your experiences align with what they’re looking for in a Technical Leadership Graduate Trainee.
✨Tip Number 3
Showcase your passion for food safety and quality during interviews. Share specific examples of projects or experiences that highlight your interest and skills. This will help you stand out as someone who’s genuinely excited about the role and the industry.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, it shows you’re serious about joining our team and ready to take the next step in your career.
We think you need these skills to ace Technical leadership Graduate Trainee - Westerleigh, Corsham, Anwick and Ruskington in Newport
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion: When writing your application, let your enthusiasm for food safety and quality shine through. We want to see that you're genuinely interested in the industry and excited about the opportunity to grow as a leader.
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV is tailored to highlight relevant experiences and skills that align with the Technical Leadership Graduate Trainee role. We love seeing how your background fits into our programme, so don’t hold back!
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Your cover letter is your chance to tell us why you’re the perfect fit for this role. Be personal, be specific, and connect your ambitions with what we’re looking for in a future leader. We want to know what drives you!
Apply Through Our Website: Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets to us directly. Plus, it shows you’re serious about joining our team and ready to take the next step in your career.
How to prepare for a job interview at Pilgrims 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 conversation. Showing that you understand the technical aspects of the role will impress your interviewers.
✨Show Your Passion
Demonstrate your genuine interest in food safety and quality during the interview. Share any relevant experiences or projects you've been involved in that highlight your motivation and curiosity. This is a people-focused role, so let your enthusiasm shine through!
✨Ask Smart Questions
Prepare thoughtful questions about the programme and the company. Inquire about the types of projects you'll be working on or how the team collaborates across different sites. This shows you're engaged and eager to learn more about the role and the organisation.
✨Be Yourself
While it's important to be professional, don't forget to let your personality come through. The company is looking for motivated and resilient individuals who can lead and inspire others. Be authentic, and let them see the real you!
