Customer Insight Analyst

What attracted you to Centrica?

I applied to the Customer Insight programme, which was very appealing to me because I knew I wanted maths to be part of my role.

There were also two key things that appealed to me about Centrica in general. One was the idea of working for an organisation providing a commodity service that everyone needs. The other was the size of the business and range of development opportunities I knew it could offer.

What stage of the graduate programme have you reached?

I am currently in the middle of my second placement, working as an Analyst in the Customer Analytics team. The role is highly analytical in nature, providing a nice contrast with my first placement which was more process-based.

One of my key responsibilities is to produce a monthly report on our customer numbers and what they mean in terms of the volume and value of our customer base. It involves writing and running a lot of code in SQL and then analysing the figures I pull from the database. The insights I provide help influence decision-making and shape future strategy.

How has the programme helped you to develop?

One thing I have noticed is how much I have grown in confidence since being on the scheme. I was not very sure of myself in meetings when I first joined, particularly if they were conducted over the phone. Since then, I have scheduled and led weekly conference calls involving eight external team members. I now feel I understand how to handle large project meetings and what needs to happen in order for real progress to be achieved.

How would you describe the working culture at Centrica?

The work-life balance is excellent here. Nobody is expected to put in long hours, except for on the odd occasion when it gets exceptionally busy. My line manager is particularly good in this respect, telling me to go home when I stay behind late and always willing to help out if my workload becomes difficult to manage.

Is there any advice you would give to potential applicants?

Don’t worry if you aren’t 100% sure what direction you want to go in yet. This is totally normal and nothing to worry about. The Centrica programme allows you to try out very different roles, so you will have plenty of opportunities to find out more about what you would – and wouldn’t – like to do in terms of your long-term career.