Business & Operational Excellence Graduate

sulzer; Leeds; On-site; GBP 29,000 - 36,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive graduate salary

Rotational exposure across UK sites

Mentorship from operational experts

Learning Pathways and development

Travel support for placements

Employee assistance and parking

Job summary

Sulzer is seeking high-potential graduates for a two-year Business Operations Graduate Pathway with UK-wide rotations across Quality, Procurement, Project Management, Operations, ESH, and HR.

You will work on strategic initiatives, supported by experienced professionals, mentoring, and structured development aligned to your goals across Sulzer's UK facilities.

Qualifications

• Bachelor-style degree required in a relevant field; 2:2 or above.
• Willingness to travel across UK sites and internationally.
• Strong understanding of business and financial concepts.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to identify and implement improvements in productivity, quality, and cost-efficiency.
• Contribute to the development and deployment of transformation programmes.
• Champion continuous improvement and embed operational excellence across departments.
• Support innovation in systems, processes, and technology.
• Promote a culture of improvement and operational excellence.
• Support audit standard development and compliance.
• Identify supply chain efficiencies and contribute to strategic sourcing initiatives.

Skills

Project management

Multitasking

Business & financial concepts

Proactive mindset

Travel flexibility

Passport

Education

2:2 degree or above in supply chain, operations, business management

Job description

Sulzer is a leading engineering company with a proud heritage of innovation. Join our global team to grow your expertise and develop innovative solutions that enable a prosperous and more sustainable society.

About the role

Location: To maximise your exposure to our teams and operations, this is a UK-wide rotational programme, with placements across our UK sites with the potential for international placements.

About Sulzer

At Sulzer, we're more than just an engineering company-we're one global team with a shared purpose. With over 200 years of innovation and 13,000+ employees across 160 sites, we deliver sustainable solutions that make a real impact. As a Top Employer 2024, we're committed to developing future talent and offering meaningful career opportunities across our business.

Overview

Our two-year Business Operations Graduate Pathway offers rotational placements across Sulzer's UK facilities, giving you broad exposure to our core operational functions:

• Quality (including LEAN / Continuous Improvement)
• Procurement
• Project Management
• Operations
• ESH
• HR

You will contribute to strategic initiatives aligned with our facility of the future strategy-supported by experienced professionals, formal mentoring, and structured development tailored to your goals.

What You Will Be Doing

• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to identify and implement improvements in productivity, quality, and cost-efficiency
• Contribute to the development and deployment of transformation programmes
• Champion continuous improvement and embed operational excellence across departments
• Support innovation in systems, processes, and technology
• Promote a culture of improvement and operational excellence
• Support audit standard development and compliance
• Identify supply chain efficiencies and contribute to strategic sourcing initiatives

What You will Bring

• A 2:2 degree or above in supply chain, operations, business management, or a related field
• Strong project management and multitasking skills
• Solid understanding of business and financial concepts
• A proactive, innovative mindset
• Flexibility to travel across UK sites and internationally
• A valid passport

Key Dates

• Applications close: 31st December 2026
• Screening calls: January 2027
• Assessment centres/interviews: February 2027

Early applications are encouraged. We may close applications early if we receive high interest.

Please note: Visa/work permit support is not available for this role.

What we offer you

• Competitive graduate salary and company-wide bonus scheme
• Comprehensive rotational experience across disciplines and locations
• Travel and accommodation support for placements
• Mentorship from Sulzer's operational experts
• Extensive learning and development via Sulzer Learning Pathways
• Formal mentoring and enrichment modules to support leadership development
• Interaction with Sulzer's Senior Leadership Team
• Access to Employee Assistance Programmes
• Free onsite parking with EV charging points

Sulzer is an equal opportunity employer. We believe in the strength of a diverse workforce and are committed to offering an inclusive work environment.

We are proud to be recognized as a Top Employer 2026 in Brazil, Canada, China, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Mexico, Switzerland, South Africa, the UK and the USA.