Global Category Specialist - Global Marketing

Job Description :

Position: Global Category Specialist - Global Marketing

Location: London, Dublin, Amsterdam, Edinburgh

Position Type: Permanent

Closing Date: 28 October, 2026

About the Function:

Procurement shapes how we build and grow our brands through the partnerships, services and materials that support our business.Managing over £12bn of spend, this team works across our global supply chain to create value, drive efficiency and support sustainable growth. From supplier partnerships to innovation, their work has a direct impact on the quality and success of our brands.You'll collaborate with teams and partners around the world, helping deliver solutions that meet today's needs while shaping what comes next.

About the role

Passionate about shaping the future of global marketing procurement and enabling the growth of our marketing through our Global Brand Teams (GBTs)?Excited to partner with brand teams to deliver key business ambitions through our more connected global through to regional marketing models?Energised by innovation and eager to bring fresh thinking and smarter solutions across our marketing categories?Motivated to maximise A&P spend and ensure our brands invest in the most effective, growth‑driving ways?Fluent in digital procurement tools, workflow systems, and AI‑enabled productivity platforms-and experienced in piloting and driving adoption of new technologies?

Overview of the Role

This role is an exciting opportunity to drive our Global Marketing Procurement strategy and enable Global Brand Teams (GBTs) to deliver their critical brand ambitions through strong business partnerships across A&P+. You will manage complex, multi-brand portfolios across markets and time zones, combining strategic leadership with commercial execution.

A key evolution of the role is to partner with your designated GBTs to extend our influence into Regional Marketing teams. Together, you will connect global and market demand to unlock greater value through co-partnering on cross-regional briefing and scoping and driving consolidated agency workplans spanning multiple markets. In doing so, you will help translate GBT requirements into connected cross-regional plans that simplify delivery, consolidate demand and maximise investment and agency value.

Requirements

• A dynamic, globally minded procurement professional with 5-7 years' global or multi-market experience across A&P, complemented by additional experience across other Procurement categories (e.g. Supply, Indirects or related areas) would be an advantage.
• Proven expertise in shaping and managing integrated agency ecosystems end-to-end, from strategy, sourcing and negotiation through to performance optimisation and continuous improvement.
• Experience delivering cross-market and multi-regional programmes, connecting GBT and market requirements to drive greater scale, consistency and value.
• Experience leading multi-market Procurement workstreams, with responsibility for coordinating Regional Procurement teams and driving aligned delivery against shared outcomes.
• Strong strategic and commercial acumen, with the ability to translate investment data, benchmarks, cost models and supplier performance into smarter investment decisions, commercial outcomes and value opportunities.
• Strong business partnering and influencing skills, building trusted relationships across GBTs, Regional Procurement, Marketing, Finance, agencies and suppliers to align priorities and deliver shared outcomes.
• Ability to lead through influence across global and regional teams, including cross-regional briefing, scoping and the development of consolidated workplans spanning multiple markets.
• Strong track record in procurement and category strategy, leading complex initiatives, negotiations and supplier programmes that deliver measurable business impact.
• Financially astute and outcome-focused, with experience across marketing planning & implementation planning processes, investment planning and value levers, and the ability to translate strategic priorities into actionable Procurement pipelines.
• Strong leadership presence and communication skills, with the confidence, resilience and pace to challenge constructively, influence senior stakeholders and deliver in complex, fast-moving environments.
• Strong digital and systems capability, including SAP, CLM, Salesforce, Microsoft Office, Copilot and other AI-enabled or workflow technologies.

Main Responsibilities & Accountabilities

Strategic GBT Business Partnering: Build influential relationships across the Global Brand Teams, shaping strategic and investment decisions and partnering with GBT brand leads to drive delivery through to markets. Maintain a deep understanding of GBT priorities and ensure Procurement remains aligned to critical brand requirements.

Global-to-Regional Integration: Act as the bridge between GBTs and Regional Procurement, connecting global priorities with market needs to create greater scale, consistency and value

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