Procurement Associate Review

I work on a variety of projects and every day is different which I love. I am involved in contracts, stakeholder management, negotiations, online auctions and sustainability initiatives, as well as completing data analysis and storytelling activities too. These tasks typically involve communicating with internal and external stakeholders as well as using Office 365 applications and other Procurement software.

I have been given a lot of responsibility, which pleasantly surprised me as I was expecting to be mainly doing administration tasks. I have had ownership of a number of value engineering, negotiation and sustainability projects myself, enabling me to enhance my project management skills, as I have been interacting with various stakeholders and had to troubleshoot any issues in order to complete the task with the optimum result.

I have learnt how to enhance my professional communication skills, through selecting context-specific approaches and platforms to ensure that the audience understand my ask. I have also improved my negotiation skills by understanding cost areas which can be reduced, as a result of tenders and auctions.

I have received a lot of support and guidance, from my manager, team and my allocated buddy (an individual on the Procurement Graduate Programme). Not only have a received task and Procurement specific support, but everyone is keen to help in terms of enhancing my developmental opportunities and offering career advice.

The company culture is 'people-first'. Everyone is really friendly and welcoming, and it is a very flexible job, focused on outcomes rather than hours put in. This means that everyone is understanding if you are ill or need to unexpectedly take leave. There are also regular social events, in and out of working hours which allowed me to connect with the wider Procurement team, build connections and have fun!

I have thoroughly enjoyed my placement at Haleon. I have been exposed to lots of learning and developmental opportunities with the support of my wider team. I have learnt so much in the time I have been at Haleon with every day being different and been involved in lots of activities outside my daily working life, which have provided even more variety and enjoyment.

Yes