My first three months as a Project Analyst in retail

Grayce Analyst, Rebecca Shaw shares her first three months on the Development Programme working in retail. 

I joined Grayce three months ago, with my Psychology degree behind me and little prior experience in a change environment. I can now say I have qualifications in project management and business analysis and have managed multiple projects. Three months doesn’t seem like a significant period, but the opportunity for development is huge on the Grayce Development Programme.

Month one

Mobilisation training in HQ sets you off on the Grayce journey. This is a great introduction to Grayce. It provides background information on the kind of work you will be doing on client site, but also around the Development Programme itself. It's also a great opportunity to get to know Analysts from other UK regions and find out more about their upcoming roles and clients.

Once I’d completed my mobilisation training, I started my client assignment, working with a large retailer in their project office. With a flood of new information and ways of working, resilience and adaptability are important so you can relish the opportunity to get stuck in from day one.

To complement client experience, the Grayce personal development plan is in place for formal study. During my first month, I significantly improved my Excel IQ, through online learning, which proved to be very useful in my day-to-day work. You end up with this loop of work and training, feeding into each other constantly, to enable continuous learning.

Month two

By the second month, I was more confident in my role. My general day to day tasks involved providing support to the Project Manager on many projects. For example: maintaining the RAID records; providing project updates; liaising with stakeholders; organising meetings; and updating steering packs and documentation.

This was also the month I passed a formal Project Management qualification. The study for this exam provided me with the knowledge to apply to my working day. Application of knowledge is so important yet difficult to gain. But the Grayce Development Programme has provided me with the support, time, and environment to be able to do this.

Month three

My third month was a big reflection month for me. My Project Manager took a holiday, so I managed the progress of all our projects alone. Whilst this could seem like a daunting prospect, I stepped up to the challenge and it was a really good opportunity to gain real insight into the working life of a project manager. It also allowed me to appreciate how much I had learned so far.

Month three took me back to HQ on a four-day course to study for an accredited Business Analysis qualification. The training delivered was of an extremely high standard. Plus I felt confident enough to participate in conversation and ask questions. Again, this was another great opportunity to learn more about fellow Analysts based elsewhere in the country, but also to spend some time with the Leadership Team.

In a nutshell

In three months, I’ve gained two qualifications, improved my Excel IQ, applied my knowledge in the workplace, managed multiple projects, and have started to develop my professional brand through Grayce tips and advice. What better way to kickstart a career in change and transformation?

Find out more about the Grayce Development Programme