Buying Assistant Review

As Buying Assistant, I do a lot of work using Microsoft Dynamics such as creating SKUs and trade agreements etc. I am in charge of the tasting calendar, compile reports and do a fair amount of comp shopping. My day to day tasks are wide and varied and as I learn more, I am being entrusted to do more complex tasks.

I have learnt a lot of new skills - especially in IT. I can use D365 and my Excel skills have improved a lot as well. I am learning a lot about processes and how a product is taken from the New Product Development stage, right through to ending up on the shelf.

The programme is very in-depth and covers merchandising as well as buying. This will help me to understand how the two teams work together. I have already learnt things I knew nothing about, such as a SWOT analysis and PESTLE. I find the business aspect very interesting and am looking forward to learning more.

I believe it is very well organised and structured. The assignments we are tasked to do further cements our knowledge of what we learned in class. The programme is designed to help people who are new to the business to learn as much as possible in a short space of time and get ahead.

My line manager is really good and appreciates that I need time to read, do the appropriate research and complete my assignments. She is a very encouraging influence and does her best to give me the information I may need about the company in order to aid in my work too.

There is so much support offered at the FRA. They encourage students to get in contact and ask questions if they are struggling with a piece of work. They also appreciate that everyone works differently and they use a range of methods in their teaching too. My tutor is a very nurturing force who takes the stress out of the intensity that can sometimes come with learning new things.

I believe it will give me an all round knowledge and fill in a number of gaps that would not necessarily be filled in by the job. It has helped me to understand buying as a more wider function of the business. This extra knowledge will further my development and I hope I will be able to advance more quickly as a result.

At Fortnum & Mason, there are a number of extra classes and qualifications you can do. For instance, I have just completed my WSET 1 and am awaiting the next Level 2 cohort to be announced. Since Covid, a number of social events have been cancelled but the plan is to restart them this year, which I am looking forward to.

Yes

If you want to work for a prestigious company who operate in a very different way from the average business, Fortnum is the place for you! I am getting really good experience that will stand me in good stead and hopefully help me to progress through the ranks. I would absolutely recommend Fortnum & Mason as a good place to work.

I would say that professionalism is most important... Being the Queen's Grocer is a very prestigious feather in Fortnum's cap and they conduct themselves well at all times. The onboarding process is very smooth and I would encourage a new starter to take every opportunity offered by the company, i.e. courses and apprenticeships etc.