R&D Early Stage & Breakthrough Innovation Consumer Research Director

Location – Flexible in any Global R&D Hub (Valhalla, Plano, Shanghai, Mexico City, Leicester)

Roles and Responsibilities

• Deliver consumer centricity foundation of Breakthrough Innovation through Early Stage Innovation approach to guide relevant R&D unlocks. 
• Lead global team of 8 across R&D hubs to enable deep consumer empathy and translation of consumer Jobs To Be Done – uncovering tensions, product experiences, attributes and solutions leading to meaningful innovations that stick. 
• Fuel new innovative thinking to provide R&D guidance on product cues and sensorial experiences of all Innovation projects for food and beverage brands across the organization globally.
• Partner with ESI-FE PD, Breakthrough Insights teams, Design & Platform for a stronger, deeper innovation pipeline in both developed and developing markets. Enhance the usage of tools that increase consumer empathy in driving innovation for white opportunities and initiating new technology programs
• Represent PepsiCo R&D in internal and external forums driving novel methodologies and research to better incorporate consumer empathy into our products - unlocking faster decision making and building capabilities.
• Partner closely with R&D Consumer Strategy Director across food and beverages to align R&D innovation strategies by subcategory and delivering on white spaces innovations anchored in technical consumer insights. Together elevate functional excellence in the area of horizon thinking & transactional learning in the early stage of innovation space
• Work to build a harmonized repository of consumer research knowledge in partnership with Insights to accelerate R&D associates’ ability to mine consumer and market knowledge
• COVID-19 vaccination is a condition of employment for this role. Please note that all such company vaccine requirements provide the opportunity to request an approved accommodation or exemption under applicable law.

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Qualifications/Requirements

Key Skills 

• 15+ Years in CPG R&D; experience working with global teams preferred
• Masters or PhD Degree or higher Psychology, Behavioral-Social-Innovation Science, Anthropology
• Deep experience in qualitative and quantitative consumer research methods for new products.
• Strong understanding of the Front End of Innovation process, as well as the ability to shape the organization in this space by designing research plans
• Proven track record of combining science, sensory, and consumer insights to drive innovation and claims that improve business performance and strategy for growth
• Proven ability to thinking Strategically to drive identification of opportunity spaces the organization can leverage to pursue meaningful consumer solutions. 

Preferred Skills

• Certified/Trained moderator and facilitator with the probing language of a sensory scientist in order to drive guidance for product development.
• Proven skill moderating & facilitating qualitative methodologies to uncover consumer insights for the organization; with strong ability to translate into action. 
• Proven ability to design, analyze and interpret Sensory and Consumer findings into implications and actionable results that refine product, packaging, and brand strategies
• An insightful understanding of the evolving technology and trends in the Data &Analytics landscape

Differentiating Skills

• Proven ability in executing a global R&D role at a senior level
• Analytical & Creative thinking – identifying patterns across data sources and translating consumer knowledge into actionable insights
• Ability to connect the dots across consumer insights, technology, and strategy to identify new growth opportunities
• Analytics skill set to understand various data sources and leverage them for insights

Relocation Eligible: Not Eligible for Relocation
Job Type: Regular


All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, or disability status.

PepsiCo is an Equal Opportunity Employer: Female / Minority / Disability / Protected Veteran / Sexual Orientation / Gender Identity

Our Company will consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the requirements of the Fair Credit Reporting Act, and all other applicable laws, including but not limited to, San Francisco Police Code Sections 4901 - 4919, commonly referred to as the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance; and Chapter XVII, Article 9 of the Los Angeles Municipal Code, commonly referred to as the Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance.