Procurement Lead and Indirect Category Strategist The Procurement Business Partner Leader for markets Colombia and Central America plays a critical leadership role within the region, acting as both the primary Procurement Voice for business partners and the strategic lead for the Indirect category. This role is pivotal in leading the development of Market Strategies and ensuring that Procurement teams and Markets collaborate efficiently to maximise productivity delivery. You will ensure the successful implementation of Global Procurement Category Sourcing Strategies at the market level—across all categories (supply, marketing, and indirects) —while effectively representing business needs to Global Procurement Category leaders. The incumbent will be instrumental in fostering engagement with key business partners and may involve leading a procurement team, either directly or indirectly, within the market. It includes the development and execution of procurement strategies that enhance efficiency and productivity, improve supplier performance, drive sustainable solutions, and mitigate operational risks through robust governance. The ideal candidate will possess a deep understanding of the beverage procurement landscape, particularly in relation to Diageo, and demonstrate the ability to align and implement procurement initiatives with organisational priorities. Key Responsibilities: - Lead the implementation of global procurement strategies tailored to market needs and aligned with industry standard methodologies. - Collaborate with Business Executives and global partners to optimise procurement performance, resource allocation, and forecast accuracy. - Design and implement business productivity roadmaps with strategic suppliers to drive efficiency, service, and savings. - Ensure alignment of procurement activities with organisational goals on cost, cash, and carbon footprint. Indirects Category Ownership: - Lead indirect Procurement for LAC and Tequila. - Act as the primary liaison with the Global Procurement indirect team. - Ensure flawless execution of market indirects procurement activities in line with global strategies. Main Responsibilities: - Strong leadership and maintain a broad network to represent procurement and indirects in Executive Forums. - Develop, implement, and continuously improve procurement and indirects strategies to optimize the end-to-end supply chain, reduce costs, and support sustainability objectives. - Foster a culture of continuous improvement internally and with suppliers by benchmarking industry standard methodologies, driving operational excellence, and mitigating risks. - Lead capability building by developing and delivering training programs that promote an attitude of efficiency and affordability across teams and suppliers. - Manage supplier relationships by collaborating on improvement plans, ensuring quality and operational compliance, and monitoring service levels to elevate performance. - Identify and mitigate risks across supply chain and operational processes, ensuring robust contingency plans tailored to market-specific challenges. - Drive cross-functional collaboration with departments such as supply chain, finance, marketing, and operations to address risks, align priorities, and maintain compliance with organisational standards. - Apply strong financial and analytical skills to manage budgets, monitor market risks including currency fluctuations, and deliver cost optimization across procurement and indirect activities. Requirements: - Advanced degree preferred in Supply Chain and Logistics, Business Administration, or related fields. - 8+ years of leadership experience in procurement within multinational, high-volume beverage environments. - In-depth knowledge of the Latin American beverage market, especially Diageo's operations in Colombia and Central America. - Proven track record to lead cross-functional teams and drive strategic procurement initiatives. - Relevant certifications desirable. - Expertise in supplier management, contract negotiation, and performance governance. - Proficient in procurement platforms and technologies. - Knowledgeable of global supply chain dynamics and end-to-end analytics. - Skilled in leading projects with cross-functional alignment and timely execution. Soft Skills: - Continuous Improvement Mindset: A proactive approach to driving continuous improvement initiatives in operational and supply chain processes underpinned by a strong culture of integrity, compliance, and a continuous pursuit of the highest industry standards. - Cross-Functional Collaboration: Strong teamwork skills and able to collaborate effectively with different departments. - Problem-Solving: Experienced identifying issues, develop solutions, and implement improvements. Proactively seeks out and evaluates options, actively considering market practices, sourcing strategies, and competitive benchmarks to enhance decision-making and procurement value. 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, sexual orientation, social class, educational backgrounds, experiences, mindsets, and more.