Location
Manchester city centre with hybrid working – splitting your time between home, the office and occasional travel to supplier sites across the UK.

Hours
Full time, 12-month work placement starting June 2027.

Salary
£25,430 per year plus excellent benefits.

About the Role
We are seeking a driven and ambitious Undergraduate Food Sustainability Policy Coordinator to join us on a 12-month placement. You will gain hands-on experience supporting activities that shape Co-op's approach to ethical sourcing, sustainability, and food policy. Working collaboratively across the business, you will develop new skills, build your network, and gain practical experience in sustainability projects, supplier engagement, data analysis, and responsible sourcing.

As the UK's largest convenience retailer, Co-op is committed to providing high-quality, ethical products at great prices for millions of customers and members nationwide. In this role, you will support initiatives that deliver our Future of Food commitments, working with colleagues and supply chains to drive positive change. You will have the opportunity to make a real difference across Co-op Own Brand food and drink supply chains while expanding your knowledge of sustainability in a major food retailer.

Your responsibilities will include coordinating projects to improve supply chain transparency and support Future of Food commitments, maintaining project plans and monitoring key milestones, building relationships with colleagues, suppliers and partners, supporting data analysis and reporting, contributing to sustainability communications and internal campaigns, assisting suppliers with ethical sourcing and decarbonisation objectives, researching emerging sustainability and food policy topics, and preparing presentations and reports to share progress and insights.

Experience
Knowledge gained from your second year of an undergraduate degree in International Development, Sustainability, Geography, Human Rights and Social Ethics, Climate and the Environment, or a related subject.

About you
A good understanding of the current challenges in global food supply chains.
Strong communication and relationship-building skills.
A passion for ethics and sustainability with a genuine interest in caring for the planet and the people who create our products.
Good analytical and problem-solving skills.
Working knowledge of Microsoft Office applications such as Excel and PowerPoint.

Qualifications
Currently enrolled in an undergraduate degree program relevant to the role; no additional qualifications required.