Behind the data: Sterre Walta on her work placement at Unilever Benelux

What kind of projects or tasks were you involved in during your placement? 

Sterre: ‘I worked in the Home Care department, supporting the Albert Heijn and Superunie accounts, though my main focus was on Albert Heijn as it is Unilever’s biggest customer in the region. They collect a huge amount of data on scanned products in stores and from home deliveries, which gave us a rich base to work from.’ 

‘My main project was to analyse and automate their promotional processes. Each week, Unilever products feature in Albert Heijn’s bonus promotions using different mechanics, like 1+1 or 2 for the price of 1, and I was responsible for analysing how those promotions performed.’ 

‘This involved tracking sales data, comparing it with previous years, and evaluating how much was spent on advertising. We looked at where in the promotional folder the product appeared, how much space it had, and which mechanic was used, and then matched that with sales uplift and profitability for both Unilever and Albert Heijn.’ 

‘I worked closely with the key lead account manager, who guided me through the analytics. I actually developed an app to automate the entire analysis process. It generates weekly and monthly PDF reports with visuals and insights. I wrote all the code myself, turning raw data into something that the business could use straight away.' 

What was the most valuable thing you learned during your time there? 

Sterre: ‘I learned how to identify what truly matters in a promotional analysis. You can create endless reports, but it is about asking the right questions and thinking critically. I focused a lot on automation and analysis, and only recently has the team started actively using the tool I built, which is incredibly rewarding.' 

How did the placement match your expectations going in? Anything that surprised you? 

Sterre: ‘At the start, there wasn’t a clear project for me, so it was a bit of a search. The first month was all about observing and learning how everything worked, then I was able to shape my own project. That freedom to create something new was great.’ 

‘Unilever also has a really lively culture, every few weeks there is an event with the Rotterdam office, like barbecues, inspiration days, or PR events with influencers. Tomorrow, there is even a summer boat party! It really added to the experience and made it easy to connect with colleagues.' 

What was the biggest challenge you faced, and how did you handle it? 

Sterre: ‘Understanding the processes and terminology was the hardest part. There were so many abbreviations, tools, and data sources. During the first month, I joined lots of meetings, even with other departments like Finance and Marketing, to get a broader view. After that, we had team check-ins three times a week where we shared progress and asked questions. The team for Albert Heijn and Superunie Home Care was about six people, including account managers at different levels, and they were all very helpful when I needed clarification.' 

Did the experience influence your ideas about your future career path? 

Sterre: ‘Absolutely. At the beginning, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do, I liked both data science and the analytics translator role. After this placement, I am confident that this is the path I want to continue on. I found it really enjoyable and educational.' 

What’s next for you? 

Sterre: ‘I am starting a minor in Leadership and Management in Den Bosch after the summer break. I am really looking forward to developing myself further in that area. After that, it is time for my graduation project, although I haven’t decided on the exact topic yet. I really enjoyed leading my own project during this internship, which made me more interested in leadership and management. It suits me because it combines both the technical and business sides, something I definitely experienced during my time at Unilever.' 

You can connect with Sterre via LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sterre-walta/