Market Category Manager, Agriculture Development (Africa) at Diageo

About the role: 

• Lead procurement for East Africa in one or more categories of spend, through effective business partnering and collaboration across procurement CoEs.  This includes (but is not limited to):
• Applying strategic procurement excellence, by leading execution of and defining market-specific category strategies built on Diageo’s best methods, standards and tools to deliver procurement value for Diageo.
• In collaboration with EABL managers, coordinating end-to-end execution of category strategies across Markets and above-market where possible, ensuring that Market category professionals are aligned and working in line with strategy.
• Serving as market subject-matter guide for specific spend categories, ensuring collection and leverage of supply market expertise and close engagement with stakeholders for value-adding procurement.
• The Market Category Agricultural Development Manager is accountable for mobilising cross-market procurement professionals in one or more spend categories into the global communities coordinated by relevant GCMs (Global Category Managers), ensuring their regular contact, strategic alignment, capability development and shared standard processes.  The Market Category Manager is an escalation point for community members across the market

Role Responsibilities: 

General

• Leadership: Build, manage and grow the business impact of category professionals focused on common spend categories across the market.  Inspire and develop the team through P4G and coach individuals as they develop and grow.  Collaborate closely with and drive cross-market collaboration with global category managers (GCMs) and global communities.
• End to end category excellence: Take market-wide ownership for maximising procurement value for Diageo from one or more spend categories, including application of best in class market knowledge, stakeholder engagement, global community support in market, tools & techniques.

Category strategy

• Business partnering:  Develop and grow relationships with stakeholders, partners and suppliers for deeper insights into needs and capabilities; establish a position to advise on how to gain greater value from close engagement with procurement.  Bring global capability to the market.
• Strategy execution: Take accountability for end to end execution of all relevant category strategies developed for execution in the market (including those led by GCMs). 
• Support to Global Center of Excellence:  Support global CoEs with market sourcing activities through provision of standard methodologies, market data, feedback from execution and lessons learned.
• Contract management: Ensure market-specific requirements are incorporated into all contracts global and market-specific.  Review and co-develop contracts with GCMs as required for CM4 and CM3 and lead completion of all contracts for CM2 and CM1 spend categories, partnering with the tactical team as appropriate for all spot-buying.

Risk management

• Mitigate strategic risks: As part of category strategy development and execution, identify and design mitigations for potential risks, in line with Diageo risk and governance standards.
• Mitigate sourcing risks: Identify corporate, supply, supplier and other risks associated with sourcing activities and put mitigations in place, engaging all relevant stakeholders, partners and suppliers to ensure the mitigations are successful.
• Supervise progress and keep aligned with global strategy owner.  Ensure close collaboration of teams aligned behind strategies and resolve market-wide partner concerns. 
• Strategy development: Support market and Global Category Managers development and evolution of category strategies that match strategic business requirements and well researched and analysed market dynamics to create incremental procurement value for Diageo.  Serve as the key point of contact for input of Market-specific expertise.
• Apply and improve tools & techniques: Apply Diageo procurement standards, ensuring the most recent and relevant approaches are always applied; use formal governance and peer review to ensure the quality and efficacy of risk management; contribute to development of standards.

Experience / skills required: 

• Graduate or equivalent qualification and member of professional body, e.g., CIPS
• Demonstrated ability in Procurement, Finance, FMCG Commercial or other relevant role, with subject-matter expertise in supply markets and spend categories relevant to the role
• Proven performance in leading projects and teams, running and negotiating with suppliers and experience developing and delivering category and procurement strategies
• Strong analytical and financial awareness including a comprehensive understanding of AOP requirements and financial goals & value drivers relevant to the categories in scope
• Senior or middle manager or senior specialist role experience with track record influencing and handling senior stakeholders and budget holders and driving cross-border teams
• Exceptional communication skills:  verbal, written and presentation; strong social skills
• Proven track record of consistent performance and delivery
• Clear track record with end to end process, preferably ‘Source’ (generically, Source-to-Pay); understands how Category Management works with other activities in ‘Source’ for value.
• Experience working within KPI-led performance management structures and rigorous tiered reporting and performance review structures.
• Demonstrates role model behaviour and coaches others in same team, across organisational boundaries (including differing P&Ls) to drive consistency and over-deliver on requirements.
• Has a consistent track record in adherence to Core Process and Standards.
• Proactively employs the learning curriculums and materials on Learning Hub and other sources to continuously grow and develop in role.