LOCAL CATEGORY SPECIALIST

Local Category Specialist

Department: Procurement

Location: Head Office

Asahi Europe & International is part of Asahi Group Holdings, a global beer, spirits, soft drinks and food group with leading positions in European and Asia-Pacific markets, listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, Japan.

Asahi Europe & International runs 19 production facilities in 9 countries across Europe and North America and is the custodian of some of the best beer brands in the world, including Asahi Super Dry, Pilsner Urquell, Peroni Nastro Azzurro, Grolsch and Kozel.

Within the Asahi Group, the remit of Asahi Europe and International is also to develop and manage all export markets globally, outside of East Asia, Japan and Oceania. Covering over 80+ markets and with over 10,000 passionate colleagues on board, the business is well positioned to inspire people around the world to drink better through our shared purpose of Creating Meaningful Connections.

Ursus Breweries is the largest beer producer in Romania and the leader of the Romanian beer market. The brands in the Ursus Breweries portfolio include URSUS, Timișoreana, Ciucaș, Peroni Nastro Azzurro, Kozel, Azuga, Pilsner Urquell, and Asahi Super Dry and is part of Asahi Europe & International.

Currently, Ursus Breweries operates three breweries located in Brașov, Buzău, and Timișoara, as well as a small-scale production facility in Cluj-Napoca.

For more information about the company and its programs, please visit www.ursus-breweries.ro and www.desprealcool.ro.

Role Overview:

As a Local Category Specialist, you will play a key role in supporting the execution of procurement category strategies and sourcing initiatives that deliver sustainable value to the business. Working closely with internal stakeholders and suppliers, you will drive operational excellence, optimize purchasing processes, manage procurement risks, and ensure compliance while contributing to Asahi's sustainability and value creation agenda.

 Responsibilities:

• Support the implementation of local category strategies and sourcing activities aligned with business objectives and procurement priorities.
• Analyze internal and external market data to identify opportunities, assess supplier performance, and understand market trends impacting the business.
• Manage relationships with selected suppliers, including performance monitoring, quality controls, and contract compliance.
• Lead or support sourcing projects by gathering business requirements, evaluating suppliers, and conducting commercial negotiations.
• Act as a procurement subject matter expert by validating purchase requests, improving buying channels, and driving process automation and efficiency.
• Ensure compliance with procurement policies, governance standards, and risk management practices while supporting business continuity.
• Contribute to continuous improvement initiatives, sustainability objectives, and overall procurement performance against agreed KPIs.

 Requirements (must have):

• University degree, preferably in Business, Economics, Supply Chain, or a related field.
• Minimum 3 years of professional experience, including at least 1 year in Procurement, Strategic Sourcing, or Category Management.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret market and supplier data.
• Experience working with procurement platforms and ERP systems.
• Advanced MS Office skills, especially Excel and PowerPoint.
• Fluent English communication skills, both written and spoken.
• Strong stakeholder management, negotiation, and relationship-building capabilities.

Requirements (nice to have):

• Experience within FMCG, manufacturing, or multinational environments.
• Exposure to contract management and supplier performance management.
• Knowledge of sustainability and responsible sourcing practices.
• Experience supporting CAPEX and OPEX procurement categories.
• Familiarity with procurement process improvement and automation initiatives.
• Professional certifications in Procurement or Supply Chain (e.g., CIPS, ISM) would be an advantage.

We are committed to nurturing a workplace where we celebrate and respect difference, and support everyone to be true to who they are! At Ursus Breweries, part of 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.