Global Category Specialist - Raw Materials Sustainability

Diageo

12d

About The Position

The Global Category Specialist - Raw Materials Sustainability role is instrumental in driving our transition to sustainable, low-carbon raw material supply, supporting delivery of the Spirit of Progress ambition. You will work closely with priority raw material suppliers and internal teams to develop and deliver decarbonisation programmes efficiently and at pace. This role offers a unique opportunity to combine ESG expertise with category strategy and operational delivery, driving measurable impact on sustainability across our global raw materials supply.

Requirements

Significant project management experience, ideally within a supply environment, delivering complex, cross-functional projects at pace.
A proactive, highly motivated individual with strong critical-thinking skills and a growth mindset.
Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the ability to turn data into clear insights and compelling proposals.
Strong analytical, verbal, written, presentation, and interpersonal skills.
Demonstrated success leading and collaborating with global, cross-functional teams, executing programmes aligned to category and procurement strategies.
Experienced stakeholder manager and influencer, capable of motivating and engaging diverse stakeholders to deliver results.
Ability to prioritise multiple projects simultaneously and work effectively within challenging timelines and matrix organisations.
Proven capability in integrating sustainability into business practices, with a passion for value creation through value-chain collaboration.
Creative thinker with the ability to ideate, navigate ambiguity, and apply unconstrained problem-solving approaches.

Nice To Haves

Experience in Supplier Collaboration / Supplier Relationship Management programmes (desirable).
Knowledge of manufacturing processes, manufacturing excellence, and material supply chains (desirable).
Six Sigma / Lean project skills (desirable).
Member of professional bodies, e.g., CIPS or IEMA (desirable).

Responsibilities

Serve as the Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Subject Matter Expert (SME) for Raw Materials, collaborating with Category Managers, Supplier Excellence, and G2G to define ESG strategy and priorities for annual category plans.
Lead ESG relationships with priority raw-material suppliers, ensuring a coordinated and strategic approach to partnership and engagement.
Develop and implement decarbonisation programmes with suppliers to advance ESG and Spirit of Progress 2030 Grain to Glass goals.
Build supplier technical capability to enable robust Scope 3 roadmaps and programmes that reduce Scope 1 and 2 emissions.
Support Carbon, Regenerative Agriculture, Water, and Social Responsibility initiatives in partnership with G2G, leading projects in these areas.
Provide ESG guidance for sourcing activities, contract clauses, and negotiations to support Raw Material Category Managers.
Assist the Supplier Excellence team in deploying external supplier engagement programmes, helping local procurement teams understand sustainability relevance.
Lead the rollout of priority supplier-level projects to deliver Scope 3 and ESG reductions, including PCFs and JBP initiatives.
Partner with G2G, Technical, Sustainable Finance, and other teams to manage Scope 3 roadmaps, contribute to Compass and MAPP reporting, and identify digital solutions for target delivery.
Build collaborative relationships with internal and external stakeholders to influence change and accelerate delivery of sustainability goals.
Support internal and external reporting requirements, including data validation, market collaboration, and project outcome tracking.
Provide agile support to Raw Material Category Managers across strategy, sourcing, and contracting activities.