What is your current role?

I work as a Skincare Category Procurement assistant, meaning that I am responsible for the procurement-related activities of all new skincare products or relaunches across brands such as Dove, Vaseline and Simple. I therefore gain insight into all raw and packaging materials and am heavily involved in savings initiatives to help improve the gross margin of our products through reducing costs or creating efficiencies.

What has it been like working in your chosen function?

As I, myself, am a very cost-conscious consumer with a passion for personal finance, I have absolutely loved working in procurement as the purpose of the function is to ensure consumers receive every ounce of value they pay for without spending a penny more. As my role is highly cross-functional, I have found it fascinating working with the marketing teams who want to create desire whilst procurement must find a way to facilitate this in an economical manner, all whilst learning what is technically feasible from R&D. Many tradeoffs are made in this role which helps you understand how best to serve the business as a whole rather than simply acting in the best interests of procurement. (If we spent no money at all, we would have nothing of value to give the consumer!)

What has been the highlight of your placement?

Any chance I have to see my colleagues in-person is a highlight for me. Whether it be a training course in Rotterdam, a Supply Chain workshop in Port Sunlight or a crossfunctional innovation workshop in R&D, working face-to-face with others really motivates me.

What have been your biggest challenges and how did you tackle them?

As I frequently work on innovation projects, challenges often arose when external circumstances put the projects at risk such as unfavourable costs, lack of supplier responses or long material lead times. I learned through experience that persistence is key in such situations, and there is always an alternative solution to resolve issues as long as you are willing to put the work in and think creatively.

What 3 words best describe your Unilever experience?

Motivating, invaluable, international.

What advice do you have for any future Unilever employees?

I recommend having an open dialogue with as much of your team as possible (not solely your manager). Whilst I was hesitant to contact colleagues much more senior than me, I have now learned that many will be happy to hear from you.

I also urge you to be as proactive as possible – opportunities do not get handed to you and it is your responsibility to proactively seek additional experiences which will help build your skillset for the future. Look beyond your job scope and attempt to make a difference in another area of the business!