At a Glance
- Tasks: Shape Diageo's spirits supply chain and manage raw material sourcing.
- Company: Join a leading global consumer products company with a focus on sustainability.
- Benefits: Competitive rewards, flexible working, and a diverse, inclusive culture.
- Other info: Excellent career progression opportunities and a dynamic work environment.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in procurement while driving sustainability initiatives.
- Qualifications: Strong analytical skills and experience in supplier management required.
The predicted salary is between 45000 - 55000 £ per year.
Position Type: 5 Months Contract
Location: Scotland
Purpose of the Role:
An exceptional opportunity for an ambitious and high-performing professional to shape Diageo's spirits supply chain whilst creating value and assuring quality across a strategically important raw materials category. This pivotal role offers significant exposure to senior leaders across Procurement, Supply and Manufacturing, providing a unique platform for career progression and impact.
As a Regional Procurement Specialist - Raw Materials, you will be instrumental in managing raw material supply chains that support spirits production, driving strategic sourcing initiatives that deliver substantial value, mitigate risk and ensure resilient supply. You will work closely with manufacturing sites, suppliers and business stakeholders to ensure future requirements are reflected in category strategies and implementation plans. You will be at the forefront of delivering change across Supply Categories through supplier qualification, business continuity planning, sustainability initiatives, security-of-supply programmes and strategic supplier management. This role will play a key part in enabling Diageo to deliver its growth ambitions while maintaining industry-leading standards of quality, sustainability and performance.
Key Accountabilities
- Strategic Sourcing & Category Leadership
- Develop and implement comprehensive procurement implementation plans and contribute towards the development of global and regional procurement strategies for raw materials.
- Proactively identify opportunities for productivity improvements and significant cost savings using internal and external market insights.
- Manage critical raw material supply chains and ensure successful execution against sourcing strategies and supplier commitments.
- Drive continuous improvement initiatives that enhance value delivery, competitiveness and business performance.
- Support category governance, supplier segmentation and strategic planning activities.
- Sustainability & Supply Chain Transformation
- Work closely with Sustainability teams and Global Procurement colleagues to support regenerative agriculture, decarbonisation and responsible sourcing programmes.
- Drive supplier engagement initiatives that improve environmental performance and support Diageo's sustainability ambitions.
- Ensure sustainability considerations are embedded into sourcing decisions, supplier evaluations and category strategies.
- Support delivery of long-term supply chain resilience initiatives.
- Cross-Functional & Senior Stakeholder Partnering
- Build and sustain strong, influential relationships with key partners across Planning, Sustainability, Finance, Manufacturing, Quality and Legal teams.
- Drive the strategic integration of Procurement initiatives within the business, ensuring alignment to operational and commercial priorities.
- Effectively navigate complex stakeholder relationships and gain buy-in for strategic and tactical initiatives.
- Develop and present clear, compelling business cases to support sourcing decisions, investments and supplier strategies.
- Commercial & Financial Foresight
- Utilise strong analytical skills, including advanced cost modelling, forecasting and market intelligence, to develop best-in-class sourcing and negotiation strategies.
- Lead commercial negotiations with suppliers to secure optimal commercial outcomes whilst maintaining strong strategic relationships.
- Monitor market trends, supply dynamics and commodity risks to inform decision-making.
- Ensure strong financial awareness and understanding to deliver sustainable end-to-end value.
- Supplier & Risk Management
- Develop resilient supply chains through proactive supplier performance management, contract management and risk mitigation.
- Lead business continuity planning and risk assessment activities to strengthen supply security.
- Hold suppliers accountable for commitments, innovation, service levels and sustainability objectives.
- Identify and mitigate supply chain risks, ensuring robust contingency plans are in place for critical materials and suppliers.
- Foster strong supplier partnerships that encourage continuous improvement and value creation.
- Project Support & Process Optimisation
- Support technical, innovation and operational excellence projects associated with new technologies, raw materials and supply chain transformation.
- Collaborate closely with project teams to ensure successful delivery against Procurement and business objectives.
- Leverage analytics tools, dashboards and procurement systems to generate insights and improve decision-making.
- Drive process optimisation and standardisation across procurement activities.
- Champion the use of digital tools and data-led approaches to improve procurement effectiveness.
Qualifications and Experience Required:
- Proactive & Results-Oriented: A highly proactive and results-focused individual with a proven ability to generate insights, influence decision-making and identify opportunities that create value.
- Strategic Expertise: Experience developing and delivering successful strategies within a complex organisation and demonstrating ownership of key business priorities.
- Analytical Acumen: Strong analytical capability with experience in data analytics, cost modelling, financial analysis and market assessment to support sourcing decisions and negotiation strategies.
- Commercial & Negotiation Capability: Strong commercial judgement and negotiation skills with a proven track record of delivering value through supplier and stakeholder engagement.
- Manufacturing & Operational Understanding: Experience within manufacturing, operations, agricultural supply chains, ingredient procurement or related supply chain environments, providing valuable insight into production requirements and operational constraints.
- Exceptional Stakeholder Engagement: Excellent communication, interpersonal and influencing skills, with a demonstrated ability to build strong relationships and align diverse stakeholders across all levels of the organisation.
- Supplier Relationship Management: Demonstrated ability to establish productive supplier partnerships, drive accountability and deliver continuous improvement through collaboration and challenge.
- Project Collaboration: Proven ability to collaborate effectively on cross-functional initiatives and support successful project execution aligned with Procurement and business strategies.
Flexible Working Statement: Flexibility is key to our success. Talk to us about what flexibility means to you, so that you’re supported to manage your wellbeing and balance your priorities from day one.
Rewards & Benefits Statement: We recognise and value performance, offering our people a highly competitive Rewards and Benefits package including:
Diversity statement: 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. Our ambition is to create the best performing, most trusted and respected consumer products companies in the world. Join us and help transform our business as we take our brands to new heights and build new ones as part of shaping the next generation of celebrations for consumers around the world.
Worker Type: Regular
Primary Location: Edinburgh Park
Additional Locations:
Job Posting Start Date: 2026-08-19
Regional Procurement Specialist- Raw Materials in Edinburgh employer: Diageo
Diageo is an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic work environment in Runcorn where you can lead a dedicated team in the bottling operation of some of the world's most iconic drinks. With a strong focus on employee development, diversity, and continuous improvement, you'll have the opportunity to make a meaningful impact while enjoying a supportive culture that values your contributions and well-being. Join us to craft memorable moments and grow your career in a globally recognised brand.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Regional Procurement Specialist- Raw Materials in Edinburgh
✨Get Involved in Local Procurement Meetups
Join local procurement and purchasing groups on platforms like Meetup or Eventbrite. These gatherings are great for networking with industry professionals, sharing insights, and potentially hearing about temporary roles that might not be widely advertised!
✨Seasonal Hiring Cycles are Your Friend!
Keep an eye on seasonal trends in procurement, as many companies ramp up hiring during certain times of the year – especially around end-of-financial-year periods when budgets are being utilised. Be proactive and reach out to companies directly during these windows.
✨Leverage Online Platforms for Temporary Roles
Don’t forget to browse specific job boards dedicated to temporary positions, such as Reed or Indeed. You can filter your search for procurement roles and set up alerts for when new jobs pop up, so you can apply immediately!
✨Showcase Your Skills on Professional Networks
Create short case studies or posts on LinkedIn showcasing your procurement experience or interesting projects you've tackled. This not only builds your visibility but can also attract recruiters looking for temporary talent like you!
We think you need these skills to ace Regional Procurement Specialist- Raw Materials in Edinburgh
Some tips for your application 🫡
Showcase Relevant Experience:When applying for a temporary role in procurement-purchasing, it's crucial to highlight any relevant experience you have. Mention specific tasks like negotiating contracts, managing supplier relationships, or optimising inventory. This will show Diageo that you can hit the ground running!
Keep it Concise and Impactful:For a temporary role, we recommend keeping your CV and cover letter concise. Focus on key achievements that showcase your procurement skills and any immediate impact you’ve made in past roles. Use bullet points for clarity—this way, Diageo can quickly grasp your capabilities!
Include Relevant Certifications:If you’ve got any certifications that are relevant to procurement, like CIPS (Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply), don’t forget to mention them! This adds extra weight to your application and shows Diageo that you're serious about your professional development.
Emphasise Flexibility and Availability:Since this is a temporary position, make sure to emphasise your availability and flexibility in your cover letter. Let Diageo know when you can start and that you’re ready to adapt to their needs, making your application even more appealing!
How to prepare for a job interview at Diageo
✨Know Your Procurement Basics
Brush up on key procurement concepts and terms, like 'total cost of ownership' and 'supplier relationships'. We want to impress them with our knowledge! Being able to talk fluently about relevant techniques and tools specific to the procurement field will definitely lend credibility.
✨Prepare for Scenario-Based Questions
In a purchasing role, you might get thrown some real-world scenarios to assess how you’d handle supplier negotiations or cost-saving strategies. Be ready to demonstrate your problem-solving skills! Practising how you'd tackle these situations in advance will help us shine during the interview.
✨Highlight Your Flexibility and Adaptability
Since it’s a temporary role, emphasise how you can quickly adapt to new processes and environments. Share examples of past experiences where you’ve tackled new challenges with ease, showing they can rely on us to hit the ground running and contribute immediately!
✨Show Off Your Tech Savvy
Being well-versed in procurement software like SAP or Coupa can set us apart from other candidates. If you've got experience with these tools, be sure to mention it! Having a handle on data analysis and reporting will also demonstrate our capability to leverage technology effectively in procurement.
