Global Procurement Specialist - Value Creation/Agile

Diageo; Glasgow; On-site; GBP 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Diageo, a world‑leading drinks company, is seeking a Global Procurement Specialist for value creation and agile delivery. You will drive global category strategies, collaborate with internal stakeholders and suppliers, and lead negotiations to achieve financial and sustainability objectives across markets.

You will operate in a complex, cross‑functional environment, shaping procurement practices, analytics capabilities and risk mitigation to support sustainable growth and brand performance.

Qualifications

• Experience and ability to lead complex procurement projects in a global setting.
• Strong negotiation and influencing skills with senior stakeholders.
• Knowledge of category management and strategic sourcing best practices.

Responsibilities

• Lead global category strategies and sourcing activities.
• Negotiate contracts and manage supplier relationships across regions.
• Develop market intelligence and analytics to support data-driven decisions.
• Drive value creation, cost efficiencies and sustainability outcomes.

Skills

Negotiation

Stakeholder management

Cross-functional collaboration

Procurement best practices

Supplier management

Leadership

Education

Degree qualified / MBA

Job description

Job Description

Job Title: Global Procurement Specialist - Value Creation/Agile

Location: Edinburgh, Glasgow, London, Dublin

Contract: Permanent

Closing Date: 1st October 2026

About Us

With over 200 brands sold in nearly 180 countries, Diageo is home to some of the world’s most iconic drinks. From Johnnie Walker and Guinness to Tanqueray, Smirnoff and Don Julio, we craft brands chosen for life’s moments - from everyday connections to landmark celebrations.

Bring your talent, curiosity and ambition, and strive for your personal best alongside people who challenge, support and learn from each other. Together, as one outstanding team, we keep learning, improving and raising the bar for our brands, our business and each other.

Join us and play your part in making life’s moments mean a little more.

About The Function

Procurement shapes how we build and grow our brands through the partnerships, services and materials that support our business.

Managing over £12bn of spend, this team works across our global supply chain to create value, drive efficiency and support sustainable growth. From supplier partnerships to innovation, their work has a direct impact on the quality and success of our brands.

You’ll collaborate with teams and partners around the world, helping deliver solutions that meet today’s needs while shaping what comes next.

About The Role

As a Global Procurement Specialist - Value Creation/Agile, you'll act as a change agent, driving global category strategies that deliver both financial and non-financial business objectives across commercial performance and sustainability ambitions. Working collaboratively with internal stakeholders, suppliers and external partners, you'll bring cross-sector insights, industry benchmarking and best practice to help keep Diageo at the forefront of Procurement while responding to emerging market trends and regulatory developments.

What You’ll Be Doing

Applied Expertise & Category Excellence

• Build, develop and apply expertise across one or more spend categories, developing a strong understanding of supply markets, suppliers, partners and commercial dynamics.
• Become a recognised subject matter expert, sharing knowledge across the global Procurement community and identifying opportunities to create value for Diageo.
• Lead the development of market intelligence, category insights, global strategies and sourcing activities, applying Diageo's Procurement standards and contributing to the continuous improvement of tools, processes and ways of working.

Global Category Strategy

• Build strong relationships with stakeholders, suppliers and partners to better understand business needs and deliver greater value through collaboration.
• Support the development and evolution of global category strategies by gathering business requirements, analysing market dynamics, assessing opportunities and recommending innovative solutions.
• Generate insights through internal and external benchmarking, develop cost models and strengthen analytics capabilities to support data-driven decision-making and continuous improvement.
• Support Market Centres of Excellence (CoEs) with the successful execution of global category strategies.

Sourcing & Contract Management

• Lead sourcing activities across global and above-market spend categories, applying Procurement best practice throughout the sourcing lifecycle.
• Plan, prepare and lead commercial negotiations using Diageo's Negotiation Toolkit, ensuring contracts are successfully negotiated, implemented and managed throughout their lifecycle.
• Maintain strong contract governance, ensuring compliance with both Diageo and supplier obligations.

Risk Management

• Identify, assess and mitigate strategic, commercial and supplier risks in line with category strategies and Procurement best practice.
• Work collaboratively with stakeholders and suppliers to implement effective risk mitigation plans and strengthen supply resilience.
• Apply and continuously improve Procurement tools, governance and risk management practices, contributing to the development of global standards.

Supplier Performance & Development

• Build trusted, collaborative relationships with strategic suppliers, establishing effective ways of working that drive strong performance, innovation and long-term value.
• Drive supplier excellence by evaluating and developing supplier performance across key measures including cost, quality, delivery, sustainability and risk.
• Work cross-functionally to identify improvement opportunities, address performance gaps and promote best practice through governance, ethical sourcing and continuous improvement initiatives.

Supplier Fitness

• Support the delivery of the supplier fitness strategy by assessing supplier capability across operational, financial, quality, compliance and risk criteria.
• Partner with internal stakeholders and suppliers to strengthen capability, manage risk, drive corrective actions and ensure continuity of supply while meeting strategic, regulatory and sustainability requirements.

Value Creation

• Drive value creation by leveraging the supply base to deliver sustainable cost efficiencies, innovation and competitive advantage.
• Identify opportunities across total cost of ownership, productivity, design-to-value and demand optimisation, while enabling supplier-led innovation and continuous improvement.
• Collaborate closely with business stakeholders and strategic suppliers to translate business needs into sourcing strategies that deliver measurable financial and strategic value, supporting both short-term performance and long-term growth.

Experience / skills required

• We're looking for someone who is commercially minded, collaborative and driven to deliver exceptional procurement outcomes, with strong negotiation, influencing and leadership skills.
• Proven experience in supplier management, with a successful track record of leading large-scale projects across complex, cross‑functional stakeholder groups.
• Strong knowledge of best‑in‑class Procurement practices, category management and strategic sourcing.
• Experience leading a procurement category within an international or global environment.
• Strong commercial acumen, with the ability to engage, influence and build trusted relationships with senior stakeholders.
• Proven experience working across the end‑to‑end supply chain, including Sales and Marketing.
• Demonstrated experience delivering pan‑regional or global sourcing initiatives involving multiple business partners and creating value across the organisation.
• Degree qualified or equivalent professional experience. An MBA or relevant postgraduate qualification would be advantageous.
• A collaborative and inclusive approach, with a commitment to embedding diversity and inclusion in the way you work and build relationships.
• An experienced negotiator with a proven ability to deliver successful outcomes across high‑value, complex commercial agreements.

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.

Our purpose is crafting iconic drinks chosen for life’s moments. And it’s our people, with their different experiences, perspectives and talents, who make that possible.

We value diversity in its broadest sense and want everyone to feel they can belong, contribute and strive for their personal best. You’ll work alongside people with different backgrounds, experiences and perspectives — challenging, supporting and learning from one another as one outstanding team.

Together, we’re constantly learning and improving, combining the strength of our people, capabilities and iconic brands to raise the bar, grow and win. Wherever you join us, you’ll have the opportunity to contribute, make an impact and play your part in making life’s moments mean a little more.

Ready to bring your best? This could be your opportunity.

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