Sales Graduate Programme Fordham 2024

We’re looking for outstanding graduates to join our Sales Graduate Programme in Fordham, Cambridgeshire* in September 2024. We’re the leading provider of sustainable packaging solutions and your role will be to grow our network of clients and expand on our customer base’s portfolio. This programme will provide you experience in sales generation, customer service, account management, value creation, innovation, product design and category management.

*Location subject to change. Your second placement could require you to relocate, therefore full geographical flexibility is required for this role.

Who are DS Smith?

You might not have heard of us before, but you’ll likely have handled our products on a daily basis. We’re the leading provider of sustainable packaging solutions, paper products and recycling services. We’ve been around for over eighty years and operate in over thirty countries across the UK, Europe and the United States. From food and beverage packaging in your local supermarket to every Amazon parcel which arrives at your door, DS Smith has created packaging, which is innovative, secure and kinder to our planet.

About the programme

Based in our Fordham* packaging site, you’ll be responsible for building our client base. You’ll reach out to new and existing customers to understand their packaging requirements, working with our design and innovation teams to establish the art of the possible. You’ll provide excellent customer service, ensuring we meet the requirements and deliver on our promises. We’re always looking for new and exciting ways to innovate, therefore you’ll work with our design teams to establish creative solutions to provide sustainable, robust and cost-effective packaging to our customers.

*Location subject to change – we will require full geographical flexibility to be considered.

Development

Alongside your on-the-job training, you’ll go on the DS Smith Graduate Journey where you’ll have a roadmap of development to support your career. When you join us, you’ll be given a full induction to the business, including a tour of some of our paper, packaging, and innovation factories.

In year one, you’ll learn about Self Leadership and Personal Effectiveness, while in year two, you’ll learn about leadership, stakeholder management and influencing. Finally, when the programme ends, you’ll deliver a presentation about your learnings, celebrate your success with a graduation dinner and work with your Talent Lead to find the best permanent home for you.

But don’t worry, you won’t be doing this alone. You’ll have a network of graduates to bounce ideas off, be given a mentor and a former graduate will be there for guidance and support throughout your journey.

About you

To be considered for this role you must have as a minimum:

• A degree – preferably in marketing or business (or due to complete this by September 2024).
• Be able to start in the business full time on 2nd September 2024.
• Speak fluently in English (minimum B2 level).
• Hold the relevant right to work within the UK.
• Be geographically flexible and be able to travel flexibly as part of the role.

Benefits

So what’s in it for you?

• A starting salary of £30,000.
• 25 days holiday plus bank holidays.
• Company pension.
• Cycle to work programme.
• Employee Assistance Programme which offers up to eight free counselling sessions per year.
• Life insurance.
• Income protection.

*Assessment Centres will be held on the 19th and 20th March in Fordham, Cambridgeshire