IT Placement Programme

Location: Raunds, Northamptonshire

Closing Date: 16th March 2026         

Salary: £25,000 + Benefits

Contract: 12 months “sandwich year”

Kick‑start your IT career with a 12‑month placement at Howdens

Are you an Under-Graduate looking for a 12‑month IT placement as part of your sandwich year?  We have an exciting opportunity where you can build real technical skills, gain hands‑on experience, and make a genuine impact from day one.  Join Howdens, based at our Raunds office in Northamptonshire and become part of a successful FTSE 100 business.

For over a decade, Howdens has welcomed Placement Students and helped them thrive. During your IT placement, you’ll work alongside skilled IT professionals, getting stuck into real projects and developing skills that will set you up for life after university. As the UK’s number one trade kitchen supplier, we’re proud of our strong track record in developing early careers talent — we don’t just promise on‑the‑job learning; we deliver it. 

You’ll step into a meaningful role, be treated as a valued member of the team, and gain practical experience that will set you up for life after university. Even better, this placement could be the start of a long-term career with us, many of our placements have chosen to return and develop their career with Howdens.

What we can offer you:

As an IT Placement, you will join us for 12 months, receive a £25,000 salary, and work onsite 5 days a week. You will receive 25 days holiday, plus bank holidays, employee well-being support, an on-site restaurant offering a subsidised daily lunch, shopping discounts, and be invited to exceptional reward and recognition events.

About the Placement:

Our IT systems department supports the business by designing, developing, configuring, and supporting IT systems in use throughout the business, from manufacturing sites, warehouses and over 900 trade depots around the country. We have several placements with different IT teams in the department where you will have the opportunity to learn and apply your current skills and knowledge in some of the following areas: 

Business Analysis

• Learn what a Business Analyst does and how the role adds value to the business
• Work alongside experienced Business Analysts on real projects across Digital teams
• Get hands-on experience supporting workshops to gather business requirements
• Help map current and future processes to support change
• Build practical skills in documentation, analysis and stakeholder engagement
• Develop confidence working with a wide range of teams across the business

.Net Development

• Get hands‑on experience building real systems using Microsoft .NET and C#, learning how enterprise‑scale applications are designed and developed
• Work with modern web technologies like HTML5 and frameworks such as React or Vue, helping to create user‑friendly digital solutions
• Learn how data powers applications by working with SQL Server, Oracle and Cosmos DB
• Gain exposure to cloud technologies on Microsoft Azure, understanding how systems are hosted, scaled and supported
• Develop practical problem‑solving skills by supporting live systems, troubleshooting issues, and improving existing solutions alongside experienced developers
•  

Front End, Visual Design & UX team

• Work on real digital projects across howdens.com, supporting both trade and consumer experiences.
• Help turn UX and visual designs into clean, responsive HTML and CSS
• Build web and email content that performs across devices, with a mobile-first mindset
• Gain exposure to UX thinking, user journeys and conversion-focused design
• Collaborate with designers, developers, merchandisers and marketing teams to bring campaigns and brand experiences to life
• Develop practical skills in accessibility, performance and digital best practice within a large-scale retail environment
• Our IT Placements involve working with people across the business, so you’ll gain experience understanding what different teams need and helping turn ideas into action. This means being happy to ask questions, share ideas, and communicate clearly and confidently.

Am I eligible for this programme?

• Our placement programmes are for university students currently studying towards an undergraduate degree ideally in a STEM subject, who are seeking a 12-month sandwich placement before their final year of study. 
• You must have the right to work in the UK.
• You must be able to undertake your placement between July 2026 and August 2027.
• Have a genuine interest in IT
• Be a confident communicator and be able to work well within a team.
• Possess excellent attention to detail.
• Be able to work collaboratively with others and be solutions-focused with a positive outlook.
• The role is based in Raunds, Northamptonshire you must live within 75 minutes of us. 
• Some travel will be expected therefore a driving license is required.

How to apply:

• Submit your on-line application including CV.
• Attach a portfolio or examples of projects or achievements that you have been involved with or solely taken on related to IT & technology. Please note this is optional

Hiring Process:

• Closing date for applications Sunday 15^th March 2026
• CV shortlist W/C 16^th March
• W/C 23^rd March Online Assessment
• In-person Assessment Day at our site in Raunds, Northamptonshire on Monday 20^th April.
• Commence placement in August / Sept 2026.

Good luck with your application!