Category Manager Logistics ( East Africa)

Job Description :

About us

East African Breweries PLC (EABL) is East Africa’s leading branded alcohol beverage business with an outstanding collection of brands that range from beer, spirits and adult non-alcoholic drinks (ANADs), reaffirming our standing as a total adult beverage (TAB) company.

EABL has extensive operations in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania with breweries, distilleries, support industries and a distribution network across the region. It also runs a growing export operations business within and outside of the wider Eastern Africa region. The group’s diversity is an important factor in delivering the highest quality brands to East African consumers and long-term value to East African investors.

EABL operates within a multi-cultural, multinational, multi-currency environment, dealing with various regulatory, tax and compliance requirements

EABL is a Public Listed Company (Plc) listed on the Securities/Stock Exchange in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.

About the role

Lead procurement for EABL in one or more categories of spend, through effective business partnering and collaboration across Procurement CoEs.  This includes (but is not limited to):

• Applying strategic procurement excellence, by leading execution of and defining Market-specific category strategies built on EABL’s best methods, standards and tools to deliver procurement value for EABL.
• In collaboration with Global Category Managers, coordinating end-to-end execution of category strategies across Markets and above-market where possible, ensuring that Market category professionals are aligned and working in line with strategy.
• Serving as Market subject-matter expert for specific spend categories, ensuring collection and leverage of supply market expertise and close engagement with stakeholders for value-adding procurement.

The Market Category Manager is accountable for mobilising cross-Market procurement professionals in one or more spend categories into the global communities coordinated by relevant GCMs, ensuring their regular contact, strategic alignment, capability development and shared best practices.  The MCM is an escalation point for community members across the Market.

Key accountabilities

General

• Leadership.  Build, manage and grow the business impact of category professionals focused on common spend categories across the Market.  Inspire and develop the team through P4G and iDevelop and coach individuals as they develop and grow.  Collaborate closely with and drive cross-Market collaboration with global category managers and global communities.
• End to end category excellence.  Take Market-wide ownership for maximising procurement value for EABL from one or more spend categories, including application of best in class market knowledge, stakeholder engagement, global community support in Market, tools & techniques.

Category strategy

• Business partnering.  Develop and grow relationships with stakeholders, partners and suppliers for deeper insights into needs and capabilities; establish a position to advise on how to gain greater value from close engagement with Procurement.  Bring global capability to the Market.

• Strategy execution.  Take accountability for end to end execution of all relevant category strategies developed for execution in the Market (including those led by GCMs).  Track and monitor progress and keep aligned with global strategy owner.  Ensure close collaboration of teams aligned behind strategies and resolve Market-wide escalations. 
• Strategy development.  Support Market and Global Category Managers development and evolution of category strategies that match strategic business requirements and well researched and analysed market dynamics to create incremental procurement value for EABL.  Serve as the key point of contact for input of Market-specific expertise.
• Best in class capabilities.  Generate insights and opportunities from internal and external benchmarking, develop cost models to consider scenarios with suppliers and stakeholders and build & evolve analytics capabilities that allow regular review and improvement of strategies.

Sourcing

• Global sourcing.  Lead all sourcing activities for CM2 (Above-market leverage) and CM1 (truly market-specific) spend categories.  Engage Market category team as required, apply EABL Procurement best practice standards and engage other category professionals/ DBS as required.
• Global contracting.  For relevant sourcing projects, deliver best possible outcomes for EABL through effective planning, preparation and application of the Negotiation Toolkit.  Negotiate and close contracts aligned to relevant category strategies.
• Support to Global CoEs.  Support Global CoEs with market sourcing activities through provision of best practices, Market data and information, feedback from execution and lessons learned.
• Contract management.  Ensure Market-specific requirements are incorporated into all contracts global and market-specific.  Review and co-develop contracts with GCMs as required for CM4 and CM3 and lead completion of all contracts for CM2 and CM1 spend categories, partnering with the tactical team as appropriate for all spot-buying.
• Risk management
• Mitigate strategic risks.  As part of category strategy development and execution, identify and design mitigations for potential risks, in line with EABL risk and governance standards.
• Mitigate sourcing risks.  Identify corporate, supply, supplier and other risks associated with sourcing activities and put mitigations in place, engaging all relevant stakeholders, partners and suppliers to ensure the mitigations are successful.
• Apply and improve tools & techniques.  Apply EABL Procurement best practice standards, ensuring the most recent and relevant approaches are always applied; use formal governance and peer review to ensure the quality and efficacy of risk management; contribute to development of standards.

Supplier management

• Supplier relationship.  Establish standards, ways of working and trust relatioships with suppliers in relevant categories across Markets; ensure EABL best practices are applied and that there is a good foundation for strong performance, risk mitigation and rapid resolution of issues.
• Supplier performance.  In collaboration with GCMs and contract leads, set KPIs, driving consistency across suppliers and markets, improving the value of data generated and applied and resolving chronic supplier performance issues.  Direct which supplier issues should be addressed by the Procurement team and which by other parts of EABL, for best results.
• Supplier development.  In line with Procurement strategic supplier strategies, collaborate with suppliers to unlock breakthrough opportunities for the business; stimulate supplier capabilities to generate ideas for the future.

EXCELLENCE IN SUPPLY CHAIN ‘SOURCE’

• Clear track record with end to end process, preferably ‘Source’ (generically, Source-to-Pay); understands how Category Management works with other activities in ‘Source’ for value.
• Experience working within KPI-led performance management structures and rigorous tiered reporting and performance review structures.
• Demonstrates role model behaviour and coaches others in same team, across organisational boundaries (including differing P&Ls) to drive consistency and over-deliver on requirements.
• Has a proven track record in adherence to Core Process and Standards.
• Proactively leverages the learning curriculums and materials on Learning Hub and other sources to continuously grow and develop in role.

Entry Level Requirements (CAPABILITIES, SKILLS & EXPERIENCE)

• Graduate or equivalent qualification and member of professional body, e.g., CIPS
• Minimum 5 years’ experience in Procurement, Finance, FMCG Commerical or other relevant role, with subject-matter expertise in supply markets and spend categories relevant to the role
• Demonstrated performance in leading projects and teams, managing and negotiating with suppliers and experience developing and executing category and procurement strategies
• Strong analytical and financial awareness including a comprehensive understanding of AOP requirements and financial goals & value drivers relevant to the categories in scope
• Senior or middle manager or senior specialist role experience with track record influencing and managing senior stakeholders and budget holders and driving cross-border teams
• Exceptional communication skills:  verbal, written and presentation; strong interpersonal skills
• Proven track record of consistent performance and delivery

Category- and/ or Market-specific requirements

• Excellence in Execution: Manage tot. budget (P&L and BS):  120 ml£ MRO & Man Services, 100 m£ CapEX.  Lead stakeholder engagement for Manufacturing Services Requirements.
• Strong Relationships with external partners
• Develop robust 3yr + pipelines of projects introducing technology/Innovation and
• Lead an engaged team and be a strong team player in the EABLica Procurement Leadership Team leading some EABLica projects/Initiatives.

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, 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 the next level and build new ones as part of shaping the next generation of celebrations for consumers around the world.

Feel inspired? Then this may be the opportunity for you. 

If you require a reasonable adjustment, please ensure that you capture this information when you submit your application.