LOCAL CATEGORY SPECIALIST

Location

Hybrid (2-3 days per week in Woking)

Salary

Competitive + Bonus

Perks

Generous beer allowance, strong pension, wellness initiatives, company discounts & access to an electric car leasing scheme

Travel

Occasional trips to Europe for Procurement meetings & industry events

The Opportunity

Are you a commercially minded negotiator with a passion for Procurement? Do you thrive under pressure, working to tight deadlines and making an impact on the bottom line? If so, Asahi UK has the perfect role for you.

As a Procurement Local Category Specialist within our Marketing category team you’ll lead strategic and tactical sourcing projects. This is a high‑visibility role where you'll work closely with stakeholders across the UK business, using your analytical, negotiation, and supplier management skills to drive results.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Own & run sourcing projects — Working closely with the marketing team you’ll manage a host of end‑to‑end sourcing projects alongside managing some of our most important supplier relationships.
• Deliver to our Procurement strategy — Quickly assess business needs, research suppliers, and develop smart sourcing strategies.
• Support Local and Regional Category Managers — Work on large tenders, data analysis & market research, gaining exposure to strategic Procurement.
• Drive commercial value — Negotiate pricing & terms, ensuring Asahi gets the best deals while maintaining strong supplier relationships.
• Follow Procurement governance with agility — Understand why our policies matter and apply them with a speed‑to‑contract mindset.
• Master Stakeholder Management — Working closely with a diverse range of marketing stakeholders, managing varied priorities and expectations, expertly positioning Procurement’s added value.

Benefits and Growth

• Premium Beer. Premium Procurement. Asahi UK isn’t the biggest, but we lead in the Super Premium beer category — managing exciting partnerships in Formula 1, British Summer Time, Ascot & Premier League Rugby.
• Fast‑paced & high‑impact — You’ll work across multiple spend categories, learning how to manage supplier negotiations, stakeholder expectations, and contract execution.
• A career launchpad — This role gives you exposure to different categories, with clear paths to Category Manager roles in the UK, across Europe, or even in Singapore (our Procurement HQ).
• Support for career pivots — Want to move into Sales, Marketing, or Operations? We support internal mobility for those looking to apply Procurement expertise in new ways.
• Culture of inclusion & support — At Asahi, we don’t just hire talent — we develop it. We’re committed to DE&I, and our team feels like a family — open, transparent, and collaborative.

Qualifications

• 3 years + of Procurement experience — You know the Procurement process and have demonstrable sourcing expertise within the marketing category, ideally within an FCMG sector company.
• A natural negotiator — You get a thrill from improving commercial terms under tight timelines.
• A problem solver — You can quickly assess a sourcing need and figure out the best approach.
• Detail‑oriented but agile — You respect governance but work at speed to get things done.
• Confident in Contract Negotiation — You understand the importance of our contractual positions and the practical risks of their amendment.

Ready to take the next step?

Apply now and join Asahi UK’s Procurement team — where commercial thinking meets premium beer.

Inclusion Statement

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.