Skills

Leadership Adaptability Data Analysis Monitoring Stakeholder Management Problem-solving Networking Process Improvement Project Management Recruitment

Job Specifications

Start date: 2nd September 2026

Scheme duration: 2 years

Salary: £32,000 per annum + excellent benefits

Location: Various factory locations across the UK

Are you looking for a graduate scheme that will empower you to unlock your potential whilst working for the world’s largest food and drink manufacturer? If so, this could be the perfect opportunity for you!

What will you do?

When you join Nestlé’s Technical Leadership Graduate Scheme you will embark on a fantastic 2-year journey, rotating through two 12 months placements across our UK factories. These placements will provide you with the opportunity to explore various operational areas and could see you work across multiple product categories – think KitKat, Nescafé, Purina and more! You will have the opportunity to work on continuous improvement projects, gaining hands-on experience and making a real impact to drive efficiencies across our factory operations. Throughout your journey, you will receive expert guidance and mentorship from experienced professionals, supporting you to evolve your career and see the impact of your efforts here at Nestlé.

What makes this Technical Leadership Scheme exciting?

Hands-on experience: Engage directly with a range of different functional teams, applying your knowledge and skills to make an impact.
Diverse exposure: Rotate through various roles and locations to gain a thorough understanding of technical and production processes in diverse operating environments. From understanding machinery operations and maintenance to data analysis for production processes.
Networking: Build lasting relationships with colleagues across different sites and functions, opening doors for collaborative opportunities.
Stakeholder management: Balance the needs of cross-functional stakeholders, honing your interpersonal skills and building your unique professional brand in the process.
Career growth: Your career path could lead you to become an expert in a specific specialism such as. quality, safety or packaging, or you may want to progress into a people management role like Shift Manager.

What will you learn?

Technical capabilities: Navigate the complexities of a fast-paced FMCG operation, where your decisions will have impact. Developing your technical skills and helping to set you up for a fantastic career in operations.
Process improvement skills: You will learn lean manufacturing and Six Sigma methodologies to enhance efficiency and quality across the work you do.
Project management: Gain skills in planning, executing, and monitoring projects effectively.
Problem-solving: Utilise the skills you develop during the scheme to respond to challenges of varying types and scales, while identifying opportunities and implementing solutions for sustainable success.
Adaptability: Embrace the opportunity to collaborate with diverse teams, cultures, and operational processes as you rotate through the different placements.
Continuous learning: Gain first-hand experience of industry trends and external factors that influence Nestlé as you progress through the scheme.

Our commitment to you…

We will support you every step of the way, the following are just some of our offerings to enable you to thrive with us:

Inclusive culture, join our variety of employee run networks!
Comprehensive benefits
Pastoral support
Employee Assistance Programme
Potential relocation support (£2,000)
Prayer rooms
Various rewards and recognition opportunities
Availability dependent upon site

We are committed to recruiting for potential, ensuring that you have the opportunity to grow and thrive in an environment that values your unique abilities and aspirations whilst contributing to shape the future of our manufacturing operations.

Eligibility Requirements

You will need to have the right to work in the UK that is not time-limited and does not require sponsorship under the Skilled Worker route either at the start of the scheme or on completion.  

You’ll need a degree - this can be in any subject and at any grade and you’ll need to be mobile across the UK. What’s also important is your commitment to the scheme and your willingness to learn.

The recruitment journey

After you click “apply” you’ll be prompted to answer a few questions to determine your eligibility for the scheme. If you qualify, we will invite you to complete an online assessment, which you can practice here. Please do not upload a CV, instead we ask you to upload any relevant qualifications to support your application.  

Once you have completed this stage, we will notify you if you are selected to attend an assessment day which will be in February or March 2026. It may take a little bit of time between assessment stages to get back to you, we really appreciate your patience.   

Adjustments

We recognise that each candidate has unique needs, and we are committed to ensuring an inclusive application process. You will have the opportunity to discuss any specific requirements or adjustments you may

About the Company

As the world’s largest food and beverage company we are driven by a simple aim: unlocking the power of food to enhance quality of life for everyone, today and for generations to come. To deliver on this, we serve with passion, with a spirit of excellence, offering products and services for all stages of life, every moment of the day, helping people care for themselves and their families. Our culture is based on our values rooted in respect: respect for ourselves, respect for others, respect for diversity and respect for the ... Know more