Internships

Church & Dwight UK pride themselves on supporting the development of future talent within the fast-moving consumer goods industry through our internship program. The program targets both University placement year students and recent graduates looking to take their first career step with a professional level of responsibility, and hands-on experience, by forming an integral part of both an individual department and overall business operations. Our placements are competitively paid and usually start in June/July each year, lasting for 12 months, and based at our sites in Folkestone, Kent.

Our internship program continues to grow and we currently have interns supporting departments across the company, including:

· Customer Marketing	· Project Management
· Export	· Purchasing
· Finance	· Research & Development
· Human Resources	· Logistics & Supply Chain
· Marketing	· Quality Assurance & Quality Control

What’s the application and interview process?

We advertise all of our vacancies on our careers website, usually in Spring each year ready for the next intake, with all applications directed to HRDepartment.UK@churchdwight.com

Interested candidates are asked to write a cover letter, explaining how they meet the competencies and experiences required for their internship alongside their motivation for applying. We also ask for an up-to-date CV.

Shortlisted candidates are initially invited to take part in a telephone interview to discuss their application further and it’s a great opportunity for applicants to hear about the internship experience and how it feels to be an intern with us.

Our final stage involves a face to face interview and/or assessment centre in Folkestone, Kent.

What’s it like to be an Intern with Church & Dwight UK

Incoming interns are supported with a tailored induction to meet the specific individual intern and departmental needs. This will usually include a combination of formal support, such as training on Time Management and Communication styles, and informal mentoring from their line manager and their new team.

During the internship the line manager will meet with each intern on a regular basis to review progress and discuss development.

Hear about the experiences of a few of our previous interns

Hanna, Project Management Intern

Why did you apply for your C&D internship?

I applied for the project management internship at C&D because I studied a project management module at University and found it very interesting.  I also found this role exciting because it is so different from what I saw myself doing in a future job when I first started my University degree. And of course because of the company, C&D has an impressive portfolio with well-known brands.

What was the highlight of your internship?

One of the highlights of my internship was to be able to see my first project complete and to be able to see the final product in the store. Other highlights are of course getting to know so many friendly people from all kinds of departments where everyone is happy to help you when you need it.

How did your internship aid your professional development and university studies?

This internship has helped understand how it is to work in a professional environment and how to communicate well within cross functional teams. I think this experience has taught me a lot about how important good communication is for a project team to succeed and to be able to understand the business and supply chain of an FMCG business. Having this internship experience can only benefit me when I return to University because I will be able to apply the knowledge I have gained.

Would you recommend the intern experience with Church & Dwight, and why?

I would definitely recommend the intern experience with C&D because you get a lot of responsibility and are seen as part of the team even though you are only an intern. The experience you get with C&D and the skills you will develop here will definitely help you in your future career.

Felicity, Human Resources Intern

Why did you apply for your C&D internship?

C&D appealed to me as a renowned FMCG organisation known for producing some of the top Globally recognised brands including Batiste, Pearl Drops, Nair, Femfresh, Arm and Hammer and more. The internship itself attracted me due to the nature of the UK Human Resources Team with a diverse workforce of over 300 employees. From reviewing the job description, I found the responsibilities associated with the job role within a HR Generalist context really exciting and I was confident I would play a creditable role whilst being able to gain an intriguing perspective on HRM in a demanding but highly rewarding business environment with employees at the forefront.

What was the highlight of your internship?

It’s difficult to pinpoint one highlight across my internship. The general C&D culture and my HR team have been truly amazing and I have been fortunate enough to be involved in various exciting projects and create long lasting relationships. Professionally, the main highlights for me has been projects in which I have been able to leave a lasting impression including launching and implementing an all employee Reward & Recognition Platform, designing and running Production Assessment Centres and in the creation and delivery of training programmes.

How did your internship aid your professional development and university studies?

My C&D experience has enabled me to confidently apply previous academic knowledge and learn how it is applied in a practical context within the manufacturing industry. Throughout the year, I have been able to appreciate the importance of time management, flexibility, teamwork and communication in a professional context and find my own working autonomy which will prove particularly crucial in my future career opportunities and in returning to University. Throughout my year at Church & Dwight, I have gained exposure to real-hands on experience and through initially shadowing my colleagues am now confidently leading on recruitment processes as well as multiple Employee Relations cases including disciplinaries, grievances, ill-health capability, performance related issues and more. I have also implemented Production Assessment Centres as a recruitment platform in addition to the arrangement and delivery of multiple training sessions on DISC Personality Profiling and Recruitment & Selection Training to Senior Management Teams.

Would you recommend the intern experience with Church & Dwight, and why?

I would definitely recommend the C&D Industry experience to any future placement/undergraduate students. Over my internship I have been challenged, inspired and developed through various opportunities whilst being provided continuous support and guidance - I genuinely don’t want the experience to end. C&D have created a friendly and sociable culture across both individual departments and the organisation with various business and social events/activities organised across the year. Within the HR Department, there is never one day the same and there are always continuous changes and prospects. I will never forget how welcome I have been made to feel at C&D both within my team and with colleagues across the organisation and as a valuable member of staff not just as ”an intern.”

Luke, Purchasing Intern

Why did you apply for your C&D internship?

One of the reasons why I applied for the Purchasing internship at Church & Dwight was the impressive portfolio of products that they have developed through their history. Also, the fact that they are a smaller FMCG organisation excited me, as I knew that I would benefit from being part of a valued team with a greater responsibility.  Furthermore, developing my understanding academically of purchasing from University was important, however I knew that Church & Dwight would offer me the practical experience I needed.

How did your internship aid your professional development and university studies?

I believe that the experience within C&D has excelled my self-confidence and made me conscious of how to focus on tasks in greater detail and with more direction with the help and guidance from management. My negotiation technique has also been vastly improved, as previously, I had not experienced this communication before in a professional manner, however this awareness has been very beneficial for my development.

What advice would you give to the next intern in your department?

I would strongly advise that you are open minded and have an eagerness to learn and be able to adopt your style of working. In my experience, I didn’t anticipate the amount of responsibility I would be given and therefore I felt slightly underprepared. However, the positivity and guidance from my team and other departments made it easier to understand the processes and fundamentally I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at Church & Dwight.

Would you recommend the intern experience with Church & Dwight, and why?

I would highly recommend the internship program at Church & Dwight as being a tight-knit company, you automatically feel welcomed and guided throughout your time at C&D. Being part of a fast-paced team has been extremely rewarding and exciting as one day is never the same. You are faced with challenges and rewards but ultimately as a part of the team at C&D, you`ll feel part of the family which has always helped in difficult situations. Latterly I went out to suppliers on my own, I had to prepare in advance, check my objectives and ensure I delivered what I was tasked with.  This was a real eye opener as some were not straight forward.  I feel that I grew with confidence and was empowered by the team.

Overall, I have very enjoyed my time within the purchasing department and have gain valuable life skills and I would highly recommend this intern experience.