Global Category Lead, Marketing/Activation

Who We Are

Suntory is a global leader in consumer-packaged goods, renowned for producing and distributing a uniquely diverse portfolio of beverages, premium spirits, beer, wine, and wellness products throughout the world. With a history dating back to 1899, we are driven by a profound purpose: To inspire the brilliance of life, by creating rich experiences for people, in harmony with nature. At Suntory Beverage and Food, we boldly move forward together to realize the dreams of becoming a world-leading next-generation global beverage company, always together with Seikatsusha – you are an important part of this and here’s how your role helps us win.

About your role

As Global Category Lead(Marketing/Activation) , you will play a key role in shaping how Suntory Beverage & Food creates value from activation at a global level with a special focus at the beginning on APAC region. 

This position was created to unlock global synergies across a complex, multicultural organisation. Your mission is to define and implement a global category strategy that harmonises ways of working, accelerates value creation and supports better, faster business decisions worldwide. 

Operating in a matrix, international environment, with a small team reporting to you, you will lead through influence rather than hierarchy, balancing global strategy with regional realities. Media is a fast-moving category — agility, external market awareness and strong supplier expertise are essential to succeed. 

What You'll Do

• Define and lead the global category strategy for Activation-Commodities, aligning business priorities across Europe, Asia and Oceania. 

• Drive harmonisation and transformation, to maximise value, resilience and innovation. 

• Act as a strategic business partner to key stakeholders, influencing decision-making through insight, data and strong storytelling. 

• Manage key global suppliers, setting robust governance, driving performance management and building long-term partnerships. 

• Champion change management in a multicultural, matrix organisation — navigating ambiguity with pragmatism and confidence. 

• Contribute to cost optimisation, value creation, risk management and ESG priorities within the category, staying ahead of rapid market shifts, innovation and emerging trends 

• Travel internationally and work closely with colleagues across Europe and Asia to build alignment and momentum. 

What's in it for you

• A high-impact global role with real influence on how the business invests, measures and grows through activation. 

• The opportunity to shape a category at different maturity levels, creating visible value where it matters most. 

• Exposure to senior leaders across regions and functions in a truly international environment. 

• The chance to work in a company that values long-term thinking, collaboration and responsible growth. 

• Room to lead, challenge the status quo and leave a lasting footprint on global procurement strategy. 

What You need to be successful

• Minimum 10+ years of experience in procurement roles within FMCG industry
• Strong experience working in a matrix organization, with the ability to navigate complexity and lead through influence. 
• Proven experience in Activation category (POS, promo items, coolers) —challenge demand, rationalize/standardize, should-cost/TCO, speed-to-market, tight stakeholder alignment and supplier performance management.
• Solid strategic thinking and problem-solving skills, with the confidence to make and defend decisions. 
• Excellent stakeholder management, influencing and communication skills, including change management. 
• Experience working across cultures and regions, ideally with exposure to both Europe and Asia. 
• Leadership capability — whether through direct teams or virtual, cross-functional groups. 
• Comfort with ambiguity, agility in execution, and a pragmatic, solutions-oriented mindset. 
• Experience in Activation/Commodities in APAC is a strong advantage. 
• Fluency in English; additional languages are a plus. 
• Willingness to travel internationally as part of the role. 

Our DEI Commitment

At Suntory, we recognize that diverse knowledge, perspectives, and backgrounds contribute to our collective success. We are committed to fostering a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace where all individuals can bring their whole selves to work every day, regardless of race, color, religion, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, or any other protected characteristic.

Our recruitment and selection processes are designed to highlight what Suntory offers as an employer while allowing candidates to share their unique skills and experiences. We understand that career trajectories vary, and if you believe your experience/background can benefit our team, we encourage you to apply. We endeavor to make our interview process as inclusive as possible and offer reasonable accommodations as needed. Together, we can cultivate a workplace where everyone can thrive and propel our mission of Growing for Good.