Walkers Brand Manager (FTC)

PepsiCo; Reading; On-site; GBP 48,000 - 60,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Critical illness cover

Discounted gym memberships

Enhanced parental leave

Electric car schemes

Job summary

PepsiCo UK Walkers is seeking a Brand Manager for a 9-month fixed-term contract in Reading. The role blends creativity with sharp commercial thinking to define strategies and major initiatives for 2026, enhancing a beloved British crisp brand.

You will lead packaging design, shopper proposition, and product innovation while guiding cross-functional teams to deliver strong retail impact. Budget oversight and campaign evaluation are key parts of the remit.

Qualifications

• Experienced brand manager who understands people and unlocks ideas.
• Excellent cross-functional collaboration to execute projects.
• Creative curiosity – always seeking the most impactful ideas and campaigns.
• Confident with data and financials to translate into brand recommendations.

Responsibilities

• Champion human-centricity across all activities with curiosity for understanding real people and needs.
• Lead Walker’s Shopper proposition and land brand impact at the point of purchase.
• Lead project teams to develop new product innovation with cross-functional partners.
• Brief and lead packaging design development including on-pack promotions.
• Champion brand and project performance analysis and collaborate with stakeholders to unlock opportunities and address challenges.
• Lead campaign evaluation and learning implications.
• Manage total project A&M budget and report on over/under-spends.

Skills

Brand management

Cross-functional collaboration

Data-driven

Creative thinking

Job description

Overview

At PepsiCo UK,we’reproud to make some of the nation’sfavouritesnacks and drinks—like Walkers, Quaker, Doritos, Pipers, and Monster Munch. With sites across the UK, including our Quaker mill in Cupar and Doritos factory in Coventry,we’realso home to one of the world’s largest crisp factories in Leicester.

Join us to work on Britain’s most loved crisp brand and create millions of smiles for everyone! Every time someone opens a bag of Walkers, they’re opening a bag of brilliant British culture. You see, since 1948 we’ve been transforming humble potatoes into the most delicious crisps – and a national icon. The crunch, the flavour, the shape, the sound, the mmmmm…and the much-talked about adverts make Walkers the nation’s favourite and most irresistible crisps brand.

This Walkers Brand Manager role is as much about creativity as it is about sharp commercial thinking, with a blend of communications development, product innovation and commercial ownership. This is a hugely exciting moment to land the strategies and major ‘do-differents’ in 2026 for the Core Walkers brand.Please note that this is a 9-month fixed-term contract, with the possibility of an extension.

Responsibilities

• Champion human-centricity across everything we do, with ongoing curiosity for understanding real people and how we can meet their needs better.
• Lead & develop Walker’s Shopper proposition, landing our brand with impact at the point of purchase.
• Lead project teams to develop new product innovation. Working closely with cross-functional partners to land impactfully in market.

• Brief and lead packaging design development including on-pack promotions.

• Champion brand/project performance analysis and work with key stakeholders to unlock commercial opportunities and address challenges.

• Lead campaign evaluation and learning implications.
• Manage total project A&M budget and regularly report and under/ over-spends.

Qualifications

• We are looking for an experienced brand manager who is passionate about understanding people and unlocking ideas.
• Someone with excellent cross-functional collaboration to execute projects.

• You have creative curiosity – always looking for the most impactful way to execute ideas & campaigns.
• You are confident with data and financials and can translate those into actionable brand recommendations.
• Great judgment, flexibility and resilience are key qualities for this role.

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 toenhancedparental leave and electric car schemes. Our commitment to wellbeing and career growthmakesus a Top Employer for 14years.