Expand+Closing: Apply by 5th March 2017

Who Should Apply?

Applications are welcomed from all graduates with a minimum of 2-3 years work experience. Some placements will require fluency in a second language (for example French, German, Spanish, Italia...

Hide-Closing: Apply by 5th March 2017

Who Should Apply?

Applications are welcomed from all graduates with a minimum of 2-3 years work experience. Some placements will require fluency in a second language (for example French, German, Spanish, Italian, Dutch, Russian, Polish, Japanese or Chinese.)

Placement Locations

Placement of the Fellowship participants will be selected from locations which may include New York, London, Dubai, Sydney, Shanghai, Paris, Amsterdam, Madrid, Milan, Moscow, Düsseldorf and Warsaw.

Candidate Selection

There are 20-25 places available on this programme and participants will be selected following a rigorous and exacting recruitment process. Interested participants must be available if selected to take part in the interview and assessment process around April 2017 in Dublin (attendance on one day is required - exact dates to be confirmed) and if successful must be ready to commence the programme on the 12th June 2017. A second round interview may be applicable.

Applications will only be accepted using the official application form. You must complete the application form in one go, it is not possible to start the form, save it and return to it.

You will also need to upload a copy of your CV with your completed application form. We would appreciate if the document name for your CV was in the format "firstname_surnameCV".

Please include names and contact details for two Referees in your CV (one must know you in a professional capacity). Please note that Referees will only be contacted with your permission.

As part of the personal details required, we ask for your nationality (to determine visa requirements), gender (to ensure a balance on the programme) and date of birth (to be used as a unique identifier where two candidates with the same name apply to the programme).

What happens when you submit your application?


You will receive confirmation that your application has been submitted successfully.

Once all applications have been reviewed, shortlisted candidates will be required to complete two psychometric tests*. These will be conducted online around March 2017. The tests take approximately 10 minutes and 30 minutes respectively to complete (approx 40 minutes in total). Language tests will also be carried out if applicable. Following this, successful candidates will be invited to attend the Assessment Centre which will take place in Dublin from 10th to 27th April 2017. You will be required to attend on one day during this period. A second round interview may be applicable.

Successful candidates must be available to commence the programme in Dublin on the 12th June 2017. This is a full-time programme.

*Note: Further details on psychometric testing will be provided to shortlisted candidates in advance as required. Successful candidates will resit the psychometric tests for validation purposes.

Expand+Qualifications /Experience / Knowledge

•A 3rd level qualification

•A minimum of 2-3 years' experience working within a client-facing environment

•Committed to a career in the Irish food, drink and agribusiness industry.

•Although fluency ...

Hide-Qualifications /Experience / Knowledge

•A 3rd level qualification

•A minimum of 2-3 years' experience working within a client-facing environment

•Committed to a career in the Irish food, drink and agribusiness industry.

•Although fluency in certain foreign languages is required for particular markets this is not an absolute requirement as there are also English speaking locations. Fluency is required for markets such as French/German/Dutch/Spanish/Italian/Russian/Polish/Japanese/Korean or Chinese. English speaking locations include: UK/USA/U.A.E./Australia/Holland/Sweden. Note: locations are subject to confirmation.

•Marketing or market research or sales or client interface experience desirable

•Excellent communication and report writing skills

•Experience with M/S Excel, Powerpoint, Word and PM

Skills
Successful candidates will be self-starters and resilient with demonstrable records of self motivation and self discipline. In addition, they will demonstrate:

•Strong oral and written communication skills, and effective presentation skills.

•Good influencing skills; with ability to quickly establish effective internal and external working relationships with key people across different services/functions.

•Strong commercial acumen: ability to identify opportunities and to follow these through completion through working with others and discovering optimum routes to results.

•Project management skills – ability to schedule and manage time and resources; maintaining a project management plan for communication and review at all times.

Additional requirements

It is a requirement that the Fellows are willing/able to live in a foreign country, and travel in-market at short notice and sometimes where public transport may be limited.

Expand+The programme blends action learning, through a year long, fully funded, foreign industry placement, with a ‘block-release’ academic business education programme. The 2 key elements of the programme are outlined as follows:

•In-Market Placement wi...

Hide-The programme blends action learning, through a year long, fully funded, foreign industry placement, with a ‘block-release’ academic business education programme. The 2 key elements of the programme are outlined as follows:

•In-Market Placement with Bord Bia clients (based overseas)
•Block Release Academic Programme (based in Ireland).

** It has been proposed to extend this programme to 18-months, this is subject to confirmation.

Since 2009 the Fellowship has had an outstanding record of its participants securing excellent roles in the Irish food industry - see Employment Prospects.

Although the ultimate responsibility of securing a job lies with the Fellowship participant, UCD and Bord Bia facilitate a structured approach to career management and play a keen role in helping participants to secure appropriate roles in the Irish food industry. This includes initiatives such as the Career Management project to help participants identify and secure their preferred roles in the Irish food industry; publication of a professional CV Book; various events targeting key employers, and coaching. Please refer to the Fellowship webpage for a list of previous Irish food industry employers.

The investment made by Bord Bia to develop the talents of each Fellowship participant is substantial. Therefore one of the key criteria for the award of Fellowship places is candidates’ commitment to working in the Irish food industry following completion of the programme.

In the unlikely event that a Fellowship participant chooses not to work in an Irish food, drink, horticulture or agribusiness industry role, within 6 months of completion of the Fellowship, then a €3,000 claw-back of partial academic fees will apply.

‘In-Market’ Placement with Bord Bia Clients

Based Overseas - Early August 2017 to June 2018**

This is an exciting and important role within the international food and drink industry. The ‘In-Market’ element refers to the part of the programme whereby programme Fellows are assigned approximately 4 clients with export development projects which the Fellow is required to complete. In addition, Fellows may be required to input into other Bord Bia programmes and projects, in the furtherance of export development targets and strategic objectives.

** It has been proposed to extend this programme to 18-months, this is subject to confirmation.

‘In –Market’ Key Responsibilities


As a Fellow, you will be responsible for creating opportunities for your clients and for the Irish food industry generally by:

•Delivering results for your clients on your specific in-market business development assignments, in line with defined project objectives and target outcomes.

•Developing sector/product/market intelligence for the benefit of your clients, for Bord Bia and the sector/market in which you operate.

•Acting as an Ambassador for Bord Bia & the Irish Food Industry through effective performance as a Fellow.

'In-Market’ Key Duties
•Delivery of client assignments to an exceptional standard.

•Create specific assignment/ project plans.

•Maintain and document project management progress.

•Work on increasing the export business of clients through various sales/business development activities.
•Undertake company and product specific market research for clients.

•Understand/appreciate strategic plans and sectoral strategies through close collaboration with Bord Bia sector managers and trade marketing specialists.

•Deliver insight to clients through market research on the dynamics of the market, market entry planning and consumer issues affecting export markets

•Develop & capitalise on business and promotional opportunities for clients and other Irish food manufacturers.

•Facilitate buyer contact on behalf of your clients and other companies.

•Develop and maintain updated sector overviews.

•Submit progress reports/recommendations during the course of assignment.

•Participate in reviews and planning during each assignment.

•Attend meetings and organise itineraries relevant to projects.

•Attend pre-agreed trade events and seminars in pursuit of information or leads which will enhance the successful delivery assignments

•Develop relationships with Sector Managers/Overseas office manager/TMS/Other Bord Bia and UCD employees in order to:

a. Share market intelligence and exchange ideas of mutual benefit;

b. Broaden and deepen your insight into food industry clients;

c. Ensure consistency of message in assignment and other work.

•Collaborate with Bord Bia Information Services (Library) and other Bord Bia resources, for value adding to client assignments.

Additional ‘In-Market’ Roles:
•Ambassadorial Role: Cross–Sell opportunities in partnership with Bord Bia

•Identify growth and business opportunities for Bord Bia clients

•Develop and manage promotional opportunities

•Facilitate buyer contact

•Enhance Bord Bia as knowledge leader in industry

•Support strategic marketing programmes of the overseas office

•Support implementation of strategies

•Expenses management/administration

Key Organisational Relationships

•UCD Programme Management Team and Faculty

•Bord Bia:
Overseas Office Manager
Overseas Trade Marketing Specialists
Sector Manager(s) Dublin
Information Services Team, Dublin (including IT, Strategic Research Team, Library)
Corporate Marketing Services (Events Management, Brand Manager)
Communications Department (Communications team, Bord Bia)
International Markets Team (multi-office)

Key External Relationships

•Client companies

•State agencies and other trade/industry representative bodies (public & private sector) with an interest in export development (e.g. Enterprise Ireland and local embassies)

Expand+An MSc International Marketing Practice is awarded by UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School upon completion of the Fellowship programme. This is a Level 9 NFQ qualification.

“Future industry leaders will be required to have skills beyond an...

Hide-An MSc International Marketing Practice is awarded by UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School upon completion of the Fellowship programme. This is a Level 9 NFQ qualification.

“Future industry leaders will be required to have skills beyond analysis and calculation. Instead, they will be characterised by an ability to build organisational assets, strategies, brands and relationships and to match these assets with opportunities which might initially appear to be opaque but could offer exceptional pathways to growth.”

To meet this challenge, this executive education programme has been designed around four classroom based modules, a professional development programme and client assignments on behalf of the Irish food industry. The classroom modules emphasise the development of commercial capabilities which are immediately applicable and relevant for the long term. The modules include identifying and selecting strategies for growth, going to market, managing customer relationships for profit and the growth agenda in the global food industry.

Each module has been designed specifically for the Fellowship programme and for the needs of future leaders of the food industry. In total, they constitute a unique learning opportunity with the potential to accelerate career development, to enhance long-term professional opportunities and to identify graduating Fellows as future leaders of the food industry. Upon the completion of the taught programmes, Fellows will have a useful set of skills and tools but, most powerfully, a perspective on the strategic issues facing global food firms and the opportunity to invest these insights in a high-potential Irish company which is committed to the development of international markets.

Instructors are all highly experienced executive educators with track records of working in the international food industry. They will be drawn from UCD Smurfit School and its international partners including Harvard Business School, IMD (Switzerland) and Ashridge (UK).

** It has been proposed to extend this programme to 18-months, this is subject to confirmation.

Expand+Employment Prospects

Since 2009 the Fellowship has had an outstanding record of its participants securing excellent roles with the following companies in the Irish food industry:

•Aryzta •Bfree •Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM) •Bord Bia •Britvic •BWG...

Hide-Employment Prospects

Since 2009 the Fellowship has had an outstanding record of its participants securing excellent roles with the following companies in the Irish food industry:

•Aryzta •Bfree •Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM) •Bord Bia •Britvic •BWG Foodservice •Carlow Brewing Company •Cuisine Royale •Dale Farm •Danone Baby Food •Follain •Glanbia •Glanbia Ingredients Ireland •Glendalough •Glenstal •Good Fish Co. •Green Farm Foods •Green Isle Foods •Island Seafoods •Irish Exporters Association •JBS Foods/ABP •Kelloggs •Kerry Group •Kerry Ingredients •McIlroy Wang Ltd. •MIRA International •Nestle - UK •Nielsen Ireland Reseach •Nutrifont - Carbery Group (Brazil) •Pepsico •Rangeland Foods •Rosderra •Teelings Whiskey Co. •Tesco - London •Tesco Ireland