Global Procurement Assistant Review

My role was mainly project-based, so I didn't really have that much repetitive work on a day-to-day basis. However, the projects that I worked on focused on the procurement core focuses of finding savings opportunities, complexity reduction, improving operational efficiency and negotiating with suppliers. I spent most of my placement developing skills in analysis, networking and stakeholder management, as well as understanding how the function interacts with both external stakeholders and the wider business.

I have learnt many new skills throughout my placement, with the main one being learning how to properly use excel. I learnt how and when to use many different formulas including vlookups and subtotals, which have been vital for most of the work I have done throughout the year. I have also developed my networking skills - as Unilever is a global company, and I have a global role, I spend a lot of time communicating with different markets across the world, which has allowed me to deepen my networking and communication skills. I have also developed analytical and thinking skills.

I was given a lot of responsibility from day-one of my placement. I started my role by having to arrange one-to-one meetings with suppliers, which I was nervous about as I didn't want to say the wrong thing or provide incorrect information. However, from doing this, I built a lot of confidence, which was essential to my role as I felt able to speak with anyone in the business. I was also given the responsibility, along with the other IPs in Procurement, to recruit next year's placement students.

I have always received a lot of support and guidance from my line manager. He has always helped me in times of me feeling overwhelmed with the work I'm doing, and has always offered support if I don't understand a task. I have also received a lot of support from my director, who helped me understand the impact of my work on a wider scope of the business, which helped me remain enthusiastic and motivated. I have not received much/any support from HR or Future Careers however.

Unilever has an extremely warm culture. All employees I have interacted with have always been very friendly, hardworking and enthusiastic about their roles, which has always given me an incentive to work hard as well. I've had many opportunities throughout the year to connect with people who work in different functions to hear about their career paths, and give me inspiration for my future career as well. From networking with others, I have been able to learn about the endless job opportunities within the company, which has made me ambitious to try working in different functions, so that I can expand my knowledge and develop new skills.

Overall, I have absolutely loved my placement year. I have made many new friends, and great connections with employees on many different work levels. There have been some negatives of my placement however; the first being that because my role was project-based, I didn't have much experience of the day-to-day operations of a procurement employee. I also don't think the support from future careers is very good. I have found the team to be very blunt and dismissive, and don't offer much guidance regarding progressing your career. This has been the main disappointment for me, being someone who doesn't really know what direction I want my career to progress, however I do know that I want to do a graduate scheme. Unilever offers the potential fast-track to the UFLP (graduate scheme) of the function you work in, and as Procurement sits in Supply Chain, which would lead to a fast-track on this programme. However, future careers have made it clear that they are only interested in those with a STEM degree, and I do Business Management at University, which dismisses my eligibility for the scheme. They have also said that I can't have the opportunity for a fast-track of a different function. I think this is all extremely unfair, as I have had a year's work experience in Supply Chain, so I believe this should account for my eligibility. Never the less, I have loved my role and I am grateful for the opportunities I've had to develop new and existing skills.

Yes

When applying to Unilever, for both the interview and assessment centre, I would say that it is crucial to do a lot of research about the company, as well as the role. You must try and imagine you are in the position of someone that works in the function you're applying to, and consider how you think they would approach different situations. Incorporate skills you've developed from previous experiences, and think about what you have learnt from challenging situations.