Ireland Graduate Programme jobs

Role Overview

Due to our rapid growth, we are expanding our office team and are looking for a highly organised, motivated and commercially minded graduate to join the business.

This is a hands-on, high-responsibility role supporting the day-to-day running and continued growth of Sugar Plum Sweetery. The role will cover a broad range of areas including office administration, HR, recruitment, payroll, reporting, analytics, stock and packaging, customer support and business projects.

You will work closely with management and teams across the business, providing practical support while also taking ownership of projects focused on increasing sales, reducing costs, improving efficiency and supporting the company's continued expansion.

As Sugar Plum Sweetery continues to grow, you will also have the opportunity to contribute to new store openings, wholesale partnerships, operational improvements and other growth initiatives.

This is not a role for someone looking for a quiet office environment or a narrow list of repetitive responsibilities. We are looking for someone who enjoys being busy, works at a high standard, is exceptionally organised and wants to make a tangible contribution to a growing business. Someone who thrives on high performance, takes ownership and loves being busy and having an impact.

The successful candidate will receive support and mentoring from the management team, with the opportunity to develop broad experience across business administration, HR, finance, operations, commercial management and business growth.

Key Responsibilities

• The role will be highly varied, combining office administration, HR, payroll, reporting, business analytics and commercial projects. You will work closely with management and different departments across the business, taking ownership of tasks and projects that help Sugar Plum Sweetery operate more efficiently and continue to grow.
• Office Administration: Manage day-to-day office administration, documentation, filing, records, correspondence and general administrative tasks to ensure the business runs smoothly.
• HR & Employee Administration: Support the full employee lifecycle, including preparing contracts and employee paperwork, maintaining personnel records, onboarding new starters, coordinating training and assisting managers with HR administration.
• Recruitment: Support recruitment across the business, including preparing job advertisements, managing applications, arranging interviews, coordinating new starter documentation and assisting with the onboarding process.
• Payroll Support: Assist with the preparation and administration of weekly payroll, including maintaining accurate employee records, monitoring hours and liaising with managers to resolve payroll queries (full training provided)
• Reporting & Analytics: Prepare regular business reports and analyse sales, costs, labour, stock and other key business data to identify trends, opportunities and areas for improvement.
• Sales & Commercial Projects: Work on projects designed to increase sales and revenue across the business, including analysing sales performance, identifying opportunities, supporting promotions and developing initiatives across our stores, online business, wholesale and other sales channels.
• Cost Reduction & Efficiency: Identify opportunities to reduce costs, minimise waste and improve efficiency across the business. Support projects that improve processes, purchasing, labour efficiency and overall profitability.
• Stock & Packaging: Assist with ordering and managing stock, packaging and other operational supplies, ensuring appropriate stock levels are maintained and orders are placed accurately and on time.
• New Store Openings: Support the management team with the planning and administration involved in opening new stores, including coordinating tasks across departments, preparing documentation, ordering supplies and helping ensure stores are ready to open.
• Wholesale & Commercial Partnerships: Support the development and administration of wholesale partnerships, including coordinating orders, documentation, communications and follow-up with retail and wholesale customers.
• Customer Support: Respond to customer queries across the business, resolving issues professionally and efficiently and escalating more complex matters to the appropriate manager or department.
• Cross-Department Support: Work closely with production, retail, marketing, finance, HR, logistics and management, providing administrative and operational support where required.
• Project Coordination: Take responsibility for specific business projects, coordinating tasks, following up with relevant team members and ensuring projects are completed on time and deliver measurable results.
• Process Improvement: Identify inefficient or unnecessary processes and help implement better systems, procedures and ways of working as the business continues to scale.
• Management Support: Provide day-to-day administrative, analytical and operational support to managers and senior management, helping them make informed decisions and stay on top of priorities.
• Ad-Hoc Business Support: Take ownership of a wide range of tasks that arise in a rapidly growing business, with the ability to quickly switch priorities and support wherever the business needs it most.

Candidate Profile

• Recently graduated (within the last 4 years) with a degree in Business, Management, Administration, HRM, or a related discipline.
• Graduates need a recognised qualification of at least Level 6 on the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ) or a recognised postgraduate equivalent (Level 9).
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with an interest in strategic business development.
• Excellent organisational and project management abilities.
• Strong communication and teamwork skills.
• A proactive mindset with the ability to contribute ideas for innovation and efficiency.

What We Offer

• A structured graduate role funded under the Enterprise Ireland GradStart programme.
• Hands-on experience in a fast-growing, award-winning Irish chocolatier & confectionary business.
• Countinuous feedback, learning and mentorship from a senior leadership team.
• The opportunity to contribute to real projects that shape the company’s future growth.
• The opportunity to be part of a high-performing, ambitious and growing team
• Career progression within a growing business
• Discounted products in Sugar Plum Sweetery / Discounted food in our restaurant Wholesome Kitchen
• Bike to Work Scheme
• Fun, friendly & fast paced environment

Company Overview:

Sugar Plum Sweetery is an award-winning Irish chocolatier based in Mullingar, Co. Westmeath. We specialise in creating handmade, innovative chocolate products that blend fun, creativity, and modern design with the finest ingredients. With a thriving online presence, a major 15 store expansion plan, nationwide delivery, and partnerships with leading retailers such as Brown Thomas, Arnotts, and Avoca, we are one of Ireland’s fastest-growing premium confectionery brands. Our mission is to reimagine chocolate as an experience — from our viral Dubai Inspired Bar collection to luxury gift boxes to imaginative seasonal ranges — while building a business that values innovation, quality, and customer delight.

Job Types: Full-time, Permanent, Graduate

Pay: From €32,500.00 per year

Benefits:

• Bike to work scheme
• Company events
• Employee discount
• Store discount

Application question(s):

• What experience do you have that you can bring to this role?
• Why do you think you are the best person for this job?

Education:

• Bachelor's (preferred)

Work Location: In person