Sainsburys - Graduate Product Development Scheme

What does the scheme involve?
Product developers bring healthy, tasty own-label products to our shelves. They stay ahead of the competition and deliver the high quality products our customers expect. You'll brief suppliers to develop products and sample them until they're perfect. You'll also work with product technologists ensuring products are safe, and with buyers to determine how they should be retailed.

The role is varied and the scheme reflects this. Six months are spent in a store and distribution centre and 12 months at our London Store Support Centre. There you'll take ownership of a product area as well as spending time in the Food and Innovation Centre, Packaging and Design team and Brand Policy team. You'll work with a supplier to help you understand the business from their point of view.

Day-to-day, you'll work with the Marketing team and keep up to date with the latest food trends. From day one you'll be a decision maker and assume some responsibility for the products that we sell.


What are we looking for?
People whose passion for food inspires customers and colleagues and who see the bigger picture as well as the details. You'll need to be willing to travel and ideally have a background in home economics, food science or food marketing. We will also require you to have a minimum 2.2 degree.

What skills will you develop?
To develop the best products for our customers you'll need to hone your own culinary skills. Your project management will sharpen as you keep track of a number of products at different stages of development. You'll also develop broader business skills including presenting and influencing.

What are the benefits?

• £25k starting salary Discretionary annual bonus
• 22 days holiday
• 10% staff discount after six months
• You’ll take ownership of a product area
• The satisfaction of managing a project from start to finish
• Variety – from travel to suppliers one day to meeting with packaging designers in Holborn the next

Deadline for applications: 31st December