R&D Senior Manager - Project Management Office, Global Beverages R&D

Overview

R&D Senior Manager, Project Management Office, Global Beverages R&D

This role is based in Valhalla, NY (hybrid work environment), no relocation provided

PepsiCo is a global food and beverage leader operating in more than 200 countries and territories with a product portfolio that includes 22 world-famous, billion-dollar brands. From Gatorade to Quaker, LIFEWTR to Lay's, we make hundreds of enjoyable foods and beverages that are loved throughout the world.

Guiding PepsiCo is our vision to be the global leader in convenient foods and beverages by Winning with Purpose. "Winning with Purpose" reflects our ambition to win sustainably in the marketplace and embed purpose into all aspects of the business.

Our employees drive our culture. No two days are the same; we're dynamic and full of passionate teams embracing new ideas through our collaborative spirit. At PepsiCo, what makes you unique, makes us better!

We are seeking a highly driven and strategic Senior Manager to join the Global Beverages R&D team within the Project Management Office (PMO). This role will be responsible for leading a portion of the Global Beverages R&D portfolio with a strong focus on the PGCS (PepsiCola Global Concentrate Solutions) -enabled productivity pipeline. The ideal candidate will oversee end-to-end program management, enable delivery into regions, and ensure visibility of progress through effective tools and communication with senior leadership. This is a highly cross-functional role requiring strong influence, critical thinking, and a deep understanding of technical and business integration.

Responsibilities

• Drive alignment with PGCS to set annual productivity goals and ensure productivity portfolio delivers against them.
• Prioritize programs/projects with cross functional team leveraging tools and templates to maximize ROI and business impact.
• Deliver E2E program management while adapting to the dynamic and long-term nature of the portfolio.
• Support and drive project adoption by business through facts, data and strong influence skills.
• Partner closely with the DTV (Design to Value) team to identify high-impact projects, establish new ways of working, and enable clear decision-making, documentation, communication, risk escalation, and role clarity.
• Lead risk management processes, including risk analysis, mitigation strategies, risk registers, and communication plans. Develop integrated Program Management Plan and facilitate the establishment of scope, project goals, success criteria and manage budgets, timelines, and resources.
• Navigate complex stakeholder networks across functions and geographies to influence outcomes and promote collaboration.
• Drive collaborative team behaviors, asking the right questions, anticipating roadblocks, and elevating risks to leadership with solution-oriented approach, while driving the milestones with the teams.
• Advance the PMO capabilities, tools and templates to expand standardization and adoption across the R&D organization.
• Optimize the use of GBS resources to support beverage portfolio deliverables.
• Ensure cross-functional alignment through the Stage Gate process and maintain all required documentation tied in with PLM systems.
• Provide regular updates to senior leadership using scorecards or other standardized tools.
• Oversee the coordination of interdependent projects within the portfolio, ensuring alignment of timing, scope, and resource allocation across initiatives to minimize duplication and maximize synergies.
• Lead development of business cases for high-impact initiatives, including scenario planning and value realization modeling.
• Ensure that all programs and projects remain aligned with enterprise strategies, flagging and resolving misalignments proactively.
• Manage direct reports and/or cross-functional project teams, setting clear goals, providing regular feedback, and fostering an inclusive, high-performance culture.
• Promote and role model leadership behaviors by creating space for diverse voices, perspectives, and contributions across teams.
• 10-20% international travel

• The expected compensation range for this position is between $118,700 - $198,800.
• 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 15% of annual salary paid out annually.
• 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.

• Education: BS, MS or PhD Degree in Food Science or Engineering or another scientific field.
• Work Experience: 10+ years in Food and Beverage, 5+ years in Project Management.
• MBA or some level of finance experience is a strong plus
• Familiarity with PMI methodology preferred. Project Management Professional Certified (PMP) a plus, eligibility to get the certification is a plus.
• Experience working in PGCS and/or established network within PGCS is a big plus.
• Change Management experience is a plus.
• Experience working with stakeholders in North America, Europe, LATAM, APAC, or AMESA markets is a plus.
• Experience in product or process development /commercialization/optimization and/or productivity initiatives is a plus.
• Collaborative team player with strong interpersonal skills and proven ability to work with cross-functional teams and influence both above and below level.
• Strong organizational/prioritization skills with ability to manage complex projects or multiple projects with demonstrated flexibility/adaptability.
• Ability to navigate complex global programs with multiple project dependencies across multiple landing years.
• Demonstrated understanding of how to incorporate business needs into technical decisions.
• Demonstrated understanding of how to develop a stakeholder management and communication plan to enable ways of working for dynamic teams, drive decision making, and R&D communications.
• Ability to prioritize across competing agendas and direct work to maximize milestone progression.
• Ability to embrace change and flexibility, while working with their team to prioritize and provide solutions in an ever-changing and often ambiguous environment.
• Prior experience of working in a global shared services environment, preferably in the technical project management space
• Proven supervisory and workstream management skills working with parallel teams or functional leads in different time zones and locations
• Strong analytical thinking with proven ability to connect data and deliver clear outlook scenarios along with implications for the business
• Ability to travel globally and multi-lingual skills are a plus.

• Innovative/Creative, High energy, System thinker
• Active listener, empathetic, results driven
• Team player who can bring teams together to collaborate
• Positive "can do" attitude
• Excellent communication skills, including verbal, written, and presentations
• Drives organization out of chaos
• Experience building a high-performance team that is highly engaged
• Business Savvy and solid understanding of Innovation / New Product Development Process
• Proven track record of identifying and championing new initiatives to standardize work and drive process optimization through a solution-oriented approach
• Possess a growth mindset and able to foster a growth mindset within the team