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Food Business Graduate Programme – Product Development
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At M&S, retail has an energy. Our customers feel it because our colleagues bring it. And it creates careers that outdo anything you may have imagined.
Setting new standards in shopping experiences. Creating food that gives the nation fresh flavours. Standing for sustainability. Making fashion that dials up expectations. That’s what we do here, and more. This is Retail. Turned up.
About This Programme
Want to create foods that get the nation talking? Give customers new flavours to fall in love with? Our industry-leading product development teams will show you how.
Discover how ideas become reality, from identifying trends and imagining concepts through to launching exciting new products the nation loves at one of its most iconic retailers.
You'll get hands-on, working with cross-functional teams to bring products to life – balancing essential ingredients like customer needs, commercial priorities, quality, and innovation. Along the way, you'll develop the skills and knowledge you need for a top career in Product Development.
What you'll be doing
You’ll begin with a four-month placement in one of our stores, building an elevated understanding of our customers, colleagues and day-to-day operations. With this foundation, you’ll see how great products connect with customer needs before you move into our Food business and explore the full lifecycle of our innovative product development.
As part of the Product Development pathway, you'll experience how we create and deliver market-leading products from concept to launch. Working alongside expert product developers and cross-functional teams, you'll learn about consumer trends, product innovation, supplier collaboration, commercial decision-making and product delivery.
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You'll develop an understanding of the end-to-end product development process, learning how we turn customer insight and market opportunities into products that excite customers, drive business performance and make our brand one of the most trusted in the UK. Along the way, you'll build the skills and confidence to own tasks, influence stakeholders and help shape the future of M&S Food.
What it takes to succeed
High standards and a passion for food. That's what you'll need.
It's not about having a specific degree. This is about genuine enthusiasm for M&S, curiosity about food, and a hunger to shape products customers love. We're looking for future leaders who want to make an impact from day one.
You'll combine your creativity with commercial awareness, bringing fresh thinking while understanding what makes a product successful in a competitive market. You'll enjoy analysing trends, spotting opportunities and turning ideas into reality.
A ‘give it your all’ mindset is most important. Alongside that, this is what we’re looking for.
- A full-on passion for food and an unquenchable curiosity about the trends, products and innovations shaping the industry.
- Tenacity to own product development from concept to shelf, striving for the highest quality, challenging the norm and finding a way forward when faced with setbacks.
- Creativity combined with an ability to use insight and data to make informed decisions.
- Strong organisational skills and the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
- The confidence to build relationships, influence stakeholders and communicate effectively with people at all levels.
- Learning agility, adaptability and a willingness to embrace new challenges and experiences.
- Ambition to lead, drive change and make a positive impact on customers and the business.
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Where it could lead
This programme is designed to develop our next generation of Product Development leaders at M&S. It’ll give you a deep understanding of how our Food business operates, broad commercial awareness and experience across product categories and functions.
You'll finish the programme in a permanent role within the M&S Food business, with opportunities to continue your development in Product Development and progress towards leadership positions. As your career grows, you could take a lead in shaping category strategy, developing innovative food ranges, leading teams and influencing the future direction of M&S Food.
Why choose M&S Food?
Our food is not just any food.
We've built our reputation on quality, value and innovation, creating products that excite people. And it shows, with over 32 million customers and new stores continuing to open across the nation. This doesn’t happen without Product Development, helping us identify trends, anticipate changing customer needs and deliver exciting products that stand out in the market.
Join us and you'll work on products that are developed predominantly in-house, giving you a special kind of exposure to our full product development journey and the chance to make real impact early in your career.
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