Job Description

New Starter Champion
We drive our own success
Salary: Competitive (depending on experience)
Benefits: Highly competitive rewards package, life assurance, and excellent career progression prospects across the Bakkavor group
Location: Spalding
Ways of Working: Site Based
Shift: Monday-Friday, 08.30-17.00 (However must be flexible to cover all shifts where required)
Contract Type: Permanent
Why join us?
We're constantly evolving, progressing and diversifying. And we want our people to do so too. For everyone to feel empowered, engaged and enabled. To create opportunities to move forward, climb higher and push for more. We believe in fuelling ambition and guiding success. In supporting everyone with talent and drive to own what they do, realise their potential and build a brilliant future for themselves at Bakkavor.
What we do
This fantastic opportunity will be based at our Bakkavor Spalding site, which employs over 1,470 people across 3 manufacturing facilities & 1 Distribution Centre. We specialise in making hand crafted sandwich wraps, salads, dips, soups & sauces and mayonnaise.
About the role
In this busy and exciting role as New Starter Champion, you will play a key part in welcoming new colleagues into the business each week. Your purpose is to champion their experience, ensuring they feel supported, valued, and equipped to succeed. By identifying and overcoming barriers to retention, you will help drive a reduction in site turnover and strengthen overall engagement.
You will act as a vital conduit between new colleagues and their line managers, the operations team, HR, and L&D, ensuring communication flows smoothly and that every new starter has the guidance and resources they need to thrive.
Role Accountabilities

• Liaise with HR, Learning, Operations and Facilities to prepare for new colleagues' induction and first day

• Ensure site access, PPE, lockers and systems are ready, and guide colleagues through processes like Epay and MyReward

• Meet and greet new starters, attend induction, and remain a point of contact during their first three months

• Support integration by introducing colleagues to managers, teams and workplace facilities

• Manage the buddy system, allocate suitable buddies, and monitor effectiveness

• Identify and address barriers to retention through feedback, listening groups and turnover data

• Influence stakeholders to improve retention and support career progression opportunities

• Work with SEF representatives to raise new colleague issues and seek solutions

About You
This role requires the ability to build strong relationships at all levels, supported by excellent interpersonal and communication skills - you should be able to win the hearts and minds of stakeholders to influence change, while consistently exhibiting credibility.
Strong organisational and prioritisation skills are essential, along with the ability to work independently, reporting into a senior manager with minimal guidance.
You will need to demonstrate robust problem-solving skills, identifying issues and developing both immediate solutions and longer-term sustainable options.
Previous experience in a role requiring a similar skill set will be highly valuable.
Joining as a New Starter Champion offers the chance to make a real difference to colleague experience, helping shape retention and career progression while adding genuine value to the business.
What you'll receive
As an equal opportunity employer, we're committed to providing a safe and rewarding environment for you to thrive in. This is why we work hard to deliver benefits, rewards and wellbeing offerings that are important to you.
You'll enjoy:

• Life Assurance (1 x salary)
• 25 days holiday
• Staff Shop
• Stakeholder Pension Scheme
• MyBargains Discount Platform
• Personal Accident Insurance
• Free Independent Mortgage Advice
• Employee Assistance Programme
• A Range of voluntary benefits (holiday purchase scheme, additional life assurance, dental & hospital cash plans)
• Discounted tutoring for children
• Access to financial learning tools and affordable loans via your salary
• Private Medical Insurance (after 5 years service)
• Free Car parking

Plus, a commitment to your wellbeing that includes emotional, physical and financial support services delivered by our fantastic team of wellbeing champions.
Proud to be Bakkavor
We're proud to be the market leader in the UK fresh prepared food industry. We're proud to supply meals, salads, desserts, pizza and bread to leading grocery retailers including Tesco, M&S, Sainsbury's and Waitrose. We're driven by the hard work and passion of our people and are delighted to offer a wide range of careers across our business - come and join our dedicated Bakkavor team!
At Bakkavor, we are committed to building an inclusive workplace where everyone can thrive, and we believe that diversity makes us stronger. We welcome and encourage applications from all backgrounds and ensure fair, transparent recruitment practices. Learn more about our commitment in our Inclusion and Diversity Policy ( ).
Find out more and apply.
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The salary associated with this role ranges from (28,000 p/a) to (30,000 p/a), depending on the candidate's experience.
Bakkavor
We are the leading provider of fresh prepared food in the UK, with operations also in the US, positioning the Group well in these high-growth markets. We leverage our consumer insight and scale to provide innovative food that offers quality, choice, convenience, and freshness. Around 15,000 colleagues operate from 31 sites across our two markets supplying a large portfolio of products across meals, pizza & bread, salads and desserts to leading grocery retailers in the UK and US.
Department: Inbound and Outbound Logistics
Location:
Spalding, GB, PE11 2BB
Workplace: Site Based
Date: 13 Jan 2026
Req ID: 26608

Skills Required