6.00 AM
I’m up, at least I try to get up, takes a few alarms but we get there. Today, I’ll be heading into the office, so I need to get up a little earlier than usual. On days I work from home, I’ll set the alarm a little later. Get the kettle on, get some breakfast in me, get dressed, double check I have everything, and I am out.
7.00 AM
I leave and park my car at the station nice and early, ensure my Myki is topped up and head to the platform. Insert my earphones in, listen to my morning playlist or resume listening to an audiobook, whatever mood I’m in for.
8.00 AM
I arrive at the office. I head to my desk and unpack my things, getting set up for the day. Catch-up with teammates who’ve already arrived or are just coming in, get some coffee with them at the kiosk downstairs. Since we all also work from home for a part of the week, we like to take the time to catch up whenever we come into the office.
9.00 AM
My brain is fully awake and ready to tackle the day. I revise my to-do list which I always write out the day before. Then go through my emails and flag any that need to be actioned. A few queries to answer and a few meetings to attend. I’ll update my to-do list and prioritize as I go through my emails.
This week we’re reforecasting our budgets, so I go through the results that came through the month and compare them to how we performed to budget. Make note of anything that needs to be followed up on, send out email queries and make calls out to the business to understand any variances that may have come through. This is so that we can get a picture of how our business will be performing in the upcoming year and adjust our forecast accordingly. This is to all help me prepare for the upcoming meeting with the budget owners as their business partners.
10.30 AM
Time to get started on the next task: Inventory Analysis reporting. This is a new monthly report requested from the North American office that my team are developing. I’ve collated all the data needed, now it’s about how we want to present it. What can we show with the data? Do we show a split by region? What are the drivers behind trends, inventory volume or price? How detailed should we present the categories? It must be tailored so that it answers management questions and assists them in their decision making. I make some headway with it then go through the prototype report with my manager and teammates. We meet in the Paddock, our communal area and we discuss how we can improve it, which analysis and data would provide better answers. I’m jotting down what needs to be done: need to add a graphic to help visualize results, get additional data from the procurement team on offshore inventory etc.
12.30 PM
It’s lunch time! My team have decided to go out for some lunch. Today we’re going to get some Pho. The walk to the restaurant is a great opportunity to get some fresh air, as we’re located in Docklands there are a few small parks to just sit in and soak in some sunlight and we’re spoiled for choice in terms of food options. Sometimes we visit the nearby DFO during the break to see if there are any good deals and do some lunchtime shopping.
1.30 PM
Time to get stuck back into work. I continue with the Inventory reporting, following up on anything that needed to be done for it. Make some calls to the procurement managers and regional accountants to learn more about how our business is performing and confirming if we need to capture certain information in our Inventory Analysis report. This also gives me the opportunity to catch-up with them and learn more about the process behind certain business activities, it’s important to understand what goes into the numbers so that we can provide more meaningful reporting and analysis. My role allows me to make connections with many experienced and intelligent people who are passionate about their role in the agricultural industry and learn from them.
3.00 PM
It’s time for the meeting with the Corporate Affairs department which I business partner for. I go through the meeting outline with my manager beforehand so that we can effectively discuss what needs to be done. If I don’t know anything, I’ll ask questions. As a graduate, it’s a great learning opportunity, so it’s important that I take the step and ask the question. I have such a supportive team, who help me with all my queries and no question is ever ignored. We discuss with the Corporate Affairs team what they plan to invest in or whether we should adjust the budget for more planned sponsorships/partnerships.
5.00 PM
Work is nearly done for the day. I finalize any edits in reports and forecast workings files and write up my to-do list for the next day, before logging off for the day. Pack up my desk, make sure I don’t forget anything in the office as I’ll be working from home the next day. I quickly head towards the station to catch my train home, which is a convenient 5 min walk from the office.
6.15 PM
I’m home! I give my dog a huge cuddle, then unpack my bags before quickly changing into some trackies and runners to take her out for a nice long walk.
7.15 PM
Time to eat some dinner. Cook some rice, then quickly chop up some veggies and meat, and make a mean stir fry. Switch on the TV and get even hungrier watching Masterchef. Try not to compare my food with the contestants, but one day I’ll perfect my skills.
8.00 PM
Now I’m at my home desk, this time preparing for my CPA exam. I put my earphones in, get into the zone and make some decent progress with my studies. This semester I’m taking Strategic Management Accounting, and my experience in my role has helped me understand concepts much more thoroughly and efficiently.
10.00 PM
Time to unwind before sleep. For me it’s some reading in bed, I’m currently reading The Third Space by Adam Fraser, it helps me learn how to transition mentally and more effectively between the many tasks and roles during the week, such as working from home to working in the office.
10.30 PM
A short reading session later, I set my alarm for tomorrow morning, fluff my pillows, snuggle into my blankets and fall asleep.
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