Brand Design Manager

PepsiCo • Chicago, IL

13d

About The Position

PepsiCo Design & Innovation is a creatively driven team that leverages the power of Design Thinking to solve brand and business problems that drive meaningful value and growth. Our mission is to elevate the role of design and design thinking as a function, process, mindset, and as culture in PepsiCo and the broader business world.
We are a consumer-centric organization with a start-up mentality within our larger organization; we partner with world-class partners in Marketing, Insights, and R&D to strategically drive business results with purpose.

Our Opportunity:
As a Brand Design Manager, Gatorade, partnering on the design and execution of projects that support the PepsiCo's Gatorade business in North America. Successful candidates will demonstrate superior ability to generate inspirational design solutions, driving from ideation to execution with quality and strategic excellence.
In this role, you will be given the opportunity to build upon existing capabilities as well as broaden your functional expertise as you drive our brands through all consumer touchpoints. Examples of projects may include development of brand identity, packaging and portfolio systems, 360 brand campaigns, social media strategy, promotions, and immersive brand activations, with solutions that span the gamut from print, packaging, social/digital, licensing, environmental and new media.
Strategy, Design, and Innovation:
Creates holistic elevated experiences that create brand love and loyalty. Identifies and promotes self-initiated design programs that generate critical business value for one or more divisions. Conceive and implement concepts, guidelines and strategies in various creative projects and oversee them to completion. Particularly around brand strategy, retail marketing, social media, and brand experiences. Energizes and leads both the internal team and external design resources from idea phase to commercialization, creating breakthrough design concepts that support our Customer agenda.
Collaborate with our Marketing, operations, and sales teams to obtain knowledge of the Customer/Brand Partner requirements. The Brand Design
Manager should have a strong understanding of AI and actively incorporate AI tools into their workflow to enhance creativity, efficiency, and innovation across design processes.
Design Project Management
The Brand Design Manager will play a role in bridging creative vision with operational execution.
This role requires close partnership with Operations to ensure design strategies align with logistical realities, resource planning, and delivery timelines.
Supporting the PepsiCo Design Organization in US Divisions
Partners regularly with the PBUS Design, R&D, and marketing teams. Facilitates and leads an innovative and creative design culture in the US Divisions, through talent development, creative leadership, inspiring/motivating creative direction, and forward-thinking solution-based approach to the work.
External Design Network
Supports the PepsiCo Design Organization in building and cultivating a strong external design network.

Requirements

• 8+ years' experience as a multidisciplinary designer taking projects from concept through completion
• Should have full-time agency side and or client-side experience
• Advanced experience with Adobe Creative Suite and Firefly software
• Must be willing and able to travel 15% of the time

Nice To Haves

• Strong typography skills, conceptual design skills, and design strategy experience
• 360 brand design experience (i.e., print, packaging, digital, environmental, experiential)
• Demonstrated ability to generate high-quality images, designs, animations, and motion graphics using AI-powered tools and platforms, integrating them seamlessly into the creative workflow
• Extraordinary design taste and expertise with an excellent sense of design trends
• Ability to work in an agile, dynamic work environment with a start-up mentality (comfortable with risk and uncertainty)
• Strong stakeholder relationship management - effectively influence at all levels in the organization, as well as across regions and functions
• Effectively communicates (verbally and written) with internal and external business partners
• Collaborative and works well with others to deliver results; keep others informed to avoid unnecessary surprises
• Ability to multitask. Excellent time and project management skills to be able to meet project deadlines

Responsibilities

• Partnering on the design and execution of projects that support the PepsiCo's Gatorade business in North America.
• Generate inspirational design solutions, driving from ideation to execution with quality and strategic excellence.
• Build upon existing capabilities as well as broaden your functional expertise as you drive our brands through all consumer touchpoints.
• Development of brand identity, packaging and portfolio systems, 360 brand campaigns, social media strategy, promotions, and immersive brand activations, with solutions that span the gamut from print, packaging, social/digital, licensing, environmental and new media.
• Creates holistic elevated experiences that create brand love and loyalty.
• Identifies and promotes self-initiated design programs that generate critical business value for one or more divisions.
• Conceive and implement concepts, guidelines and strategies in various creative projects and oversee them to completion. Particularly around brand strategy, retail marketing, social media, and brand experiences.
• Energizes and leads both the internal team and external design resources from idea phase to commercialization, creating breakthrough design concepts that support our Customer agenda.
• Collaborate with our Marketing, operations, and sales teams to obtain knowledge of the Customer/Brand Partner requirements.
• Actively incorporate AI tools into their workflow to enhance creativity, efficiency, and innovation across design processes.
• Play a role in bridging creative vision with operational execution.
• Partners regularly with the PBUS Design, R&D, and marketing teams.
• Facilitates and leads an innovative and creative design culture in the US Divisions, through talent development, creative leadership, inspiring/motivating creative direction, and forward-thinking solution-based approach to the work.
• Supports the PepsiCo Design Organization in building and cultivating a strong external design network.

Benefits

• Bonus based on performance and eligibility target payout is 12% of annual salary paid out annually.
• Paid time off subject to eligibility, including paid parental leave, vacation, sick, and bereavement.
• Medical, Dental, Vision, Disability, Health, and Dependent Care Reimbursement Accounts, Employee Assistance Program (EAP), Insurance (Accident, Group Legal, Life), Defined Contribution Retirement Plan.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees