Food for thought: Bord Bia seeks fresh talent to join the industry

Academy established to identify and develop executive talent for Ireland’s food and drink sector

Lisa Martin, a Bord Bia post-graduate programme participant in the The Bord Bia Talent Academy. Picture: Marc O’Sullivan

LIKE that army recruiting poster of long ago, Bord Bia is “looking for a few good men and women” to join its Talent Academy for rewarding careers in Ireland’s food industry.

Offering successful applicants a funded master’s, work experience in Ireland or abroad, plus a tax-free monthly bursary, the academy was established to identify and develop executive talent for Ireland’s food and drink sector, with programmes that address the challenges and opportunities in the industry.

Through corporate and academic partnerships with UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School and DCU Business School, the Talent Academy combines academic learning with work experience in industry-leading companies, or at Bord Bia offices at home and abroad.

“It’s not rocket science to know that good people deliver good results, and if we can attract the best talent possible, it gives the industry the opportunity to grow, develop, and win markets,” says Michael Murphy of the Talent Academy’s ethos.

“Even pre-pandemic, there was very much a war for finding the best talent out there and providing an attractive and rewarding career path.

CLIMATE & SUSTAINABILITY HUB

Talent doesn’t just show up, you have to go after it.

The academy’s five programmes offer a skill focus, ranging from international business strategy, sustainability, marketing, sales, innovation, and consumer insights to commercial supply chain.

A surge of interest saw a 20% increase in applications last year, with 2,700 received for 80 places across the five programmes.

Applications are being accepted for two Bord Bia Talent Academy programmes: The Origin Green Ambassador and the Supply Chain and Account Management Programmes. The full-time programmes — 18 months and 23 months in duration, respectively — offer a “combination of real-world and academic learning, blending block release modules and continuous project work”.

The ideal candidates will have a minimum of three years’ work experience, though not necessarily within the food industry. “We are really looking for people with a keen interest in the retail or food industry, people who are ambitious for themselves and for the industry,” says Michael.

Ambitious targets

“There is very much a need to be attracting the best-possible talent, so we can drive the industry forward, toward very ambitious targets.”

Having worked with Bord Bia for over 20 years, Michael has held a number of positions, including director of markets, European director, and general manager of Bord Bia’s London office.

The graduates of today want to join companies they believe in, companies they believe have a purpose, and which are doing the right thing, Michael says of the ambitions of the present generation.

“They want to feel good about where they work, that a company they work for will leave the world in a better place, and any food product that is produced there comes to market with the least carbon footprint possible,” Michael says.

Michael Murphy. 

Companies must say and do the right things about their future and about how they operate sustainably.

“This is where Origin Green comes in, operating as a mechanism for companies to demonstrate their sustainability,” Michael says.

Origin Green is the Bord Bia sustainability programme, and is the only one in the world that operates at a national level to include farmers, primary producers, processors, and retailers working together to create a better future for all involved.

The Origin Green Ambassador and Supply Chain and Account Management Programmes address two of the most topical and critically important areas for the development of Ireland’s food-and-drink industry, at home and abroad.

“Whether it is the reliability of supply or the ethical sourcing of ingredients, the supply chain is under increased focus, as consumers become more curious and cautious about where our food comes from,” says Michael.

Sustainability

“Likewise, business sustainability has never been more important for Ireland’s emerging and growing food companies.

“Our Origin Green Ambassador Programme is about helping to identify sustainability best practices and optimal strategic planning, with our programme participants bringing new thinking to their industry placements.”

The annual Bord Bia Export Performance and Prospects report 2020/2021 revealed that exports of Irish food, drink, and horticulture were held to a marginal 2% decline in 2020, valued at €13bn — compared to €13.2bn in 2019 — during a period of unprecedented change and challenge to normal market operation.

The figures underline the dividend of a decade-long diversification strategy that has seen Ireland achieve a broad global base for food-and-drink exports, now reaching over 180 countries.

Increases have been recorded in the value of Irish dairy, pigmeat, and sheepmeat exports, along with significant rises in the value of exports to Africa and the Middle East, as new international markets come to the fore.

There are some real opportunities for graduates, Michael says.

Companies are looking for talented people with ambition and attitude to be authors of change within the food industry.

“There are many fantastic companies there, such as Kerry Group, Ornua, Glanbia — leading global firms, who are doing things at home and abroad that are very exciting. We, as a country, are quite international in our views of the world — not the end of the world, but the start of it.

“It is very much about getting young talent to go abroad, actually work throughout the world, and bring those skills and perspectives back to Ireland.”

In gender terms, the Talent Academy programmes divide roughly to 70% female and 30% male. 

Each programme has a distinct offering, with experience ranging from placement within Bord Bia’s network of global offices, for more recent graduates, to working with established international brands, like Unilever, McDonalds, Nestle, or Tesco.

“We have people, nowadays, joining the food industry who believe they can really achieve significant change,” Michael says. 

“They are confident of what they can offer prospective employers, and are quite discerning about where they want to work and the kind of companies that can deliver what they want.”

To find out more, see Bord Bia Talent Academy