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2027 Business Placement - Corporate Food & Drink at Hilton · Watford
Job Description
2027 Business Placement - Corporate Food & Drink
Location: Watford, Hertfordshire, United Kingdom
Exceptional Hospitality Starts with You
As a participant in our 12-month Corporate Placements Programme in our Food & Drink Department, you’re not just gaining hands-on experience at our Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) Headquarters in Watford – you’re spreading the light and warmth of hospitality by contributing to the memorable experiences that make the stay for every guest.
Here’s what you can look forward to as a programme participant:
Prepare for a career in hospitality: Embark on a 12-month transformative journey, encompassing a structured framework of learning and development opportunities, business support activities, and ownership of your own project-based initiatives.
Gain hands-on operational experience: From day one, you’ll be fully integrated into Team Hilton. Connect with professionals across the business and gain insight into Food & Drink. Take the opportunity to gain insight into at least one other business area, paving the way for valuable future relationships.
Work on real-world projects: Apply your skills on the job through business-driven projects to reinforce your learning and gain hands-on experience.
Develop your skills through world-class training and support: Access Hilton University’s e-learning modules and business library while building knowledge through business-driven projects.
Grow with personalised guidance: Benefit from regular feedback and coaching to ensure your progress is supported at every stage of the programme.
Hilton Perks: Including our Go Hilton Team Member Travel Program, which provides you with access to heavily reduced hotel room rates for you, your family & friends.
Salary & Benefits: £27,500 gross per annum & private healthcare.
Location: At our EMEA Headquarters in Watford, with some flexibility depending on team and business need. You will benefit from a subsidised restaurant, a games area and a free in-house gym.
Our Placement Opportunities
We have a three placement opportunities within our highly talented Food & Drink (F&D) department:
- Corporate F&D Operations
- F&D Brand Development
- Corporate F&D Strategy Development
The Opportunities
Corporate F&D Operations
As an F&D Operations Intern, you will gain hands-on experience supporting Food & Drink operations across Hilton hotels in EMEA.
Working closely with operational leaders and hotel teams, you will contribute to projects that enhance guest experience, drive commercial performance and support service excellence.
This placement offers exposure to a wide range of operational initiatives, with opportunities to travel across the region, visit hotels and gain valuable in-person operational experience.
In this placement you will build your hospitality knowledge, stakeholder management capabilities and understanding of F&D strategy while working within a fast-paced, global hospitality business.
F&D Brand Development
As an F&D Brand Development Intern, you will have the opportunity to learn quickly and contribute meaningfully in a high-performance, team-oriented environment, with this placement sitting at the core of Hilton's value proposition: Food & Beverage, Retail and Brand Partnerships in EMEA.
In this role you will have exposure to:
Lobby Retail Strategy & Execution
- Manage retail rollouts across EMEA, ensuring timely and high-quality execution.
- Support properties in implementing automated lobby markets in line with brand standards and best practices.
- Conduct audits to optimise guest experience and operational performance.
- Carry out site visits to assess compliance and gather best practices from central sharing.
- Build and maintain reporting frameworks to track compliance.
- Use project management tools to develop a clear and effective reporting system.
Scalable Brand Scheme Implementation (Restaurant & Bar Concepts)
- Support the rollout of F&B brands across DoubleTree and Hilton properties.
- Assist hotels in implementing scalable restaurant concepts across EMEA, following critical paths and sharing best practices.
- Contribute to the implementation and evaluation of F&B concepts.
- Provide constructive and critical input to support the continuous improvement of concepts.
- Collaborate with the Scalable Brands team on key initiatives.
- Support and execute central initiatives across the scalable brands portfolio.
F&D Strategy Development
As an F&D Strategy Development Intern, you will provide exceptional support to the F&D Development and Openings team in EMEA through the support with:
- Creating and developing visual presentations for regional, executive and owners presentations.
- Maintaining Sharepoint with project and supporting files.
- Providing support relating to sustainability and Hilton F&D goals.
- Supporting on development projects with collation of all relevant files for sharing during GM welcome and project introduction meetings.
- Preparation of documentation to support site visits for hotel masterplans and new builds.
- Providing administrative support to department executives, including diary management, scheduling, travel arrangements, drafts of correspondence, taking calls, preparing expense reports and processing invoices.
- Supporting F&D Development and Openings stakeholders on key projects.
- Researching F&D equipment to take forward in the business.
- Travel up to 20%.
What We’re Looking For
We are seeking individuals who embody the Hilton Values in addition to the following criteria:
A strong sense of alignment to our culture and values.
A current bachelor’s or master’s student completing a degree that includes a required 12-month year in industry placement.
The ideal candidate will be working towards a degree within a hospitality discipline or have relevant experience in the hospitality or the F&D industry.
Availability to begin full-time employment on 5th July 2027, for a full-time 12-month placement.
You must have the independent right to work in the UK for the full duration of the 12-month placement. Please note that this role is not eligible for visa sponsorship under the Skilled Worker route, so we are unable to consider applications from candidates who would require sponsorship. If you hold a visa or status that allows you to work in the UK full-time without sponsorship (e.g. Settled Status, Pre-Settled Status, where a 12-month work placement is a permitted, required & assessed part of your UK University degree, or other independent work permissions), you are welcome to apply.
Fluency in English (spoken and written).
Passionate about all things F&D, with a broader interest in current industry trends.
Excellent written and verbal communication including the ability to deal with stakeholders at all levels.
Excellent time management and organisational skills.
Detailed orientated.
Proficient in MS Office Suite including Word, PowerPoint, Excel and Outlook.
Working knowledge of design skills including Photoshop is a plus.
Click here to learn more about Hilton's Corporate Placements
Selection Process
Applications are now open—don’t miss your chance to apply! Submissions close on Sunday 1st November 2026
Our selection process is designed to bring out your best and help us get to know you. It includes:
Online assessments
In-person or virtual interview
While the process is rigorous, it’s also the first step in your personal growth journey with Hilton. If selected, you’ll begin developing the skills, connections, and confidence to thrive in your career.
To ensure every application receives fair consideration, invitations to final-stage interviews will be issued after applications have closed. Please complete each stage promptly and keep an eye on your inbox for updates.
We are an equal opportunity employer and are committed to providing reasonable adjustments for applicants and employees with disabilities. If you require any support or adjustments during the recruitment process or to carry out the essential requirements of the role, please contact us.