UK Transformation Manager (14-month Maternity Cover)

PepsiCo Inc.; Reading; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Salary and bonus

Car allowance

Flexible working

Critical illness cover

Discounted gym memberships

Enhanced parental leave

Electric car schemes

Job summary

PepsiCo UK is seeking an experienced UK Transformation Manager to drive delivery of our transformation agenda across the UK&I business. You will coordinate strategic programmes, governance forums and productivity initiatives, partnering with senior leaders to ensure benefits are realised.

This maternity cover role combines programme management, governance, change management and productivity leadership, offering exposure to senior stakeholders and critical strategic initiatives.

Qualifications

• Significant experience in Transformation, PMO, Programme Management or Consulting.
• Proven track record of managing complex cross-functional initiatives.
• Experience with senior leadership teams and executive stakeholders.
• Ability to influence without direct authority.
• Formal project/programme management qualification (PRINCE2, PMP, MSP or Agile).

Responsibilities

• Lead PMO and governance activities across multiple transformation initiatives.
• Drive programme planning, milestone management and delivery tracking.
• Manage project risks, dependencies, assumptions and issues.
• Coordinate cross-functional teams to ensure successful execution of transformation objectives.
• Ensure effective escalation and resolution of delivery challenges.
• Support project teams with governance, structure and delivery best practice.
• Lead UK End to End Transformation Steerco and report to senior stakeholders.
• Develop executive-ready insights and recommendations to accelerate delivery.

Skills

Transformation experience

PMO leadership

Programme governance

Stakeholder management

Executive presentation

Analytical mindset

Influence without authority

Education

Project management certification (PRINCE2 / PMP / MSP / Agile)

Job description

Overview

At PepsiCo, we are transforming how we operate across Commercial, Supply Chain, Finance and Digital capabilities to unlock growth, improve productivity and simplify ways of working.

As UK Transformation Manager, you will play a critical role in driving the successful delivery of our transformation agenda across the UK&I business. Acting as a central point of coordination for strategic programmes, governance forums and productivity initiatives, you will work with senior leaders across the organisation to ensure projects are delivered effectively, risks are managed proactively and business benefits are realised.

The role combines programme management, executive governance, change management and productivity leadership, providing significant exposure to senior stakeholders and some of the business's most important strategic initiatives.

This is a maternity cover position starting in January 2027.

Responsibilities

Transformation Programme Management

• Lead PMO and governance activities across multiple transformation initiatives as required (Example projects include shared service implementation).
• Drive programme planning, milestone management and delivery tracking.
• Manage project risks, dependencies, assumptions and issues.
• Coordinate cross-functional teams to ensure successful execution of transformation objectives.
• Ensure effective escalation and resolution of delivery challenges.
• Support project teams with governance, structure and delivery best practice.

Executive Governance & Reporting

• Lead UK End to End Transformation Steerco - bringing together project leads from large scale programmes to uncover interdependencies, overlaps and upcoming risks and issues
• Support escalations to UK Exec team
• Ensure actions, decisions and commitments are tracked through to completion.
• Create leadership visibility of key programme milestones and decision points.

Productivity Programme Leadership

• Lead governance and coordination of the UK Productivity Council and SteerCo.
• Partner with productivity owners across functions to build and deliver savings pipelines.
• Support annual productivity planning and in-year performance delivery.
• Ensure alignment between productivity plans, financial targets and business objectives.
• Develop executive-ready insight and recommendations to accelerate delivery.
• Partner with global/regional centres of excellence to report on UK productivity progress and push out central comms/deadlines
• Support co-ordination of ad-hoc Productivity initiatives, such as external supplier roadshows

Stakeholder Management

• Build strong relationships across Commercial, Finance, Supply Chain, Procurement and Digital teams.
• Influence senior stakeholders and drive alignment across competing priorities.
• Facilitate workshops and cross-functional working sessions.
• Act as a trusted partner to programme sponsors and leadership teams.
• Foster collaboration across local, regional and global teams.

Qualifications

Essential

• Significant experience in Transformation, PMO, Programme Management, Business Change or Consulting roles.
• Proven track record of managing complex, cross-functional initiatives.
• Strong governance, project management and organisational skills.
• Experience working with senior leadership teams and executive stakeholders.
• Experience managing multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving and decision-support capability.
• Ability to influence without direct authority.
• Ability to develop compelling executive-level presentations, translating complex information into clear, concise and impactful business narratives.

Preferred

• FMCG or consumer goods experience.
• Productivity, operational excellence or cost transformation experience.
• Experience supporting technology-enabled transformation programmes.
• Formal project or programme management qualification, such as PRINCE2, PMP, MSP or Agile.
• Experience in portfolio management and PMO leadership.

Why Join Us?

We offer a competitive salary, bonus, car allowance, flexible working, and a wide range of benefits—from critical illness cover and discounted gym memberships to enhanced parental leave and electric car schemes. Our commitment to wellbeing and career growth makes us a Top Employer for 14 years running.