Packaging Developer Commercial Placement

at  Greencore Group

Do you have a passion for developing packaging? Passionate about working as part of a team? And have an ambition to have a long-term career in a commercial environment within the food industry? If this sounds like you, then our Packaging Developer Placement could be the perfect opportunity!

WHY GREENCORE?

We’re a leading manufacturer of convenience food in the UK and our purpose is to make everyday taste better.
We’re a vibrant, fast-paced leading food manufacturer. Employing 13,300 colleagues across 16 manufacturing units and 17 distribution depots across the UK. We supply all the UK’s food retailers with everything from Sandwiches, soups and sushi to cooking sauces, pickles and ready meals, and in FY24, we generated revenues of £1.8bn.
Our vast direct-to-store (DTS) distribution network, comprising of 17 depots nationwide, enables us to make over 10,500 daily deliveries of our own chilled and frozen produce and that of third parties.
This is a dynamic and innovative field, which brings many commercial challenges relating to market trends, product launches, maintaining relationships with customers, suppliers and internal teams.
We’re looking for motivated undergraduates who are completing either a Graphic Design, Product Design or Sustainability related degree and have a keen ambition to gain experience within Packaging Development of a fast-moving consumer good business. This is a 12-month placement aimed at those who elect to complete a ‘year-in-industry’ as part of their degree, with the potential to return to Greencore once you have completed your undergraduate degree.
Join us and be part of our great team, committed to making everyday taste better.

The Greencore Packaging Developer placement is designed to help you gain valuable experience that supports your future career ambitions in the food industry.

As the largest sandwich maker in the UK, we partner with both major supermarkets and smaller retailers. During this placement as a Packaging Developer, you will develop new and modify existing packaging concepts, reviewing structure and design, in line with written briefs to meet customer needs. This will include:

• Contribute to creative brainstorming sessions with packaging suppliers to explore new ideas that align with food packaging innovation and enhance competitive advantage.
• Use your creativity to transform concepts into practical, commercially viable packaging solutions that stand out on shelves and represent the brand’s identity.
• Work alongside Group Procurement where appropriate, to find ways to improve efficiency while meeting Greencore’s specifications and business requirements.
• Support feasibility meetings, ensuring they meet manufacturing standards and production expectations.
• Stay informed on current and future sustainability trends and incorporate this knowledge into your design approach, ensuring it aligns with key business goals.
• Ensure packaging samples are ready on time and communicate any delays to the business to keep timelines on track.
• Support customer meetings in the communication of packaging ideas and proposals.
• Create visual mock-ups and mood boards to clearly communicate your ideas and concepts.
• Support factory trials, to help refine designs to ensure the final packaging is functional and meets necessary standards.

At the end of the placement, you will have gained valuable on the job experience while also gaining knowledge of a commercial environment within the food industry.
We firmly believe it’s our people who deliver our performance which is why we place so much emphasis on colleague development and career progression.
You will be assigned a mentor who will support you in your development throughout the placement. You’ll also get to network with other Early Careers colleagues across the business and attend external events to help you develop your network in the wider industry.