Local Category Specialist

Procurement Buyer (Indirect Procurement)

Location: Woking, Surrey (Hybrid )

Build your Procurement career with one of the world's leading premium beer companies.

At Asahi UK, Procurement isn't a back-office function. We work directly with Marketing, Supply Chain, Sales and Engineering to influence millions of pounds of annual spend while supporting brands including Peroni Nastro Azzurro, Asahi Super Dry, Meantime and Cornish Orchards.

We're looking for two Procurement Buyers to join our growing UK Procurement team.

Whether you're already a Buyer looking for broader responsibility, or an ambitious Procurement professional ready for your next step, this role offers exposure to a huge variety of sourcing projects and genuine opportunities to develop into a Category Manager.

What you'll be doing

Every week is different.

You'll lead sourcing projects across a broad range of indirect spend including:

• Marketing


• Logistics


• Packaging


• Professional Services


• Facilities


• Engineering


• Fleet


• Corporate Services


• Technology

You'll:

• Lead end-to-end sourcing projects from initial requirement through to contract award.


• Build RFIs, RFQs and RFPs.


• Analyse supplier proposals and develop commercial recommendations.


• Negotiate pricing, contractual terms and service improvements.


• Build strong relationships with stakeholders across the UK business.


• Manage supplier performance and identify cost-saving opportunities.


• Support larger strategic procurement programmes with Category Managers.


• Use market intelligence and spend analysis to improve sourcing decisions.

Why this role is different

Many Buyer roles focus on one category.

This doesn't.

You'll gain experience across almost every indirect spend category, giving you an exceptional platform to progress your Procurement career.

Within your first few years you'll gain experience in:

• Strategic sourcing


• Supplier negotiations


• Contract management


• Stakeholder management


• Category strategy


• Procurement analytics


• Executive presentations

This breadth creates genuine opportunities to progress into Category Management, either within the UK business or internationally.

About you

We're much more interested in potential than perfection.

You'll probably have:

• Procurement, sourcing and/or commercial experience


• Experience running sourcing exercises or supporting procurement projects


• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills


• A commercial mindset with good analytical ability


• Confidence working with contracts and suppliers


• Curiosity and a desire to learn

Experience within FMCG is helpful but absolutely not essential.

Why Asahi?

Joining Asahi means becoming part of a collaborative Procurement team where you'll be trusted with meaningful responsibility from day one.

You'll receive:

• Salary of £50,000–£55,000


• Annual performance bonus


• Employer pension contribution


• Hybrid working (typically two to three days per week)


• Healthcare and wellbeing benefits


• Electric vehicle salary sacrifice scheme


• Excellent holiday allowance


• Beer allowance


• Training and career development


• Opportunities to work with colleagues across Europe

Most importantly, you'll join a team that genuinely enjoys developing people. Our Buyers regularly take on increasing responsibility and have opportunities to progress into Category Manager positions.

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.