SBFE Head of Procurement - Indirect

Who We Are

Suntory is a fast moving, agile and entrepreneurial business that is home to some of the nations most loved brands. The Suntory Group is one of the largest soft drinks companies and among the world’s leading consumer products companies. We offer a uniquely diverse portfolio of beverages enjoyed by millions across the globe

About your role

The Head of Indirects leads SBFE’s Indirect Procurement agenda across Business / IT and Marketing categories, with end‑to‑end accountability for strategy, sourcing, contracting, and performance delivery. Operating in a matrix organisation, this role ensures seamless execution between SBFE regional category teams and Global Category Heads (GHQ), while acting as a trusted business partner to market leadership. The role is accountable for optimising cost, quality, service, and risk, and for elevating Procurement’s impact on NSV, OI, and business performance.

As a member of the SBFE Procurement Leadership Team (PLT), the role actively shapes the evolution of the procurement function and represents Procurement as SPOC (Single Point of Contact) for an assigned SBFE market.

What You'll Do

Category & Sourcing Leadership

Own E2E (Coupa PR/PO System) procurement delivery for SBFE Indirect categories (BS/IT and Marketing)

Translate business and market demand into clear category strategies aligned with SBFE and GHQ priorities

Lead high‑value and complex sourcing, negotiations, and contracting activities

Risk & Continuity

Ensure robust BCP and risk mitigation plans are in place and communicated

Proactively manage issues impacting service, cost, or reputation

Team Leadership & Capability Building

Lead, coach, and develop category teams across BS/IT and Marketing

Build a strong performance culture in a fragmented, decentralized scope

Market & Stakeholder Leadership

Act as Procurement SPOC for an assigned SBFE market and local ExCom

Partner with stakeholders to ensure Procurement is embedded in key initiatives

Balance global strategy alignment with local business needs

Performance, Financials & Governance

Deliver productivity, savings, and value contribution in line with budget commitments

Track and report performance via agreed KPI dashboards

Ensure compliance with purchasing policy, P2P processes, and internal controls

Drive the Gemba mindset and Business Partnering focus for procurement

Success Measures

Improved visibility and credibility of Procurement, Stakeholder satisfaction

Development of high‑performing, engaged procurement teams

Transformation & Continuous Improvement

Drive adoption of digital procurement tools, Coupa buying channels and e‑sourcing

Lead E2E tail‑spend simplification

Champion procurement transformation initiatives (digital, ESG, compliance, process excellence)

Promote a strong Gemba and business partnering mindset

What's in it for you

Joining Suntory isn’t just about taking on a role, it’s about embarking on a career journey. You have the opportunity to work with talented, inspiring and authentic leaders and have the freedom to dream big and go for it (Yatte Minahare). At Suntory you’ll find a supportive work environment that values work life balance and that will help you realise your full potential and grow for good. Our People and Culture team are a team that genuinely care about creating a great experience for our employees and we would love you to be part of it.

What You need to be successful

Ability to lead cross-functional teams; sell and convince key stakeholders.

Strong written and verbal communication skills. Robust influencing & Comms skills, ability to understand and communicate the Market need (Gemba focus)

Analytical mindset with a proactive approach to challenges, breakdown silo thinking and drive with teams’ owner’s mindset  

Comfortable working in dynamic ambiguous, fast-paced matrix environments. Out of the box thinking. Self-starter; autonomous operator

Aligns project goals with broader business objectives.

Understanding of relevant technologies and systems; business mindset approach. Experience in the bottling drinks industry is preferred.

Extensive procurement experience; professional demonstrating strong working knowledge from Category management to operational procurement activities, and a knowledge of the importance of policy, process and systems on P2P. Proven track record in leading teams towards performance culture in matrix org, and delivering results

Anticipate obstacles and barriers; plan mitigating solutions so as not to impact business performance

Drive efficiencies in WOW, push the team processes towards best in practice

Mastering Ambiguity In a procurement Matrix with GHQ and Regional Matrix between functions and markets. Need to navigate this ambiguity and bring clarity

Lead, coach & mentor team members in their development

Prioritisation – this scope BS/IT & Marketing Category is one of the most fragmented; requires clear ability to prioritise and structure the team, processes, ways of working to master this complexity and simplify

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.