Operations Graduates

Build your career. Improve how we operate. Help shape a more sustainable future.

Help us build the modern world

At Sika, we use our expertise, innovation, and teamwork to help build the modern world. For more than 100 years, we have developed specialist products and solutions that support construction and manufacturing around the globe. Our technologies are used in everything from nuclear power stations, high-speed rail links, and renewable energy infrastructure to electric vehicles, superyachts, and homes for families across the UK. You may not always see the Sika name, but our products and people are behind many of the structures, systems, and technologies that society relies on every day.

We are now looking for talented graduates to join our UK Operations Management Graduate Programme and help shape the future of our operations.

What we offer you

We have multiple opportunities to join our two-year UK Graduate Programme. The program is designed to develop the technical, analytical, and leadership capabilities you will need to build a successful career in operations. Our ambition is to prepare high-performing graduates to progress towards a future operational leadership position.

Through a series of structured rotations, you will experience Sika’s end-to-end operations, work alongside teams, and lead projects in areas including:

• Production and manufacturing
• Engineering and maintenance
• Procurement and supply chain
• Environment, Health and Safety
• Sustainability and energy management
• Data analytics and business intelligence
• Continuous improvement
• Automation and digitalisation

From the outset, you will be given real responsibilities and the opportunity to deliver meaningful projects with measurable outcomes.

Your role and priorities

Throughout the programme, you will support our Operations and EHS teams in maintaining high standards of safety, compliance, and operational excellence. You will contribute to projects that improve how we operate today while helping us prepare for the challenges and opportunities of the future.

Safety and operational performance

• Drive continuous improvement in Health & Safety performance across all operations
• Proactively support Operations and EHS teams to create and maintain safe and healthy workspaces
• Help the business meet its legal, regulatory, and moral responsibilities
• Identify, assess, and implement opportunities to reduce risk and improve safety culture
• Work collaboratively with colleagues across different functions and locations to embed EHS best practice and promote a culture of continuous improvement

Sustainability and environmental improvement

• Support projects to reduce energy consumption, carbon emissions, waste, and water usage
• Analyse environmental and sustainability performance
• Identify opportunities to make manufacturing processes more efficient and sustainable
• Support site-level delivery of wider sustainability objectives
• Help teams understand the environmental impact of operational decisions

Data analysis and business intelligence

• Collect, analyse, and interpret operational data
• Develop dashboards and reports that support effective decision-making
• Identify trends, risks, and improvement opportunities
• Turn complex data into clear and practical recommendations
• Support the development of consistent operational performance measures

Continuous improvement and operational excellence

• Review processes to identify waste, inefficiency, and variation
• Support Lean and continuous improvement activities
• Work with operational teams to investigate problems and identify root causes
• Help implement and measure process improvements
• Share successful approaches across teams and sites

Digitalisation and automation

• Support the introduction of digital tools and automated processes
• Explore opportunities to improve productivity through technology
• Help teams adopt new systems and ways of working
• Contribute to projects involving emerging technologies and artificial intelligence
• Evaluate whether digital solutions have delivered the intended operational benefits

During each rotation, you will deliver defined projects and demonstrate how your work has added value to the organization.

Your development

You will be supported by a mentor, operational leaders, and colleagues across the business. At the start of each rotation, you will agree on clear learning objectives and development priorities.

Your development will combine hands-on experience, formal learning, internal and external training, peer support, and exposure to senior leaders. You will build capability in:

• Operational leadership
• Data analysis and decision-making
• Sustainability
• Project and change management
• Commercial awareness
• Problem-solving and continuous improvement
• Communication, influencing, and collaboration

Projects you could work on

• Developing a dashboard to improve the visibility of operational performance
• Analysing manufacturing data to identify productivity opportunities
• Reducing waste, energy consumption, or carbon emissions at one of our sites
• Improving a production, procurement, or supply chain process
• Supporting the implementation of automation or new digital technology
• Investigating the root cause of a recurring safety, quality, or service issue
• Improving inventory performance and material availability
• Developing a business case for an operational investment
• Helping teams measure the benefits delivered by an improvement project

What we are looking for

We are looking for driven and curious graduates who are ready to tackle the challenges involved in building the modern world. You will be a team player who builds trust through integrity, accountability, and respect. You will be eager to learn from experienced colleagues while bringing your own ideas, energy, and perspective to the business.

You should be able to:

• Approach challenges logically and analytically
• Work confidently with data and communicate what it means
• Turn ideas into practical actions
• Communicate effectively with different audiences
• Build positive working relationships
• Remain calm and focused when priorities change
• Take ownership of your work and follow through on commitments
• Balance attention to detail with an understanding of the bigger picture
• Demonstrate an interest in manufacturing, sustainability, and technology
• Show the potential and ambition to become a future operations leader

You do not need to arrive with all the answers. We are looking for people with the curiosity, adaptability, and determination to learn.

Qualifications

We welcome applications from graduates with a relevant degree or equivalent qualification. Suitable disciplines could include:

• Engineering
• Manufacturing or operations management
• Occupational Health and Safety
• Supply chain or logistics
• Data analytics or data science
• Environmental management or sustainability
• Business management
• Chemistry or materials science
• Other relevant technical or analytical subjects

More important than your specific degree subject will be your ability to learn, solve problems, work with others, and apply your knowledge in a practical operational environment.

Your future with Sika

Operations Management is at the center of what we achieve together. Our customers, colleagues, and society rely on us to operate safely, responsibly, and effectively. Our ambition is to develop future operations leaders. High-performing graduates will have opportunities to progress into supervisory, specialist, project, or leadership roles, supported by structured development, mentoring, and real business responsibility.

If you are ready to learn, contribute, and help shape the future of our operations, we would like to hear from you. We offer competitive salaries, aligned with local market benchmarks, and the specific scope and responsibilities of each role. Compensation is determined based on skills relevant to the position, education, and/or training. We are committed to fair and equitable pay practices in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.