LOCAL PROCUREMENT CATEGORY SPECIALIST

City:  Woking

Department:  Procurement

Type of contract:  Permanent - Full-Time

Hybrid Working: 3 days Woking office, 2 days remote office

Asahi UK (AUK), part of Asahi Europe & International Ltd, claims to enrich consumer experiences through innovation, high-quality service and an exceptional portfolio of premium beer, ale and cider brands including, Peroni Nastro Azzurro, Asahi Super Dry, Meantime, Fuller’s London Pride and Cornish Orchards. Our aim is to be the leading super premium beer business in the UK, through a brand mix that creates a compelling proposition. At AUK we operate as an end to end business unit responsible for sales, marketing, customer operations, production, supply chain and wholesale operations in the UK & Ireland. For further information, visit www.asahibeer.co.uk

Asahi Europe & International is a subsidiary of Asahi Group Holdings Ltd, a global beverage and food company listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, Japan. Employing > 12,000 people, Asahi Europe & International is the custodian for leading super premium lager brands Peroni Nastro Azzurro, Grolsch, Asahi Super Dry, plus international Czech lager brands, Pilsner Urquell and Kozel. The business has world-class brewing and production facilities in 8 markets – UK, NL, ITL, PL, CZ, SK, HU, RO. In most of these markets, we are the leading brewer with full portfolio of famous brands. Commercial operations in other parts of Europe, USA, Canada, LatAm, Africa and Asia are served through our global distribution network. With state-of-the-art facilities, some of the best brewers in the world, quality ingredients, and a culture based on innovation and collaboration, Asahi offers the best quality of beer to beer lovers worldwide. More information can be found at www.asahiinternational.com

Functional overview

The purpose of Asahi Procurement is to safeguard the existing value and to unlock new sources of sustainable value for Asahi, our customers, and the planet. This is done through partnering with Asahi business stakeholders and a high-performing supplier network.

Procurement capabilities are designed to improve product and service quality, mitigate risks, drive total cost of ownership and infuse top-line growth for Asahi local businesses.

Asahi Procurement aspires to be the partner of choice for internal clients as well as for external suppliers; trusted for being an inspirational business advocate; connecting people and driving sustainable procurement value; while aiming to achieve operational and transactional excellence to ensure business continuity.

No matter in which of the Asahi regions are our people based, there is a one-direction approach used to maximize value delivery in a consistent way.

Cost and Net Working Capital efficiency is equally important as proactive risk management is. The aspiration for continuity, sustainability, and circular economy is reflected in everything we do. Moreover, Procurement employees are not only experts in their categories but also ambassadors for corporate social responsibility. Following the Asahi Group philosophy, Procurement thinks globally and acts locally.

Roles and Responsibilities

As a local category specialist this is a cross category role specialising in tactical procurement and supporting strategic sourcing activities of local category managers within Supply Chain, Logistics, Marketing and Professional Business Services categories.

In this role, we seek a candidate exhibiting the following competencies:

Category Management

• Able to:
  • Construct basic spend/demand models and conduct supporting analysis (e.g., data visualization, Pareto analysis, spend tree).
  • Conduct market analysis and be aware of the basic competitive landscape
  • Develop a basic total cost of ownership (TCO) model and have an awareness of the key cost drivers (e.g., commodities, raw materials) and their impact on the total cost of goods/services provided.
  • Identify and communicate the basic value levers and how they may be leveraged to deliver a value pipeline for at least 12 months

Strategic Sourcing and Contracting

• Able to:
  • Use Ariba or an equivalent source-to-contract tool for basic sourcing processes (e.g., multi-supplier RFP/RFI).
  • Define requirements and identify suppliers based on supply market analysis and category strategy.
  • Develop sourcing documents with supervision and implement the required approach for my category.
  • Create basic data analysis models to inform negotiation strategies/award scenarios and summarize and analyze data confidently.
  • Support the evaluation of supplier responses and the development of negotiation strategies, considering both parties' objectives and different scenarios.
  • Use the appropriate contract template and understand key legal terms and risks.
  • Confidently manage a project to the agreed schedule, escalating risks and issues as needed.

Stakeholder and Supplier Management

• Able to:
  • Understand the influence and interest of others and can identify the key stakeholders
  • Understand the importance of building strong relationships with key stakeholders and how they influence business outcomes.
  • Establish and maintain relationships with peers by developing trust through demonstrating an interest in the concerns/perspectives of others.
  • Understand the criticality and importance of key suppliers within my category and can define the target state to manage each key supplier.
  • Use a structured supplier management approach with suppliers that I will actively manage, including routine business reviews and performance reporting.
  • Adapt style to suit the relevant audience and situation.

Risk Management and Governance

• Able to:
  • Adhere to key Procurement processes, policies, and governance.
  • Participate in required governance reporting.
  • Assist stakeholders in engaging Procurement and avoiding shadow procurement.
  • Monitor my environment to detect and report new threats promptly.

Sustainability, Supplier Innovation and Value Creation

• Able to:
  • Understand Asahi’s Responsible Procurement and Human Rights obligations and their consequences.
  • Identify Sustainability and innovation initiatives through supplier engagements and internal forums.

Process Excellence

• Able to:
  • Closely follow process guidelines and policies, demonstrating solid knowledge of software and tools required for process execution and data management.
  • Provide speedy solutions to customer complaints and understand relevant procurement applications.
  • Organize and structure my work systematically to create true value for the department and its stakeholders.
  • Identify improvements in workflows, processes, and systems, producing ideas and suggestions and be willing to try new ways of working to advance processes.

 Asahi’s Commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion 

We are committed to nurturing a workplace where we celebrate and respect difference, and support everyone to be true to who they are! At Asahi Europe and International we believe you can SHINE AS YOU ARE - no matter your age, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disabilities, religion, or beliefs.  We want to support you to be courageous in your individuality and to know that whoever you are and whatever your circumstances, you can belong with us without having to conform.

We are committed to nurturing a workplace where we celebrate and respect difference, and support everyone to be true to who they are! At Asahi Europe and International we believe you can SHINE AS YOU ARE - no matter your age, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disabilities, religion, or beliefs.  We want to support you to be courageous in your individuality and to know that whoever you are and whatever your circumstances, you can belong with us without having to conform.