At a Glance
- Tasks: Support teams in executing critical initiatives and improve portfolio health through data analysis.
- Company: Join M&S, a dynamic and inclusive retail leader redefining the industry.
- Benefits: Enjoy a 20% discount, competitive holidays, bonuses, and extensive wellbeing support.
- Other info: Be part of a diverse team committed to making positive change.
- Why this job: Make a real impact by enhancing operational excellence and driving innovation.
- Qualifications: 3+ years in PMO roles with strong analytical and communication skills.
The predicted salary is between 40000 - 50000 £ per year.
As a Strategic Portfolio Analyst you will support teams to operate within standards and frameworks set out to increase transparency, reusability and alignment across D&T. Portfolio analysts will help supervise execution of our critical initiatives, maintain operational excellence and report against our objectives and key results which determine our department health. Working as an objective, trusted partner, you will support the Portfolio Managers to evolve our ways of working at M&S. You will listen and respond to feedback provided through your Portfolio teams and surface recommendations, insight, and challenge across all areas of Product & Programme health. Being a part of M&S is exactly that – playing your part to bring the magic of M&S to our customers every day. We’re an inclusive, dynamic, exciting, and ever evolving business built on doing the right thing and bringing outstanding quality, value, service to every customer, whenever, wherever and however they want to shop with us.
Benefits
- After completing your probationary period, you’ll receive 20% colleague discount across all M&S products and many of our third-party brands for you and a member of your household.
- Competitive holiday entitlement with the potential to buy extra holiday days!
- Discretionary bonus schemes awarded based on how you achieve your personal objectives and our performance as a business.
- A generous Defined Contribution Pension Scheme and Life Assurance.
- A dedicated welcome to our teams with a tailored induction and a wide range of training programmes to develop your skills.
- Amazing perks and discounts via our M&S Choices portal to maximise your financial and personal wellbeing.
- Industry-leading parental, adoption and neonatal policies, providing support and flexibility for your family.
- Access to a fantastic range of wellbeing support for all colleagues including access to our 24/7 Virtual GP and PAM Assist to support you and your family.
- A charity volunteer day to support a charity or cause you're passionate about through a dedicated day away from work.
What you’ll do
- Build positive relationships with Product Portfolio Leadership Team and provide data, reports, insight, and commentary into Product health (delivery, efficiency, stability, security, costs, and value/benefits).
- Actively champion ways to simplify, automate and continuously improve portfolio-level reporting of delivery health, cost management and value/benefits realisation.
- Supervise progress against key achievements, approvals, handling key risks, issues & dependencies and produce Product/Portfolio performance reports.
- Analyse and interpret the metrics, costs, and value data to identify exceptions/ areas where action/improvement is needed and highlight these.
- Ensure costs are led effectively through close partnership with the respective Finance business partner.
- Support with the communication and coordination of key financial timelines, linkage with BSC Finance to conduct back-end finance processes and provide the required artefacts that enable teams to track their resources effectively.
- Own and run Portfolio documentation including roadmaps / value tracking / status reports in order to manage the portfolio successfully and deliver business benefits.
Who you are
- Over 3 yrs experience in PMO roles across multiple products/programmes, including managing costs and delivery health.
- Excellent analytical skills including financial literacy, excel and Power BI.
- Strong communication, facilitation, co-ordination, decision making and partner management skills.
- Experience of agile ways of working.
- Knowledge of Agile portfolio/ team tools like Jira & Confluence.
We are ambitious about the future of retail. We’re redefining, innovating and leading the industry into a more conscientious, inspiring digital era. We’re redefining how we work together and offering our most exciting opportunities yet. Marks & Spencer strives to be an inclusive organisation, trusted and admired by our colleagues, customers and suppliers. Join us and make change happen. We are committed to building diverse and representative teams, where everyone can bring their whole selves to work and be at their best. We support each other and work together to win together. If you feel you'd benefit from any support or reasonable adjustments during any stage of the recruitment process, please don’t hesitate to let us know when completing your application. This information will be picked up by our team, so we can try and put steps in place to help you be at your best through this process.
Portfolio Analyst in City of Westminster employer: Marks & Spencer Plc
Marks & Spencer is an exceptional employer, offering a vibrant and inclusive work culture that prioritises employee wellbeing and development. With competitive benefits such as a generous pension scheme, extensive training programmes, and a strong commitment to work-life balance, M&S empowers its employees to thrive both personally and professionally. Located in a dynamic retail environment, the company fosters innovation and collaboration, making it an ideal place for those looking to make a meaningful impact in their careers.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Portfolio Analyst in City of Westminster
✨Get to Grips with Data Visualisation Tools
If you're aiming for a full-time role in business intelligence, brush up on your skills with popular data visualisation tools like Tableau or Power BI. Showcasing projects where you've transformed raw data into clear visual insights can give you a real edge.
✨Join Local Business Intelligence Meetups
Look for local business intelligence meetups or analytics conferences in your area. These events are not just great for learning but also for networking with industry professionals who could lead you to opportunities at companies like Marks & Spencer Plc!
✨Engage with Online BI Communities
Join online forums or communities focused on business intelligence—think LinkedIn groups, Reddit threads, or even dedicated Slack channels. Engage actively by sharing your insights and asking questions; this can help you build visibility and connect with potential employers.
✨Leverage Your University’s Career Support
If you're a recent graduate, definitely tap into your university's career services. Many have connections with companies in need of full-time BI specialists, and they can guide you on how to pitch yourself effectively—don't miss out on that!
We think you need these skills to ace Portfolio Analyst in City of Westminster
Some tips for your application 🫡
Highlight Your Analytical Skills:In the business intelligence field, showcasing your analytical skills is a must. Make sure your CV includes relevant experience with data analysis tools, programming languages like SQL or Python, and any projects where you've interpreted complex data sets to drive business decisions.
Showcase Your Business Acumen:Don't just focus on data; show us how you can apply your insights to real-world business problems. Highlight projects where you made a tangible impact on company performance, and be prepared to explain your thought process in your cover letter.
Tailor Your Documents for Us:When applying for a full-time role at Marks & Spencer Plc, tailor your CV and cover letter to reflect our organisational goals and strategies. Mention specific tools and methodologies that align with what we do—this shows you’ve done your homework and are genuinely interested in our mission!
Include Relevant Certifications:Certifications like Google Data Analytics or similar qualifications can really make you stand out in business intelligence. Include these in your application, as they demonstrate your commitment to the field and your willingness to stay current with industry standards.
How to prepare for a job interview at Marks & Spencer Plc
✨Show off your analytical skills
In a business intelligence role, you're going to need to demonstrate your analytical prowess. Be prepared to discuss specific tools you've used, like SQL, Tableau, or Power BI. Have real-world examples ready where you’ve turned data into actionable insights – this is what makes us shine in interviews!
✨Practice your technical know-how
Expect some technical questions during the interview that dive deep into your understanding of data modelling and analytics frameworks. Brush up on your knowledge of data warehousing concepts and be ready to tackle any real case scenarios they might present. They’ll want to see how you approach problems using your BI toolkit.
✨Portfolio of Projects
Since it's a full-time role, having a strong portfolio is key! Compile case studies demonstrating your previous projects, preferably showing how your insights led to business improvements. This can help us display how you think through complex datasets and your problem-solving process, which is what employers are keen on seeing.
✨Know their business model
Get familiar with Marks & Spencer Plc’s business model and recent data-driven decisions. Be prepared to discuss how your skills can specifically support their objectives or challenges. Understanding their landscape shows that you’re not just a data buff, but you’re also genuinely interested in how BI can impact their bottom line.