Sales Graduate at Sysco in Reading, England, GB

Job Description

Sales Graduate Programme

Location: South East, With travel across region including Bicester, Reading, Hemel, Aylesford, Ashford locations

Contract Type: Full-time, Permanent

Start Date: 20th September 2027

Welcome to the Sysco GB Sales 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 76,000 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 Sales Graduate Programme is your opportunity to be at the forefront of those relationships. You’ll play a key role in helping our customers succeed, driving growth through insight‑led selling, and building long‑term partnerships in a fast‑paced, commercially driven environment. This is where you start building a career that brings exceptional food, service and support to the communities we serve.

From day one, you’ll gain hands‑on experience across our sales operation, working closely with experienced sales professionals and account managers. You’ll engage directly with customers of all sizes - understanding their needs, recommending the right solutions, and helping them get the most from their relationship with Sysco.

This is a role for confident communicators who enjoy building trust, having honest conversations and influencing decisions that deliver value for both the customer and the business. We’re looking for ambitious, curious graduates who enjoy working with people, solving problems, and using data and insight to shape conversations.

If you’re motivated by targets, energised by collaboration, and excited to take ownership of your impact, you’ll thrive here.

Your journey starts here - let’s make it extraordinary.

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The Sysco GB Graduate Programme is designed to give you a dynamic and inspiring start to your career. You’ll gain hands on experience, 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 Sales
• 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 the Sysco Sales Graduate Programme, you’ll begin your journey with a comprehensive introduction to Sysco GB, our Sales function, and the teams we collaborate with across the business. This foundation will help you understand how we serve our customers, how different sales teams operate, and how our commercial decisions come together to support both local high street customers and large‑scale corporate accounts.

Building Core Sales Skills

You’ll complete three key placements, rotating around different sales teams and customer types. Each placement is designed to give you hands‑on exposure to the breadth of our sales operation - from local field sales and account management to strategic customer teams. You’ll work with experienced sales professionals, supporting live accounts and gradually taking on responsibility as your confidence grows. Throughout your placements, you’ll get to grips with core sales skills, understand the needs of different customer segments, and learn how we tailor our approach to deliver value in a competitive market.

Specialise and Deepen Your Impact

You’ll then have the opportunity to specialise in one sales area that aligns with your strengths, interests and future career ambitions. This is where you’ll really deepen your skills and experience, taking on greater ownership and responsibility as you work towards your post graduate role within the business. You’ll continue to build strong customer relationships, contribute to sales growth, and develop the commercial insight needed to succeed in a fast‑paced environment - all with the support of your manager, mentors and the wider graduate network.

You’ll Gain Experience In:

• Core sales and account management skills
• Building and maintaining customer relationships
• Understanding customer needs and delivering tailored solutions
• Managing a portfolio and balancing competing priorities
• Commercial conversations, negotiation and influencing
• Communication, presentations and stakeholder management
• Using data and insight to identify opportunities and drive growth

You’ll also be supported through structured training, on‑the‑job learning and ongoing development designed to build your confidence and capability as a sales professional. This is your chance to make a real impact, learn from experienced sales leaders, and kick‑start your career towards becoming a sales professional with your own ledger and the opportunity to increase your earnings through a generous bonus scheme.

Key Information:

• This is a home-based role but as a sales professional you will spend the majority of your time travelling to our customer locations and key business sites. This is a South East based position so for this programme you will need to be based in this region and comfortable with driving to locations including Bicester, Reading, Hemel, Aylesford and Ashford.
• 39hrs a week, Monday – Friday
• Additional travel required includes graduate workshops, Sales or business events
• A company car or allowance will be provided – candidates must hold UK driving licence

What you’ll need to succeed:

• A minimum of a 2:2 or above Bachelors degree (or equivalent)
• Strong interest in pursuing a career in Sales
• UK Driving licence
• Genuine passion for food
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a team environment
• Proactive, adaptable, and eager to learn
• Analytical and problem-solving abilities
• Initiative and a growth mindset

The Application Process:

If you’re interested in joining us – apply now! Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and if you meet our entry criteria you’ll be asked to complete a short online assessment. Shortlisted candidates will be invited to complete an online ‘Life at Sysco’ module and then move onto our strengths-based video interview. If successful at this stage, the final step will be an invite to join our onsite assessment day. This is currently planned for early December in Reading. Support and guidance will be provided throughout the process and further information to help you learn more about Sysco GB can be found here.

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.

What we offer:

• Competitive salary and benefits package
• Company car or allowance
• Supported Sales training
• Pension + life assurance
• Heavily discounted staff sales on Sysco products
• Cashback/discount platform
• Volunteering hours

Additional Information

At Sysco 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. We don’t just look at your CV, we’re more focused on who you are and your potential. 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 and we recognise that Sysco 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.