Media and Consumer Planning Europe Procurement Category Specialist

Diageo; City of Edinburgh; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading company in the beverage industry is seeking a Media and Consumer Planning Europe Procurement Category Specialist. This role focuses on optimizing procurement strategies and driving value through data-driven investment decisions. The ideal candidate will thrive in a fast-paced environment, demonstrating strong analytical and communication skills while managing relationships with stakeholders and suppliers.

Benefits

Health Insurance

Annual Bonuses

Work-life balance policies

Qualifications

• Experience in procurement, finance, or project management.
• Strong analytical skills and influencing costs.
• Proven performance in executing projects.

Responsibilities

• Drive value by executing commercial elements of spend with vendors.
• Manage category data insights for analysis and reporting.
• Develop close relationships with marketing stakeholders.

Skills

Analytical Skills

Communication

Negotiation

Education

Degree or equivalent relevant experience

Job description

Job Description :

Job Title: Media and Consumer Planning Europe Procurement Category Specialist

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 and team:

As part of the Procurement team, you will contribute significantly to Diageo’s business, productivity, and growth goals. The Media category within Marketing A&P is the largest spend area with ambitions for further expansion.

There is a need to drive efficiency in spending and operational methods to deliver value creation, supporting margin improvement and competitive advantage. Consumer insights are key to making strategic decisions.

The primary accountability is to drive value by executing the commercial elements of spend with vendors effectively to unlock business performance. The Media and Consumer Planning categories are major contributors to Europe Marketing Procurement's value delivery. The role also emphasizes a data-led approach to investment decisions, leveraging efficiency and effectiveness.

The category involves stakeholders including local market Media and Consumer Planning teams, Marketing Effectiveness, digital teams, agency partners, and wider networks. Business partnering and senior stakeholder engagement are crucial, involving influencing and leading decision-making within marketing teams and agency networks. You will join the Europe Marketing Procurement team, working with global and local colleagues. The scope covers GB, Ireland, Northern, Southern, Eastern Europe, and MENA regions.

Role responsibilities:

Category Management and Strategy

• Build expertise in Media and Consumer Planning, understanding marketing, suppliers, stakeholders, and negotiation strategies to meet demand. Serve as a subject matter expert to implement best practices and generate value for Diageo.
• Create and implement the Europe Category Strategy aligned with global pillars, considering market insights and delivering benefits and value.
• Drive continuous improvement in ways of working across markets to enhance value.
• Apply Diageo standards, governance, and risk management practices; contribute to standard development.

Data Insights and Analytics

• Manage category data insights for analysis, reporting, and identifying opportunities.
• Oversee value delivery data and reporting within Tier meetings.
• Generate insights from benchmarking, develop cost models, and enhance analytics capabilities for strategy review and improvement.
• Optimize the Marketing Data and Insights ecosystem, including agency structure review for cost efficiency and future readiness.

Business Partnering and Stakeholder Management

• Develop close relationships with marketing stakeholders, agency partners, and procurement teams.
• Understand agency capabilities and lead senior stakeholder engagement to optimize investments in A&P within Media and CP categories.
• Establish standards and trusted relationships with agencies and suppliers, ensuring best practices, performance, risk mitigation, and issue resolution.

Sourcing and Agency Selection

• Manage sourcing activities, including RFX phases, agency chemistry, and pitches, utilizing cost modeling.
• Review and evolve the agency landscape to meet business needs.

Contract Management

• Work with Category managers and Legal teams to implement and manage contracts, including SLAs and KPIs.
• Ensure proper management of contracts within the lifecycle system, including renewals.

Risk Management and Inflation

• Identify and manage category risks, building supplier structures to mitigate risks.
• Track and manage inflation impacts, identifying mitigation or value opportunities.

Agency Partner Relationship and Performance Management

• Lead Diageo’s Relationship Collaboration Programme and partner performance reviews.
• Build relationships with media owners and technology partners to drive value and competitive advantage.
• Ensure excellent execution from agency partners, setting KPIs, improving data value, and resolving issues.
• Collaborate with partners to unlock new opportunities and enhance capabilities.

Value Delivery and Investment Optimisation

• Lead data-driven investment decision-making with marketing leadership to optimize spend.
• Lead projects aligned with Europe strategy and support digital transformation efforts.
• Achieve cost reductions and value creation to improve margins.
• Deliver financial and non-financial KPIs, including Society 2030 targets.

Wider Procurement Contribution

• Participate in broader procurement initiatives to support the team’s vision and ambition.

Experience / skills required:

We seek a dynamic individual capable of thriving in a fast-paced, agile environment, demonstrating energy, commitment, and goal orientation.

• Experience in procurement, finance, project management, marketing, or related fields. Sector-specific experience is a plus.
• Strong analytical skills, understanding cost drivers, and influencing costs through end-to-end value.
• Proven performance in executing projects and influencing stakeholders to drive strategic change.
• Excellent communication skills across all organizational levels; experience in developing procurement strategies is beneficial.
• Independent thinker with leadership and inspiring skills, capable of motivating teams and external partners.
• Negotiation experience in high-spend procurement or related areas is advantageous.
• Knowledge of the Media and Consumer Promotions landscape.
• Degree or equivalent relevant experience.

Working with us

Flexibility is essential; we support various working arrangements. Discuss your needs with us. Our benefits include work-life balance policies, health insurance, and annual bonuses.

Our purpose is to celebrate life daily and foster an inclusive culture where everyone feels valued. We believe diversity and inclusion drive better business and societal outcomes. Our BRGs and ERGs represent diverse communities, generating innovative ideas to enhance our culture and business.

Join us to be part of an organization that values authenticity, inclusion, and diversity, making a positive impact worldwide.

Worker Type : Fixed Term Contract

Primary Location: 1HQ

Additional Locations : Edinburgh Park, Hamburg, Madrid, St James Gate

Job Posting Start Date : 2025-05-15