Finance Graduate Programme

Cooper & Hall Limited; Ashford; Hybrid; GBP 26,000 - 34,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Pension + life assurance

Discounted staff sales on Sysco goods

Cashback platform

Volunteering hours

Job summary

Sysco GB in Ashford, Kent, offers a Finance Graduate Programme to build a solid finance foundation through rotations across core areas and real projects with a clear path to leadership.

You’ll receive structured learning, personalised mentorship, and support to complete the CIMA qualification, while gaining exposure to senior leaders and cross‑functional teams. The programme combines onsite and hybrid work with 39 hours weekly.

Qualifications

• Minimum 2:1 Bachelor's degree or equivalent.
• Interest in pursuing the CIMA qualification and a career in Finance.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
• Excellent analytical and numerical abilities.
• Ability to work collaboratively in a team and independently.
• Proactive, adaptable, eager to learn and take initiative.
• Driving licence beneficial.

Responsibilities

• Rotate through key areas of the Finance function to build a strong foundation for your career.
• Support and pursue your CIMA qualification with structured learning and mentorship.
• Engage in business rotations, collaborate with multiple teams, and gain exposure to senior leaders.

Job description

Welcome to the Sysco GB Finance Graduate Programme!

At Sysco, food is at the centre of everything we do. As a global leader in foodservice wholesale distribution we operate with over 75,000 colleagues across 10 countries worldwide. Driven by our purpose to connect the world to share food and care for one another, we're proud to supply the expertise, products and partnerships that power every corner of the industry - from independent high street cafes to large-scale corporate customers, and from hospitals and schools to pubs, restaurants and fine dining establishments across the UK.

Our Finance Graduate Programme is your chance to build a future in a fast-moving, data-driven environment. You'll gain hands-on experience across core finance functions, work alongside industry experts, and play a key role in shaping decisions that impact the entire business.

We're looking for sharp minds, problem-solvers, and those who thrive on turning numbers into insights. If you're ready to accelerate your career and help us drive financial performance at scale, this is the place for you.

Your journey starts here - let's make it count.

The Sysco GB Graduate Programme is designed to give you a dynamic and inspiring start to your career. You'll take part in structured learning, and receive personalised mentorship to help you transition into the workplace and develop the skills and confidence needed to grow as a future leader. Through key business rotations, you'll work on real projects, collaborate with a variety of teams, and gain valuable exposure to senior leaders.

You can expect...

• A structured learning and development plan

to build both your technical and professional capabilities

• Mentorship from experienced professionals

who will support, guide, and challenge you throughout the programme

• Business placements

that give you the experience and exposure to build your skills within Finance

• Networking opportunities

with graduates, colleagues, and industry partners to help you grow your professional network

• Continued professional development

including workshops, training sessions, and access to learning resources to accelerate your growth

• Exposure to senior leaders

providing valuable insights and helping you build your profile across the organisation

• Clear opportunities for career progression

and continued development opportunities post programme

What You'll Experience

As part of Sysco's Finance Graduate Programme, you'll rotate through key areas of our Finance function building a strong foundation for your career. Your journey will include:

• Induction Phase – Laying the foundation for your placement rotations and understanding the business from the ground up

• Commercial & Merchandising – Interacting with sales & buying teams to really understand our customer relationship and developing an understanding of pricing, inflation and supplier reconciliations.

• Supply Chain – Experiences the operational side of our business and learning how cost efficiency and KPIs drive performance.

• Central Finance – Dive into financial and management accounting with a holistic view of Sysco's UK wide performance and its international partners.

You'll also be fully supported to complete your CIMA qualification. This is your chance to make an impact, learn from industry experts, and grow into a fully qualified Finance business partner.

Key Info

• This programme is based at our head office in Ashford, Kent

• Placement rotations will be a combination of fully onsite and hybrid working models

• 39hrs a week, Monday - Friday

• Some travel required (includes graduate workshops, Finance or business events)

What you'll need to succeed

• A minimum of a 2:1 or above Bachelors degree (or equivalent)

• Strong interest in pursuing a career in Finance

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills

• Excellent analytical and problem-solving abilities

• Strong attention to detail and numerical proficiency

• Ability to work collaboratively in a team environment & independently

• Proactive, adaptable, and eager to learn

• Initiative and a growth mindset

• A driving licence and access to transport beneficial

What we offer

• Competitive salary and benefits package

• Support to undertake your CIMA Professional qualification (fully funded & supported study leave)

• Pension + life assurance

• Heavily discounted staff sales on Sysco products

• Cashback/discount platform

• Volunteering hours

We also recommend candidates complete our online virtual experience programme which provides an insight to the world of Sysco, how we support customers, deliver top quality products, and work together as a team to achieve this.

Additional Information

Sysco is the world's global foodservice leader - selling, marketing and distributing food and non-food products to customers in 90 different countries across the globe. Sysco GB, (whose trading divisions include Brakes, Fresh Direct, Campbell's Prime Meat, Fairfax Meadow, Country Choice. KFF & Medina), is built on a passion for food and feeding the nation. Every day we deliver the highest quality fresh and frozen food and ingredients from our nationwide network of distribution centres to some of the nation’s most famous pubs and restaurants, as well as schools, caterers, care homes and hospitals. Our customers depend on us, and our 8,500-strong workforce is dedicated and proud to be part of this vital provision.

At Sysco GB everyone is welcome. We don't want you to 'fit our culture' we want you to help define it and we actively celebrate the unique talents of each and every colleague. As part of our values, we are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive culture where everyone has a voice, is appreciated and has the same opportunities. We work hard to ensure that everyone feels part of our business, as we care for one another and connect the world through food and trusted partnerships. Our ultimate goal is to ensure that everyone belongs and thrives at Sysco GB, and we recognise that Sysco GB can only thrive when everyone feels they belong. We'll do everything we can to support you during your application. If you need us to make any adjustments to our recruitment process, speak to our resourcing team who will be happy to support you.