Innovation Design Director

PepsiCo; New York (NY); On-site; USD 125,000 - 250,000; Full time

Job summary

PepsiCo is seeking a Design Innovation Director for its Beverages US division. This strategic role focuses on leading innovation processes, developing holistic design solutions, and collaborating closely with cross-functional teams to enhance brand value. Candidates should have substantial experience in design and innovation within corporate environments.

Benefits

Comprehensive benefits package

Paid parental leave

Vacation and sick leave

Long-term incentive equity based on performance

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

Qualifications

• 10+ years experience working within Innovation for a Design team.
• Proven experience in Design Thinking, Design Driven Innovation and Strategy, Brand Strategy.
• Ability to handle a high volume of work and complexity across brands.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Design Innovation process to drive commercialization of platform innovations.
• Develop effective design strategies in partnership with key business leaders.
• Ideate new products and solutions from concept to reality.

Skills

Design Thinking

Leadership

Project Management

Collaboration

Innovation Strategy

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Industrial/Product Design

MBA or Master's degree

Job description

Overview

Who We AreWe are a creatively driven team that leverages the power of Design Thinking to solve brand and business problems that drive meaningful value and growth. Our team’s mission is to lead the innovation agendas in order to accelerate PepsiCo’s Global brands and businesses and transform beyond its core. We innovate with intent; to solve real problems, for real people, in the real world. We innovate to incite positive change – for people, brands, business and the world around us.

What You’ll DoAs the Design Innovation Director for PepsiCo Beverages US (PBUS) on the Global Design Innovation Group you will play a critical role in setting the innovation process and innovation platform strategies for PBUS. The innovation platform strategies will need to be both visionary, yet pragmatic that builds business value and that leverages the strengths of PepsiCo. The candidate will need to get energized in guiding and aligning a variety of internal stakeholders, building positive relationships and educating on innovation processes. Processes include setting up learning plans, performing Design Research, synthetizing consumer research, running workshops, identifying innovation territories and developing/commercialize innovative solutions that is the basis for new growth platforms across existing brands or creating new brands and experiences.

This role will be embedded within PBUS and partner closely everyday with the both PBUS marketing innovation team, as well as, cross-functional teams to set up the right scalable solution and to help commercialize for the market, ensuring that the innovation is successfully launched and setup for mass rollout. In this role you’ll report into the Global VP of Design Innovation and work in collaboration with brand design leads to effectively develop and deliver innovation platforms with compelling holistic design experiences (i.e. brand, product, packaging, retail, merchandising) that add strategic business value.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Design Innovation process to consistently drive design activities in collaboration with the cross-functional teams, to develop platform strategies and to commercialize platform innovations across different time horizons.
• Development and delivery of effective design strategies & holistic design solutions in partnership with key business leaders that leverages our existing brand portfolio, or is the launchpad for new brands and categories.
• Elevate Design Thinking and 4 Lenses approach (Consumer/Business
• Viability/Feasibility/Sustainability), which underpins all our engagements to deliver actionable innovations that balances consumer needs, business needs, customer needs, technical innovations and the strength of PBUS’s go to market capabilities. Pollinate Design Thinking with the different cross-functional capabilities and internal business partners through demonstrating practical design methodologies, solving complex problems and uncovering transformation opportunities to help brands get the most out of their design investments.
• Generating creative design proposals (visions, scenarios) and developing platformable product concepts (Concepts, prototypes, mock-ups).
• Ideating new products, solutions, brand, experiences o business. And taking them from idea to reality.
• Working closely with the brand team to develop an integrated strategyfor our current brand portfolio or new brand identities, with Product, with packaging, with marketing equipment, go to market and communication.
• Introduce outside perspective on innovation development and promote the new and agile approach to the cross functional team and stakeholders
• Partner and engage key stakeholders, working alongside marketing to gain input and assess options to identify, sell-in and lead projects.
• Work seamlessly with cross-functional teams and manage external agencies when needed.

Compensation and Benefits:

• The expected compensation range for this position is between $125,900 - $249,900.
• Location, confirmed job-related skills, experience, and education will be considered in setting actual starting salary. Your recruiter can share more about the specific salary range during the hiring process.
• Bonus based on performance and eligibility target payout is 25% of annual salary paid out annually.and an additional target payout of 10% of annual salary is paid out over 3 years following the end of the performance period.
• Long term incentive equity may be awarded based on eligibility and performance.
• Paid time off subject to eligibility, including paid parental leave, vacation, sick, and bereavement.
• In addition to salary, PepsiCo offers a comprehensive benefits package to support our employees and their families, subject to elections and eligibility: Medical, Dental, Vision, Disability, Health, and Dependent Care Reimbursement Accounts, Employee Assistance Program (EAP), Insurance (Accident, Group Legal, Life), Defined Contribution Retirement Plan.

Qualifications

We are looking for a Design Leader who can provide strategic leadership and is familiar with working in a multi-disciplinary eco-system in a matrixed work to generate meaningful innovative solutions. The ideal candidate will be familiar with managing design processes, methodologies, tools, techniques, and design proposals (visions, scenarios) in order to plan creative engagements and visualize the desired creative output.

Preferred qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Industrial/Product Design, Architecture, Engineering, Design Strategy
• MBA or Master's degree preferred.
• 10+ years experience working within Innovation for a Design team.
• Innovation experience within a corporate team preferred
• Proven experience in Design Thinking, Design Driven Innovation and Strategy, Brand Strategy, Design Planning & Product Development
• Proven track record of strong leadership, team management skills and a strategic acumen
• Superior project management and design management skills; attention to detail
• Compelling presentation and proposal skills
• Proven experience of creating innovative solutions end-to-end
• Proven ability to multi-task, work in ambiguous and dynamic work environment; is comfortable with taking risks
• Must be willing and able to travel 20% of the time
• Know how to translate business needs into actionable processes and solutions
• Draw on diverse perspectives to solve design problems and drive effective solutions
• Articulate design vision through prototyping, scenario modeling, strategic roadmaps, etc.
• Strong collaborator and communicator
• Effectively influence across all levels in the organization; across regions and functions; can get things done through formal and informal channels
• Ability to handle a high volume of work and complexity across brands and business territories to deliver in market according to established KPIs
• Consumer centricity – demonstrating empathy to both our internal and external partners