Brand Designer - Senior Manager

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Brand Designer - Senior Manager
Company: PepsiCo
Location: Gurugram, Haryana, India
Job Type: FULL_TIME
Category: Marketing & Design Operations
Date Posted: 2025-12-19
Experience Level: Senior Manager (5-10 years)
Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• This Senior Manager role is critical for driving the strategic direction and creative execution of PepsiCo's Beverages portfolio in India, focusing on Flavours, Juices, and Energy drink segments.
• The position requires a seasoned Brand Designer to manage visual identity, spearhead creative design proposals, and translate customer insights into actionable design solutions that align with business priorities.
• A key aspect of this role involves robust stakeholder management, collaborating with internal brand and insights teams, external partners, and the global design function to ensure cohesive and impactful brand representation.
• The Senior Manager will lead design team members, oversee the entire design lifecycle from concept to production, and influence senior leadership to secure buy-in for design recommendations and strategic initiatives.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the raw input describes a "Brand Designer," the "Senior Manager" title, coupled with responsibilities like "stakeholder management," "driving all the agendas," and "influencing senior levels," indicates a leadership and strategic operational component beyond pure design execution. This role bridges creative vision with operational management within the marketing and GTM framework.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Lead the strategic elevation and visual identity of Flavours, Juices, and Energy drink brands within the India Beverages portfolio, ensuring brand consistency and market impact.
• Independently manage complex stakeholder relationships with internal brand teams, insights departments, global design counterparts, and external agencies/partners, fostering strong collaborations and driving project success.
• Take full ownership of the visual identity for designated Bev brands, translating brand strategy and consumer insights into compelling and effective design solutions.
• Generate and present innovative creative design proposals, scenarios, and concepts to visualize desired outcomes and gain alignment from internal and external team members.
• Actively participate in market research and consumer insight gathering, translating findings into concrete design requirements and executing them into impactful design solutions that meet business objectives.
• Drive final design recommendations and secure design approvals, ensuring all project variables are thoroughly considered to enable seamless artwork execution and production phases, guaranteeing the final output meets performance expectations.
• Mentor and guide junior design team members, fostering a culture of creativity, efficiency, and continuous improvement within the design function.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities clearly indicate a blend of strategic brand management, operational execution of design projects, and people leadership. The emphasis on "driving agendas," "stakeholder management," and "influencing senior levels" points to a significant operational management component within the creative function.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While not explicitly stated, a Bachelor's or Master's degree in Graphic Design, Visual Communication, Marketing, or a related field is typically expected for a Senior Manager role in this domain. Experience: A minimum of 5-10 years of progressive experience in brand design, graphic design, or a related creative field, with a proven track record in managing design projects and teams within a corporate or agency environment, preferably in the FMCG or consumer goods sector.

Required Skills:

• Exceptional Design Taste and Skill: A strong portfolio demonstrating a sophisticated aesthetic and a deep understanding of visual design principles.
• Adobe Creative Suite Proficiency: Mastery of industry-standard design software, including Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign, with a strong ability to produce high-quality creative assets.
• Strong Project Management Skills: Ability to manage multiple design projects simultaneously, ensuring timely delivery, budget adherence, and quality standards.
• Design Management Expertise: Proven experience in overseeing the design process from concept development through to final production, including managing external vendors and internal stakeholders.
• Stakeholder Management: Demonstrated ability to effectively engage, collaborate with, and influence diverse internal teams (brand, insights, marketing) and external partners.
• Creative Proposal Generation: Skill in developing compelling design concepts and visual scenarios to articulate creative direction and secure buy-in.
• Insight Translation: Ability to interpret customer needs and market research into actionable design requirements and effective design solutions.
• Communication Skills (Verbal & Written): Excellent ability to articulate design concepts, rationale, and decisions clearly and persuasively to stakeholders at all levels.
• Collaboration: Proven ability to work effectively within a team environment, share information proactively, and contribute to collective success.
• Adaptability in Dynamic Environments: Comfort and effectiveness in working within fast-paced, evolving business landscapes, embracing risk and uncertainty.

Preferred Skills:

• 3D Software Knowledge: Familiarity with 3D design software (e.g., Cinema 4D, Blender) is a significant advantage for advanced visualization and packaging design.
• Sketching Proficiency: Capability to quickly visualize concepts through hand sketching or digital sketching tools.
• Oral and Written English Proficiency: While mentioned as a plus, advanced English proficiency is often crucial for effective communication in multinational corporations.
• Experience in FMCG/Beverages: Prior experience within the food and beverage industry, specifically with brands like PepsiCo's, provides valuable context and understanding of market dynamics.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "AI_experience_level" of "5-10" years aligns well with a Senior Manager role. The "AI_key_skills" list is comprehensive and directly maps to the responsibilities and qualifications described. The distinction between required and preferred skills is made based on typical industry expectations for a role of this seniority and scope.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Demonstrated Design Excellence: Showcase a diverse range of high-impact brand design projects, highlighting strategic thinking, creative execution, and successful market application for consumer brands.
• Process Optimization Examples: Include case studies that illustrate how design processes were streamlined or improved to achieve greater efficiency, faster turnaround times, or enhanced creative output.
• Systemic Design Implementation: Present projects where a systematic approach was taken to develop and deploy visual identities across multiple touchpoints, demonstrating consistency and scalability.
• ROI-Focused Outcomes: Where possible, highlight design initiatives that led to measurable business results, such as increased brand engagement, improved sales performance, or enhanced market perception, demonstrating the financial impact of design.

Process Documentation:

• Workflow Design & Optimization: Candidates should be prepared to discuss their approach to designing and optimizing creative workflows, from brief to final asset delivery, emphasizing efficiency and collaboration.
• Implementation & Automation: Experience in implementing design systems or leveraging design automation tools to streamline asset creation and ensure brand consistency across various platforms.
• Measurement & Performance Analysis: Ability to define key performance indicators (KPIs) for design projects and analyze results to inform future design strategies and process improvements.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a Senior Manager role in a large organization like PepsiCo, a portfolio demonstrating not just creative talent but also operational rigor, process management, and business impact is crucial. This section outlines what such a portfolio should ideally contain, focusing on efficiency and measurable outcomes.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: For a Senior Manager, Brand Designer role in Gurugram, India, with 5-10 years of experience, the estimated annual salary range is approximately ₹15,00,000 to ₹25,00,000 (Indian Rupees). This translates to roughly $18,000 to $30,000 USD per year, depending on the exact exchange rate and the company's internal compensation bands.

Benefits:

• Comprehensive Health Insurance: Covering medical, dental, and vision for the employee and dependents.
• Retirement Savings Plan: Such as a Provident Fund (PF) or a similar retirement savings scheme aligned with Indian regulations.
• Performance-Based Bonuses: Annual bonuses tied to individual and company performance, reflecting contributions to business objectives.
• Paid Time Off: Generous vacation days, sick leave, and public holidays, allowing for work-life balance.
• Employee Assistance Programs: Access to confidential counseling and support services for personal and professional well-being.
• Professional Development Opportunities: Support for training, workshops, conferences, and further education to enhance skills in design, management, and leadership.
• Employee Discounts: Potential discounts on PepsiCo products and other partner brands.

Working Hours: The standard working hours are typically 40 hours per week, from Monday to Friday. However, given the Senior Manager level and the dynamic nature of the role, occasional flexibility may be required to meet project deadlines or attend urgent stakeholder meetings, especially considering potential international collaboration across different time zones.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is estimated based on typical compensation for Senior Manager-level creative roles in Gurugram, India, considering the company's industry and size. Benefits are aligned with standard corporate offerings in India for multinational corporations. The working hours acknowledge both standard practice and the potential for flexibility at this level.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Food & Beverage (FMCG). PepsiCo is a global leader in the food and beverage industry, with a vast portfolio of iconic brands that touch consumers' lives daily. This industry context means a focus on consumer appeal, market trends, and rapid product innovation. Company Size: Large Enterprise. PepsiCo is a multinational corporation with tens of thousands of employees worldwide, indicating a structured environment with established processes, extensive resources, and significant career progression opportunities. Founded: 1965. With a long history, PepsiCo has evolved into a powerhouse, known for its innovation, brand building, and global reach. This longevity suggests a stable yet dynamic company culture that values both tradition and forward-thinking.

Team Structure:

• Design Leadership: The Brand Designer - Senior Manager will likely report to a Design Director or a higher-level Marketing/Brand Management leader, overseeing a team of designers.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: This role will work closely with Brand Managers, Marketing Teams, Insights/Research Departments, Product Development, Sales, and potentially global design and innovation hubs.
• Matrixed Environment: In a large organization like PepsiCo, expect collaboration within a matrixed structure where projects may involve input from various departments and regions.

Methodology:

• Data-Driven Creativity: PepsiCo likely employs a data-driven approach to marketing and design, using consumer insights, market analytics, and performance metrics to inform creative direction and strategic decisions.
• Agile & Iterative Processes: Design projects may follow agile or iterative methodologies to respond quickly to market changes and consumer feedback, ensuring designs are relevant and effective.
• Brand Governance: Strong emphasis on adhering to brand guidelines and ensuring all creative output aligns with PepsiCo's overarching brand strategy and visual identity standards.

Company Website: https://pepjobs.mypepsico.com

📝 Enhancement Note: This section infers PepsiCo's operational and cultural environment based on its industry, size, and history, contextualizing the Brand Designer role within a large, data-informed, and brand-centric organization.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Senior Manager. This level signifies a significant step beyond individual contributor roles. It involves strategic oversight, team leadership, and substantial influence on business outcomes. For a Brand Designer, this means moving from executing creative work to shaping the creative strategy and ensuring its operational effectiveness across the portfolio. Reporting Structure: The Senior Manager will likely report to an Associate Director or Director of Design/Marketing within the India BU. They will also manage a team of designers, providing direction, feedback, and development support. Collaboration will be extensive with cross-functional teams. Operations Impact: The role's impact is directly tied to brand perception, consumer engagement, and ultimately, sales performance for key beverage segments. Effective visual identity and creative execution are critical drivers of market penetration and brand loyalty. The operational efficiency of the design process also impacts speed-to-market and resource allocation.

Growth Opportunities:

• Leadership Advancement: Potential to move into Director-level roles within the design or marketing functions, managing larger teams and broader portfolios, or specializing in global design strategy.
• Skill Specialization: Opportunities to deepen expertise in specific areas like packaging design, digital design, brand system development, or user experience (UX) design within the beverage category.
• Cross-Functional Mobility: Potential to transition into broader brand management, marketing strategy, or innovation roles within PepsiCo, leveraging strong design and strategic thinking skills.
• Global Exposure: Involvement in global design initiatives or potential opportunities to work with international teams, broadening exposure to diverse markets and creative challenges.

📝 Enhancement Note: This analysis focuses on the career trajectory and growth potential for a Senior Manager in a design operations context within a large corporation, highlighting the transition to leadership and strategic impact.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Large Corporate Office. PepsiCo's Gurugram office is likely a modern, well-equipped corporate facility designed to foster collaboration and productivity. Office Location(s): Southern Periphery Road, 5th and 6th Floor, Tower – A, Gurugram, Haryana, India – 122101. This location is a prominent business district, suggesting accessibility and a professional working environment.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Spaces: The office will likely feature a mix of open-plan work areas, private offices for management, meeting rooms, and collaborative zones designed to encourage brainstorming and cross-functional interaction.
• Tools & Technology: Access to state-of-the-art design software, high-performance workstations, and potentially digital collaboration tools to support seamless teamwork and creative output.
• Team Interaction: Opportunities for regular interaction with the immediate design team, broader marketing and brand management departments, and potentially global design community forums.

Work Schedule: The role is primarily on-site, emphasizing the importance of in-person collaboration, team synergy, and direct engagement with colleagues and stakeholders within the Gurugram office. While standard office hours apply, the dynamic nature of brand management may necessitate occasional flexibility to meet critical project demands.

📝 Enhancement Note: This section builds a picture of the physical and collaborative work environment expected at a large corporate office in India, tailored to a senior creative role.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A review of the resume and portfolio to assess qualifications, experience, and alignment with the role requirements.
• Hiring Manager Interview: A discussion focused on experience, leadership style, and understanding of brand strategy and design management, potentially including behavioral questions.
• Portfolio Presentation & Case Study: Candidates will likely be asked to present a selection of their best work, detailing their process, strategic rationale, challenges faced, and outcomes achieved, with a specific focus on projects relevant to the beverage industry or similar consumer goods.
• Cross-Functional Team Interviews: Meetings with key stakeholders from Brand Management, Marketing, and potentially other departments to assess collaboration skills and ability to influence.
• Final Round: May involve a high-level discussion with senior leadership, potentially including a design challenge or a more in-depth strategic discussion about PepsiCo's brands.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate for Relevance: Select 3-5 strong projects that best showcase your skills in brand identity, creative execution, and strategic design for consumer-facing brands, ideally with relevance to the food & beverage sector.
• Tell a Story: For each project, clearly articulate the business challenge, your role and process, the creative solution, and the tangible results or impact. Use visuals effectively.
• Highlight Operational Efficiency: Include examples where you optimized design processes, managed timelines, or collaborated effectively with teams to ensure efficient project delivery.
• Demonstrate Leadership: If applicable, showcase projects where you led a design team or significantly influenced strategic design decisions.
• Tailor to PepsiCo: Research PepsiCo's current brand portfolio and marketing initiatives to frame your presentation and demonstrate an understanding of their market position and challenges.

Challenge Preparation:

• Brand Analysis: Be prepared to analyze a PepsiCo brand or a competitor's brand, identifying visual identity strengths and weaknesses and proposing design improvements.
• Concept Development: You might be asked to brainstorm initial concepts for a new product launch or a brand refresh, demonstrating your creative thinking and strategic approach.
• Process Discussion: Be ready to discuss how you would approach a complex design project, manage stakeholder expectations, and ensure alignment with business goals within a large corporate structure.

📝 Enhancement Note: This section provides actionable advice for candidates applying to a senior design role, emphasizing the importance of a strategic portfolio, process articulation, and preparation for typical corporate interview stages.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Adobe Creative Suite: Essential proficiency in Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign for all graphic design and layout needs.
• 3D Design Software (Bonus): Familiarity with tools like Cinema 4D, Blender, or similar for advanced packaging mockups and visualizations.
• Prototyping/Wireframing Tools (Potentially): Software like Figma, Sketch, or Adobe XD might be used for digital asset design or user interface elements, depending on the scope of digital brand presence.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Brand Performance Dashboards: Experience interpreting data from brand tracking studies, sales reports, and digital analytics platforms to inform design decisions.
• Market Research Tools: Familiarity with tools that provide consumer insights and market trend analysis.

CRM & Automation:

• Project Management Software: Proficiency in tools like Asana, Trello, Jira, or Monday.com for tracking design projects, managing tasks, and collaborating with teams.
• Digital Asset Management (DAM) Systems: Experience using or interacting with DAM systems for organizing, storing, and distributing brand assets.

📝 Enhancement Note: This section outlines the technical tools and systems a Senior Brand Designer at a company like PepsiCo would likely encounter and utilize, focusing on design software, project management, and data interpretation.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Consumer Centricity: A deep understanding and focus on the end consumer, ensuring all design decisions are driven by consumer needs, preferences, and insights.
• Excellence in Execution: A commitment to delivering high-quality creative work that is not only visually appealing but also strategically sound and effectively implemented across all touchpoints.
• Collaboration & Teamwork: A strong emphasis on working harmoniously with diverse teams, sharing knowledge, providing constructive feedback, and achieving collective goals.
• Innovation & Agility: A forward-thinking mindset that embraces new ideas, explores innovative design solutions, and adapts quickly to evolving market dynamics and business requirements.
• Brand Stewardship: A sense of responsibility and pride in upholding and enhancing the integrity and equity of PepsiCo's iconic brands.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: Proactive engagement with marketing, brand management, insights, and product development teams to ensure design aligns with broader business objectives and strategies.
• Open Feedback Loops: Encouraging an environment where constructive feedback is regularly exchanged, fostering continuous improvement in creative output and process efficiency.
• Knowledge Sharing: Actively participating in design reviews, sharing best practices, and contributing to the collective learning and development of the design team.
• Strategic Partnership: Acting as a strategic partner to brand teams, offering design expertise to solve business challenges and drive brand growth.

📝 Enhancement Note: This section extrapolates potential cultural values and collaboration styles at PepsiCo, aligning with typical expectations for large, consumer-focused corporations and roles involving significant cross-functional interaction.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Global Standards with Local Relevance: Ensuring design initiatives align with PepsiCo's global brand architecture while resonating effectively with the diverse Indian consumer market.
• Managing Diverse Stakeholder Needs: Navigating the expectations and priorities of multiple internal departments and external partners, requiring strong negotiation and communication skills.
• Pace of Innovation: Keeping up with the rapid pace of product development and market trends in the highly competitive beverage industry, requiring constant creative adaptation.
• Measuring Design Impact: Quantifying the precise impact of design improvements on business outcomes, which can be complex in a multi-faceted marketing environment.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced Design Trends: Access to industry conferences, workshops, and online courses to stay abreast of the latest design trends, technologies, and software.
• Leadership & Management Training: Opportunities to develop skills in team leadership, strategic planning, and financial management through internal programs or external certifications.
• Cross-Category Exposure: Potential to gain experience across different beverage categories (e.g., juices, energy drinks, water) or even other PepsiCo product lines, broadening expertise.
• Mentorship Programs: Access to mentorship from senior leaders within PepsiCo's design or marketing functions, providing guidance for career progression.

📝 Enhancement Note: This section identifies potential challenges inherent in a senior design role within a large, global FMCG company and outlines learning opportunities that align with career growth and skill enhancement.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• Brand Strategy & Design Alignment: "How would you approach developing a visual identity for a new beverage launch in India? Describe your process from understanding the target audience to final execution, ensuring alignment with PepsiCo's brand strategy." (Preparation: Outline a step-by-step process, emphasizing research, concept development, and stakeholder alignment.)
• Stakeholder Management & Influence: "Describe a time you had to influence senior stakeholders with a design recommendation that was met with resistance. How did you navigate the situation and achieve your objective?" (Preparation: Prepare a STAR method answer focusing on communication, data, and strategic rationale.)
• Process Optimization & Efficiency: "How do you ensure design projects are delivered on time and within budget in a fast-paced environment? Can you provide an example of a process you implemented or improved to enhance efficiency?" (Preparation: Detail your project management approach, tools used, and specific examples of process improvements.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• PepsiCo Brand Understanding: "What are your thoughts on PepsiCo's current brand portfolio in India? Which brands do you find most compelling from a design perspective, and why?" (Preparation: Research PepsiCo's India brands, their visual identities, and recent marketing campaigns.)
• Team Collaboration: "How do you foster a collaborative environment within a design team and with cross-functional partners?" (Preparation: Highlight your communication style, feedback mechanisms, and experience working in integrated teams.)
• Measuring Design Success: "How do you measure the success of your design work? What KPIs are most important to you in a brand design context?" (Preparation: Discuss metrics like brand recall, engagement, sales lift, and brand perception, linking them to design output.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Focus on Impact: Select projects that clearly demonstrate strategic thinking and measurable business outcomes, not just aesthetic appeal.
• Detail Your Process: For each project, walk through your methodology: problem identification, research, ideation, execution, and evaluation.
• Highlight Collaboration: Emphasize how you worked with teams and stakeholders to achieve the final result.
• Showcase Leadership: If you led a project or team, clearly articulate your role and the impact of your leadership.
• Be Ready for Q&A: Anticipate questions about your design choices, challenges, and how you would apply your experience to PepsiCo's specific needs.

📝 Enhancement Note: This section provides targeted interview preparation advice, focusing on strategy, company knowledge, and effective portfolio presentation, tailored for a senior design role at PepsiCo.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Brand Designer - Senior Manager position:

• Visit the PepsiCo careers portal at https://pepjobs.mypepsico.com and search for the job title or requisition ID (if available).
• Customize Your Resume: Tailor your resume to highlight your experience in brand design, senior-level responsibilities, project management, stakeholder engagement, and any relevant FMCG or beverage industry experience. Use keywords from the job description.
• Prepare Your Portfolio: Curate a digital portfolio that showcases your strongest work, focusing on strategic thinking, creative execution, process efficiency, and demonstrable impact. Ensure it's easily accessible and professional.
• Research PepsiCo: Familiarize yourself with PepsiCo's brands in India, their marketing strategies, and recent industry news to demonstrate genuine interest and understanding during interviews.
• Practice Your Narrative: Prepare to articulate your experience, design philosophy, and leadership approach clearly and concisely, especially for your portfolio presentation and behavioral interview questions.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and operations industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.