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BAT Australia

4.3
  • 50,000 - 100,000 employees

Alex Chen

My role is to support and manage this process for them. It ranges from supplier management, to commercial negotiations, to finalising the contract with our legal team.

Tell us a bit about yourself!

I joined BAT Australia as part of the Global Graduate Program in November 2018. As an Operations Graduate, I completed rotations within Supply Planning and Logistics before starting my current role as a Procurement Executive in 2019.

Can you describe a typical workday?

There is no “typical” workday, as it’s very much dependent on the projects I’m working on, and the many smaller situations that invariably pop up throughout the day. The only consistent thing is a mountain of emails daily plus plenty of meetings and calls.

What kind of tasks do you enjoy the most?

I enjoy my role most when running strategic sourcing exercises. This is when the business has a complex requirement that needs to be put out to tender. My role is to support and manage this process for them. It ranges from supplier management to commercial negotiations, to finalising the contract with our legal team.

What is the biggest limitation of your job? Do you bear a lot of responsibility?

There is definitely a lot of responsibility, and the requirement to juggle many different projects and tasks at the same time. I always want to deliver for my stakeholders but working with finite time and deciding how to prioritise is always a challenge.

What has given you the biggest sense of achievement?

It’s always a great feeling of accomplishment after I’ve completed a big tender, and we’ve reached a deal with a supplier (current or new) where there’s a significant benefit to BAT from a cost perspective as well as enhanced capabilities and commercial uplift. Win-win situations are always the most rewarding.

Where do you want to be in five years’ time?

In five years, I want to be in a position in my career where I have had extensive experience within multiple departments within Operations, as well as experience having worked overseas with above-market responsibilities.

Who do you work with?

I have worked with every function within BAT Australia. Operations, Finance, Marketing, IT, Legal, HR… You name it.

What is your favourite part of working at BAT?

It’s a truly global organisation, with lots of opportunities to work with people across a diverse range of backgrounds, as well as end markets very different from Australia. There’s always something new to learn!