Building a Career in Logistics: Uchenna Umeh’s Journey from Intern to Analyst at M&S

Why did you originally apply for a job at M&S?

When I moved to the UK in 2022, my goal was to pursue a career in data. While pursuing my Master's in Data Science, I wanted to gain practical experience and came across the 10K Black Interns programme. During the application process, I realised that M&S’ culture, values, and goals aligned perfectly with mine.

What has your career journey at M&S looked like so far?

I joined M&S as an intern in the summer of 2023, working as an analyst with the Retail Operations team. During the 10-week internship, I gained invaluable experience, while developing key technical skills essential such as Power BI, SQL, Excel, and data visualisation. This opportunity provided hands-on experience in data analysis, reporting, and problem-solving. Following my internship, I was eager to continue my journey at M&S and applied for an Inventory Assistant role with the Forecasting & Inventory team.

I joined the Forecasting and Inventory Team in January 2024 as an Inventory Assistant. In this role, I helped manage stock, ensuring stock availability in the right locations, in the right quantities, at the right time. A key part of the job was using data to make informed decisions about stock allocation and supporting the team with analysis to improve stock replenishment. This hands-on experience helped me strengthen my data analysis skills to monitor inventory, perform segmentation analysis, and ensure stock is being pushed in the most profitable way for the business. The role also allowed me to collaborate with cross-functional teams and build strong relationships, which prepared me for my next step.

In September 2024, I was thrilled to be promoted to the role of a Process Solutions Analyst in the Clothing & Home Supply Chain and Logistics team. I’ll be using data skills to find cost-saving solutions and optimise processes, all while continuing to learn and grow in my career.

What makes M&S a special place to work?

The people at M&S make it truly special. Everyone is incredibly helpful and willing to support you if you show a willingness to learn. Throughout my time here, I’ve been fortunate to work with fantastic managers and colleagues who have gone out of their way to help me develop professionally. M&S puts people at the centre of everything they do – whether that’s colleagues or our customers - and they’ve given me unlimited opportunities for personal growth, from learning new technical skills to developing leadership qualities.

What is your proudest career moment?

My proudest moment at M&S was during my summer internship at M&S, I was tasked with developing a dashboard for the Store Operations team to provide real-time insights. However, limited access to live data due to database migrations posed a challenge. I addressed this by creating an alternative source of data to feed into the report. I collaborated with the teams to ensure the solution met their needs. The team received a functional dashboard that offered valuable insights, despite the lack of real-time data. This workaround ensured the project's success and timely delivery. This experience taught me resilience and the importance of innovative problem-solving, reinforcing my goal of becoming a skilled analyst.

What advice would you give to someone interested in pursuing a career at M&S?

Take advantage of the learning and development opportunities. M&S is a place where personal and professional growth is encouraged, and there’s always someone willing to help you if you need guidance. Whether you’re interested in data, logistics, or any other area, M&S has the resources and support systems in place to help you succeed. I’ve referred M&S to many of my friends because it’s a company that genuinely cares about its people and their development.

While the 10K Black Interns programme is no longer offered, we provide numerous Early Careers opportunities through graduate schemes, school leaver programmes, and industrial placements, opening doors to the next generation of talent. Learn more about our programmes here.