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Our Head Office Placement Programmes

Our Head Office is at the very centre of everything Aldi. Which is why we won’t waste any of your time. You’ll get an amazing introduction to our business, packed with world-class training. And you’ll have a mentor to support you throughout. Then, you’ll get immersed in at least one project, making decisions that will have a real impact on our business. There aren’t many students who can go back to university saying that.  

Please note that our Placement Programmes are for university students currently studying towards an undergraduate degree, who are seeking a 12-month sandwich placement before their final year of study.

The application window for our Head Office and Retail Management Placements starting July 2024 are now open.

Hear from our recent Placements

What kind of roles are there?

National Buying

This isn’t just about ‘Buying’. You’ll experience a large corporate environment that touches every aspect of the product lifecycle. You’ll choose one of five specialisms; Corporate Responsibility, Quality Assurance, PR & Marketing, Communications and Branding. Your time will be spent in that specific department, where you’ll work on personal and team projects, build relationships and solve problems in a complex environment. You’ll also spend some time in store at the start of your placement, to give you a real insight into the business.

Throughout your 12 months with Aldi you’ll receive lots of training and support to help you succeed in your role.

Apply
Salary

£26,000 for the 12 months spent with us.

Holiday allowance

4 weeks’ annual leave plus Bank Holidays.

Working Hours

Your working hours are likely to be Monday- Friday, 40 hours per week, but we will still require your flexibility to support the needs of the business. 

Supply Chain Management

Join a Supply Chain Management Placement Programme and you’ll join the team who get our products from the Buying source to our Distribution Centres across the UK and Ireland on time, every time.

We move millions of pallets of products each year via air, sea, road and rail from all four corners of the planet. From biscuits in Montreal, to mangoes from Senegal, we move it. Aside from ensuring everything received by our Regions is in pristine condition, we work tirelessly with the Buyers to ensure market leading supply chain costs are achieved, so a keen interest in how international supply chains operate is a must. And while we focus on effectiveness, we also focus on our corporate responsibility. So we do things in a way that’s best for the environment.

Aldi’s Supply Chain is at the cutting edge of AI software and using big data analytics, you can help support with decisions worth millions in demand forecasting and replenishment. If you have an interest in data science, forget Elon Musk, the future is discount grocery, and this placement is for you. Within the placement you can expect to spend time with all the teams within Supply Chain Management who look after the various elements of the Aldi supply chain. Then you’ll be given a major project, which could focus on any element of our Supply Chain operation. You’ll have real responsibility that will impact our bottom line. It’s something that will certainly set you apart when returning to your final year of study.

You’ll also spend some time in store at the start of your placement, to give you a real insight into the business. Throughout your 12 months with Aldi you’ll receive lots of training and support to help you succeed in your role.

Apply
Salary

£26,000 for the 12 months spent with us.

Holiday allowance

4 weeks’ annual leave plus Bank Holidays.

Working Hours

Your working hours are likely to be Monday- Friday, 40 hours per week, but we will still require your flexibility to support the needs of the business. 

National Projects

Working in the Project Fresh Department, you’ll play an important role in the development of the internal store design from both a national and international perspective. Working closely with the Project Director and Team, your varied role will give you the opportunity to drive innovation in order to change the way Aldi customers shop in our brick and mortar stores.

From the micro (assisting in the design and implementation of fixtures and equipment) to the macro (analysis of store layout trials), and everything in between, your positive and conscientious attitude will play an important role throughout. The role needs a candidate with a fine eye for detail who can efficiently analyse and synthesis complex information into easily understandable documentation. You will need passion and enthusiasm in abundance to confidently communicate and influence change with the multitude of project stakeholders. With the vast amount of projects and the fast nature of this deadline-driven business, naturally you will need to be efficient, well organised and multi-task minded.

Within the placement you can expect to spend time with different team members who will look after various elements of the internal store design, nationally and internationally. You will be part of a larger scale project team but will also have the opportunity to take full responsibility for projects yourself. The opportunities will depend on the business needs at the time, but trust us, there is always plenty going on at Aldi! The shop floor is constantly evolving, and therefore we need to be agile and meet the ever-changing demands of our customers with a brilliant store layout. All the projects that you will be part of will have an impact on the business and influence strategic direction.

That may sound like a lot but, in return, you’ll enjoy the chance to put forward your ideas and have an impact on not only the entire Aldi UK store estate, but also all Aldi South countries. You’ll also spend some time in store at the start of your placement, to give you a real insight into the business. Throughout your 12 months with Aldi you’ll receive lots of training and support to help you succeed in your role. This, combined with working for one of the leading global retailers, is an opportunity not to be missed.

Apply
Salary

£26,000 for the 12 months spent with us.

Holiday allowance

4 weeks’ annual leave plus Bank Holidays.

Working hours

Your working hours are likely to be Monday- Friday, 40 hours per week, but we will still require your flexibility to support the needs of the business. 

IT

The National IT department is at the very heart of Aldi. We support a great mix of applications and processes that have been around for a long time, combined with being at the cutting edge when we need to be. For example, we heard about Apple Pay, investigated what it would mean to our business, and then launched it on the day it was released. We’re proactive and able to react quickly to business needs which is critical in the fast paced world of retail.

Like the rest of Aldi we are made up of small high performing teams. You can expect plenty of exposure and hands-on experience of an IT department within a global company. Training will involve you spending time with everyone, getting a real feel for the whole department and being part of a “home” team with a mentor.

You’ll also spend some time in store at the start of your placement, to give you a real insight into the business. Throughout your 12 months with Aldi you’ll receive lots of training and support to help you succeed in your role.

Typically, you could join us as part of a technical team supporting the live business, part of a large scale project team or even have responsibility for a smaller scale project by yourself. Many of the opportunities available will depend on the business needs at the time. And, trust us, there’s always plenty going on at Aldi - our business is constantly growing and developing.

We’ll invest real time in you and, by the end of the year, we want you to have delivered something tangible for Aldi. IT degrees are useful but it’s more about having a natural interest in IT and a passion for what we’re trying to achieve as a business.

To apply for this placement, an IT related degree is preferred but not essential.

Apply
Salary

£26,000 for the 12 months spent with us.

Holiday allowance

4 weeks’ annual leave plus Bank Holidays.

Working Hours

Your working hours are likely to be Monday- Friday, 40 hours per week, but we will still require your flexibility to support the needs of the business. 

HR

Are you passionate about people, improving processes and making a difference? Then our HR Placement is the perfect fit for you.

The department supports our business with Recruitment, Training, Health & Safety, Employee Engagement and HR processes, meaning that the everyday decisions you make will have a business-wide impact.

It’s up to our HR teams to make sure our colleagues are operating in an environment where they feel happy, developed and extremely motivated, and you can be a part of that too. You’ll work towards optimising employee retention and securing Aldi’s position as an employer of choice. We know we’re an amazing place to work, but we want to make sure potential candidates do too. 

Throughout your 12 months with us, you’ll also gain exposure to the wider business as you spend time within Stores and Warehouse Operations, experiencing first-hand how what we do in HR impacts our people.

Apply
Salary

£26,000 for the 12 months spent with us.

Holiday allowance

4 weeks’ annual leave plus Bank Holidays.

Hours and benefits

Your working hours are likely to be Monday- Friday, 40 hours per week, but we will still require your flexibility to support the needs of the business. 

What you'll need

The Head Office Placement Programme is a real job with actual responsibilities. But it's also a chance to give back- to yourself, your team and your community. That's why we look for people who can find smarter ways of working. Watch Gabi talk about her experience.

What we'll offer you

Our Application Process

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Online Application

You’ll need to complete an online application and tests that will assess your judgement and personal qualities, to see if we’re right for each other. This has been designed to measure your core skills and analytical abilities.

Video Interview

Lights, camera, action. It’s all about you. This is a chance to impress us in a short video called ‘Who am I?’. Show us you’re a determined, charismatic leader who we couldn’t do without. We understand that filming this kind of thing can be daunting for some, so we've included a helpful film clip below.

Group Assessment

If all goes well, you’ll be invited to a Group Assessment where you'll need to work as a team, but still let us know that you’ve done your homework about Aldi. We’re looking for your drive, professionalism and natural leadership skills. It’s a fair and consistent process, but make your presence known!

Final Interview

Well, you’re nearly there. If you’ve passed everything else, you’ll then have a final interview with the Regional Managing Director. So make sure you’re prepared!

FAQs

Applications are now open however spaces fill quickly, so we recommend that you apply as soon as you can.

Depending on where you live, as all of our Head Office placements are based in our Corporate Head Office in Atherstone, other than our eCommerce and GBC teams which are based in Tamworth.

For the National Buying, eCommerce and IT placements, your working hours are likely to be Monday- Friday, but we will still require your flexibility to support the needs of the business.

It starts in the July after you’ve completed your second year of university.

The Group Assessment will take place virtually in November or December. Successful candidates will have a Final Interview with the Hiring Manager on the same day.

If you join us on the National Buying, Supply Chain Management, eCommerce or IT placement at our Head Office in Atherstone, you will require a driving licence and ideally you will need access to a car, however this is not essential.

If, after graduating, you’re considering Aldi as a career choice – and you performed well on the placement – chances are you’ll be invited to apply for a permanent position. Your Direct Leader will need to recommend you first though.

Apply now

Ready to get stuck in? Of course you are. The application window for our Head Office and Retail Management Placements starting July 2024 are now open.

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