Market Category Specialist, Marketing (East Africa)

Job Description
About us
As the home of iconic brands such as Baileys, Guinness, Smirnoff, and Johnnie Walker, at Diageo we source, produce and deliver 6.5 billion litres of world-leading products every year across 180 markets globally. Because of this huge undertaking, we rely on highly advanced systems as well as the very best talent to make sure our businesses continue to run smoothly.
To give you some idea of the scale of our operation, over half of our 30,000 employees work in our supply chains. We have teams in over 100 sites across more than 30 countries, but what matters is that wherever you work, you’re part of a diverse, inclusive team where there are opportunities for everyone.
Whether you work in planning, logistics, technical teams or manufacturing, you’ll be part of an innovative, dynamic organization. We set ourselves the highest standards, and our practices have earned us international recognition.
And it’s people with energy, dedication and problem-solving skills who’ll help us get even better. In return, we offer a world of opportunities for you to explore, to shape and progress your career.
About The Function
Our Procurement team are innovators, always seeking new ways to help our business, people and much-loved brands thrive. We’re dedicated to maximising the £12 billion+ we spend every year, building brands of premium quality, while creating sustainable value and growth. Together, we’re shaping the services, partnerships and innovations that meet our future needs.
Our procurement team delivers outstanding end-to-end value across our supply chain and offers innovative supplier solutions. Together, we’re driving our 'Society 2030: Spirit of Progress' plan across suppliers and agency partners to create a more sustainable world. Wherever you choose to carve your career, we’ll support and encourage you in our inclusive culture.
About The Role
As a Market Category Specialist at Diageo, you will be pivotal in driving procurement outcomes through strategic business partnering and collaboration within our Procurement Centre of Excellence. Your role involves applying strategic procurement excellence to develop category strategies, leading sourcing activities in East Africa, and executing these strategies globally. You will cultivate subject-matter expertise, utilize supply market insights, and work across flexible resource pools for seamless demand management and career growth. Additionally, you'll actively participate in a global network of procurement professionals to align strategies, enhance capabilities, and share best practices.
Key Accountabilities

• Applied Expertise: Build and share expertise in spend categories; become a subject-matter expert to drive value for Diageo.
• Category Excellence: Lead development of market data, category strategies, and sourcing events; improve tools and techniques.
• Business Partnering: Develop relationships with stakeholders and suppliers for insights and collaboration.
• Strategy Development: Support category strategy evolution by capturing business requirements, analyzing market dynamics, and proposing solutions.
• Best-in-Class Capabilities: Generate insights from benchmarking, develop cost models, and enhance analytics capabilities.
• Strategy Execution: Execute category strategies across boundaries; track progress with detailed KPI data.
• Support to Global CoEs: Ensure local market data is addressed in global strategy development.

• Sourcing Activities:
  • Execute sourcing for Above the Line (ATL) categories using best practices.
  • Support contract negotiations and manage compliance throughout contract lifecycles.
    

• Risk Management:
  • Identify and mitigate strategic risks as part of category execution.
  • Address sourcing risks with effective mitigations involving all stakeholders.
    

• Supplier Relationship Management & Supply Chain Excellence:
  • Maintain adherence to Source-to-Pay processes with proven performance management experience.
  • Continuously develop skills through available learning resources.
    

Experience / Skills Required

• Educational Background: Graduate or equivalent qualification; open to diverse educational paths, including membership in professional bodies like CIPS.
• Diverse Experience: 4–6 years in Procurement, Marketing Agency, Media, Creative Agency, FMCG Commercial, or other relevant roles. We welcome varied backgrounds that bring unique perspectives.
• Project and Strategy Expertise: Proven performance in projects and cross-market teams; experience or interest in developing and executing category and procurement strategies.
• Supplier Management Skills: Skilled in managing and negotiating with suppliers, valuing diverse approaches to relationship-building.
• Analytical Abilities: Strong analytical skills with financial awareness; an understanding of AOP requirements and financial goals. Diverse problem-solving methods are welcomed.
• Insight Generation: Ability to generate insights that influence decision-making; strong commercial acumen with an appreciation for different viewpoints.
• Systems Knowledge: Proficient in SAP, PRDM, MS Office, E-collaborate, or similar tools. Open to those eager to learn new systems.
• Communication Skills: Strong verbal, written, presentation, and interpersonal skills. We value communication styles that foster inclusivity and collaboration.
• Consistent Performance: Proven track record of consistent performance and delivery; we support diverse work experiences that contribute to success.
  

Flexible Working Statement
Flexibility is key to our success. Talk to us about what flexibility means to you so that you’re supported to manage your wellbeing and balance your priorities from day one.
Diversity Statement
Our purpose is to celebrate life, every day, everywhere. And creating an inclusive culture, where everyone feels valued and that they can belong, is a crucial part of this.
We embrace diversity in the broadest possible sense. This means that you’ll be welcomed and celebrated for who you are just by being you. You’ll be part of and help build and champion an inclusive culture that celebrates people of different gender, ethnicity, ability, age, social class, educational backgrounds, experiences, mindsets, and more.
Our ambition is to create the best performing, most trusted and respected consumer products companies in the world. Join us and help transform our business as we take our brands to the next level and build new ones as part of shaping the next generation of celebrations for consumers around the world.
Feel inspired? Then this may be the opportunity for you.
If you require a reasonable adjustment, please ensure that you capture this information when you submit your application.
Worker Type
Regular
Primary Location:
KBL
Additional Locations :
Job Posting Start Date
2025-12-04
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