Global Category Manager Media & CMI

As Global Category Manager – Media & CMI, you will play a key role in shaping and delivering HEINEKEN’s global procurement agenda for Media, with additional responsibility for Consumer & Market Insights (CMI).

You will work closely with OpCos, Global Commerce, agencies and suppliers to maximise the value of HEINEKEN’s global Media spend and build a leaner, more effective and future-fit media ecosystem. This includes driving competitive media buying, agency remuneration, transparency, supplier performance and innovative commercial models that enable greater impact and efficiency at scale.

Alongside Media, you will support the CMI agenda across areas such as market research, audience analytics, brand tracking, content effectiveness, commercial data partnerships and performance measurement — helping HEINEKEN make more data-driven commercial and marketing decisions.

Reporting to the Global Category Leader Commerce, you will contribute to and execute global procurement strategies aligned with HEINEKEN’s EverGreen 2030 growth strategy, working across markets and functions to deliver measurable business value.

This role combines category expertise, strategic sourcing, commercial acumen, supplier management and analytical thinking. You will help drive value creation, supplier performance, governance, innovation and business impact through close collaboration with Global Commerce and our OpCos.

Roles & Responsibilities:

Strategic Category Management

• Category Strategy: Contribute to and execute the global category strategy for Media and CMI, aligned with HEINEKEN’s EverGreen 2030 ambition, Global Commerce priorities and OpCo needs.
• Strategic Sourcing: Lead and support global and regional sourcing initiatives across media agencies, media platforms, research providers, data partners, analytics suppliers, ad tech, measurement, verification and production-related services.
• Commercial Value Creation: Deliver measurable value through competitive media pricing, agency remuneration efficiencies, auditor management, supplier consolidation, rate-card optimisation, working capital improvements, transparency, benchmarking and reinvestment opportunities.
• Business Impact: Partner with Global Commerce and OpCos to ensure procurement initiatives contribute to brand-building effectiveness, media ROI, consumer understanding, speed to market and campaign performance — not only cost reduction.
• Responsible Sourcing: Support responsible sourcing, brand safety, media sustainability, transparency and ethical data usage within category strategies and supplier relationships.

Supplier Relationship Management

• Strategic Partnerships: Build and manage strong relationships with global and regional suppliers, including media agency networks, Media & Financial Auditors, research companies, data providers, analytics partners, ad tech platforms and specialist consultancies.
• Agency Ecosystem Governance: Support agency governance and transitions, ensuring suppliers operate within HEINEKEN’s global ways of working, commercial frameworks, tools, service levels and performance expectations.
• Supplier Performance: Run and support performance management routines, including scorecards, QBRs, SLA reviews, value tracking, quality measures, issue escalation and continuous improvement plans.
• Contract Management: Negotiate and manage global and regional contracts, including master service agreements, remuneration models, rate cards, data use rights, audit rights, service levels, IP terms, transition obligations and exit provisions.

Operational Excellence & Governance

• Procurement Governance: Ensure compliance with global procurement policies, commercial governance, privacy requirements, IP principles, advertising transparency requirements and responsible marketing standards.
• Performance Management: Monitor and report on savings, cost avoidance, supplier performance, media value, agency compliance, transition progress, data quality and operational efficiency using dashboards and structured performance routines.
• Digitalisation: Identify and implement opportunities to automate and simplify procurement processes, spend visibility, supplier performance tracking, reporting and compliance controls.

Risk Management & Market Expertise

• Risk Management: Identify and mitigate risks across the Media and CMI ecosystem, including data privacy, intellectual property, media transparency, brand safety, ad fraud, measurement reliability, supplier dependency, technology lock-in and transition disruption.
• Market Expertise: Stay ahead of developments in media buying, programmatic, retail media, social and creator ecosystems, AI-enabled marketing, consumer insights, measurement, MMM, attention metrics, data ethics and supplier market dynamics.
• Innovation: Bring external market thinking into HEINEKEN by identifying new supplier models, technologies, commercial constructs and ways of working that improve effectiveness, efficiency and speed.
• OpCo Partnership: Act as a trusted advisor to OpCos, helping them understand and implement global frameworks while preserving local market relevance, commercial agility and business ownership.

Experience & Profile (What & How):

What:

• Education: Master’s degree in Procurement, Marketing, Business Administration, Economics, Data Analytics or a related field. CIPS, MCIPS or other procurement qualifications are an advantage.
• Work Experience: 7–10+ years of relevant experience in Marketing Procurement, Media Procurement, a Media Agency, Consumer Insights, Agency Management or Commercial Transformation, ideally within a global FMCG, consumer goods, beverage, retail or agency environment.
• Media Expertise: Strong understanding of media strategy, planning and buying across traditional, digital, programmatic, social, search, retail media, creator partnerships, measurement, verification and performance optimisation. Experience working within a Media Agency or closely with media agencies is strongly preferred.
• CMI Expertise: Good understanding of consumer and market insights, market research, brand tracking, audience analytics, segmentation, data providers, measurement methodologies and the role of insights in commercial decision-making.
• Agency & Supplier Management: Experience managing agency and supplier relationships, agency remuneration models, rate cards, performance frameworks and multi-market activities.
• Procurement Strategy: Proven ability to contribute to category strategies, lead competitive sourcing processes, negotiate agreements and support supplier governance across multiple markets and stakeholders.
• Digital & AI Affinity: Strong interest in AI-enabled marketing, data-driven decision-making, marketing technology, workflow tools, DAM, media platforms and automation. Experience with AI or digital transformation programmes is an advantage.
• Commercial Acumen: Strong negotiation, contract management and supplier relationship management skills, with the ability to connect procurement value to growth, ROI, productivity and cash.
• Analytical Acumen: Excellent analytical abilities, with the capacity to interpret spend, media, supplier and performance data and translate it into actionable business insights.
• Languages: Fluent in English, written and spoken. Additional languages are an advantage given the global OpCo scope.

How:

• Shape: Thinks ahead, connects external market developments with HEINEKEN priorities, and contributes to category strategies that deliver growth, productivity, governance and long-term value.
• Connect: Builds trusted relationships with OpCos, Global Commerce, Finance, Legal, D&T, agencies and suppliers, influencing effectively across cultures and organisational levels.
• Deliver: Converts plans into measurable outcomes, including savings, value creation, supplier performance, compliance, adoption and business impact in a global environment.
• Develop: Continuously builds expertise in Media, CMI, Procurement, AI, data, marketing technology and evolving supplier models.
• Analytical Mindset: Uses spend data, market intelligence, supplier data, campaign metrics and insight sources to develop clear recommendations and support fact-based decision-making.
• Negotiation: Demonstrates strong commercial judgement and the ability to secure competitive, transparent and future-fit commercial models.
• Risk & Governance: Proactively identifies risks, protects HEINEKEN’s commercial and data interests, and supports compliance with policies, governance frameworks and regulatory expectations.
• Collaboration: Brings energy, ownership and resilience to a global role, working closely with the Global Category Leader Commerce and wider Indirect Procurement Team.

What's in it for you? Let's uncork! 🍻

• Competitive salary: A gross monthly salary ranging from €8,173 to €11,500, based on your experience and expertise, excluding 8% holiday allowance.
• Performance-driven bonus: A bonus linked to your results, celebrating your achievements and rewarding your contribution to our success.
• Plenty of vacation time: Enjoy 20 vacation days per year, plus a flexible budget to add 10 extra days — that’s 6 weeks in total.
• Stress-free commuting: Enjoy easy travel with an NS Business Card for public transport or reimbursement of €0.23 per km (up to 30 km per one-way trip).
• Grow with us: We offer opportunities to learn, grow and explore new career paths, both locally and globally.
• Global impact: Work on strategic Media and CMI categories and partnerships that support HEINEKEN’s commercial and marketing agenda across our global organisation.

Are you excited about shaping HEINEKEN’s global Media & CMI agenda and creating value through strategic sourcing, supplier partnerships, commercial innovation and data-driven decision-making?

If you bring strong Media expertise and are excited by the opportunity to work at global scale, we would love to hear from you.