Arla Foods
UK Commercial Graduate Programme, Sales & Marketing - Arla Foods - Leeds

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Want to help grow some of the UK's most-loved dairy brands while building a career at the heart of a global FMCG business?
At Arla, we're looking for curious and ambitious graduates who want to develop broad commercial expertise across marketing, sales, and category management. Our two-year Commercial Graduate Programme is designed to give you hands-on experience, real responsibility, and exposure to some of the biggest brands, retailers, and foodservice partners in the market.
Through a series of rotational placements, you'll gain a unique understanding of how consumer insight, brand strategy, and commercial execution come together to drive growth. Along the way, you'll build the skills, network, and confidence needed for a successful long-term career within one of the UK's leading FMCG organisations.
How You Will Make An Impact
Join us at Arla House in Leeds on a structured two-year graduate journey designed to develop future commercial leaders through meaningful experiences across our Marketing and Commercial functions.
- Support the delivery of consumer-led marketing campaigns, innovation projects, and product launches for some of the UK's most recognised dairy brands
- Partner with National Account teams to identify growth opportunities and support customer plans with key retail and foodservice customers
- Analyse market, shopper, and performance data to generate insights that inform commercial decision-making and category strategy
- Collaborate with colleagues across Marketing, Sales, Finance, Supply Chain, and external agencies to bring growth initiatives to life
- Develop and present recommendations that balance consumer needs, customer objectives, and sustainable business growth
Reasons to use Rodeo
I’m in my final year doing Economics and I don’t know whether to apply for grad schemes now or do a masters first. What do you think?
Honest answer — it depends on where you want to end up. A lot of top grad schemes (Big 4, civil service, banking) don’t need a masters. Let’s look at the ones you’d be competitive for now, and we can decide if a masters actually adds anything.
Also worth knowing: most autumn 2026 applications are open now. Timing matters more than you think.
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Graduate Consultant — 2026 Scheme
Why you're a good match
StrongYour economics background and your summer at a regional bank line up with what PwC looks for on the consulting scheme. Applications close in four weeks.
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Every day your agent scans the market matching roles against what actually matters to you, not just keywords on a CV.
Why you're a good match
You’ve got the grades and the economics background, and your bank internship is exactly the experience this scheme looks for. Apply soon — deadlines close within the month.
Experience fit
Your summer at the bank plus your econometrics coursework map directly to the day-one responsibilities on this scheme — client modelling, market briefings, and deal support.
Only hits
No noise. No "maybe this fits." Just roles with a clear explanation of why they're right — and where to focus when applying.
What Will Make You Successful
You will have achieved, or be on track to achieve, a degree with a minimum 2:1 classification within the last three years. Whilst a degree in Business, Marketing, Sales, Economics, or a related discipline would be advantageous, we're equally interested in graduates who can demonstrate strong commercial curiosity and a genuine interest in building a career within FMCG.
- You enjoy working with data, identifying trends, and turning insights into actions.
- You have strong communication and presentation skills, are comfortable working with digital tools including Excel and PowerPoint, and enjoy collaborating with a wide range of stakeholders.
- Most importantly, you're someone who is curious, proactive, and eager to learn. You enjoy solving problems, building relationships, and taking ownership of your development. You're excited by the opportunity to work across different teams, gain new experiences, and make a meaningful contribution from day one.
We work closely together as a team and promise you a steep learning curve, with colleagues around you to cheer, support, and challenge you every day.
What Do We Offer?
Our Commercial Graduate Programme has been designed to provide broad exposure across sales and marketing, helping you build the foundations for a successful commercial career within Arla.
- Competitive graduate salary reviewed annually
- 26 days' holiday plus bank holidays
- Hybrid working
- 6% matched pension contributions
- Life assurance
- Access to retailer and lifestyle discounts through our My Benefits platform
- Wide range of training, mentoring, and development opportunities throughout the programme
- Networking events, exposure to senior leaders, and the opportunity to build lasting relationships with fellow graduates across the business


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Following successful completion of the programme, graduates will have the opportunity to apply into a permanent role and continue their career journey with the UK's largest dairy company.
Would you like to join us?
If you're looking for a graduate programme that combines commercial exposure, brand-building experience, and real business impact, we'd love to hear from you.
Please apply by midnight on 30th September 2026.
Recruitment Process
- Application feedback W/C 5th October
- Video Interviews 6th October - 21st October
- Assessment Centre 4th December 2026
Final decisions will be communicated within two working days of the Assessment Centre.
Successful graduates will commence employment in September 2027.
For more information, please contact Olivia Pine, Talent Acquisition Partner at Arla Foods.
Shape the Future of Dairy
Arla is a global leader in the dairy industry, committed to enabling good food choices that make life better, providing people with nourishment, while taking care at every step to ensure Arla is a choice they can feel good about. If you are looking to shape the future with an ambitious global cooperative that truly cares about your growth, where everyone feels valued and empowered, and collaboration is the core of culture, Arla is a choice you can feel good about.
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