Procurement Assistant Review

I work for Elida Beauty, which is a company fully owned by Unilever but it is separating to have more independence for decision making. I work in logistics procurement focusing on ocean freight. I run tenders, manage shipments, plan savings and support the wider strategy.

I have learnt a lot more about using Excel and PowerPoint in my role as I have to do lots of analysis and presentations. I have also been given leadership opportunities in the outreach programme and in a mentoring programme and this has allowed me to take more responsibility for my own actions as well as managing teams.

I am really enjoying it. HR have supported me when required and that has helped me to feel included and listened to. I have also been given lots of responsibility in different areas of the business which helps me apply the theory from my course at the open university.

I believe that the open university structures the academic side of the course well but sometimes I feel that I could be more supported by the tutors. I would also say that Unilever support our programme by giving us other growth opportunities. However, the timings of our rotations are not as clear as I would have expected.

Most people in the organisation would answer any questions you have about the organisation, your role and the course. I would say Unilever are quite supportive if you have deadlines coming up. It would be nice to have a few more socialising sessions with other apprentices to be able to connect and relate better.

The open university gives you a tutor for the entirety of your course, which is nice as they get to know you and your experiences throughout your course. However, there is no leeway for error on your essays and one bad mark can be costly to your overall grade. So it is important to always do well.

Some of the theory is relevant to my role and i can apply easily. However, working for such a big organisation means that you have more specific roles so you dont learn as much about different functions and it can be difficult to apply the theory for marketing if you dont work directly in marketing.

There are not many extra-curricular activities at Unilever. It would be nice to see some more networking events. All apprentices are expected to do a role to promote apprenticeships either Outreach, Onboarding, Digital or L and D. This does allow you to meet a few new people but I think more could be done.

Yes

Unilever has a good inclusive culture from what I have experienced in my function. They are also focused on a good work life balance and have good opportunities for development if you work hard. It is really interesting understanding how big organisations work and getting insight into the benefits and limitations of being a big organisation.

It is essential to be yourself when applying to Unilever and really think about what you want to achieve at Unilever and what drives you. Unilever has a big purpose culture so it is important to consider that. I would also make sure you consider what you do so that you can use these examples to showcase your character.