Brand Experience Design Manager

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Brand Experience Design Manager

Company: PepsiCo

Location: 622 Emporium Tower, Klongtoey, Bangkok, Thailand 10110

Job Type: Full-time

Category: Brand Experience Design / Marketing Operations

Date Posted: January 12, 2026

Experience Level: Mid-Senior Level (7+ years)

Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• Leads the strategic design and creative development of brand experiences and activations across diverse PepsiCo brands.

• Focuses on crafting immersive, consumer-centric touchpoints that integrate storytelling, design, and innovation across retail, events, digital, and physical environments.

• Acts as a Brand Guardian, ensuring design consistency and authenticity while translating global principles into locally relevant experiences for the APAC market.

• Drives creative direction for internal teams and external agency partners to deliver impactful design solutions aligned with business and marketing objectives.

• Fosters a collaborative environment by partnering closely with marketing, insights, innovation, and commercial teams to strengthen brand equity and engagement.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is critical for translating brand strategy into tangible consumer interactions. While not a traditional "Revenue Operations" or "Sales Operations" role, its focus on brand experience design, consumer engagement, and cross-functional collaboration has significant implications for GTM strategy, customer acquisition, and brand loyalty, making it highly relevant to GTM operations professionals interested in the brand-building side of the business. The emphasis on measurable impact ("Define success metrics and evaluate the effectiveness") also aligns with operations' data-driven approach.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Design Strategy & Leadership: Define and execute the overarching design strategy for brand experience and activation initiatives, ensuring alignment with global brand guidelines and local market nuances.

• Experiential Design Development: Conceptualize and design immersive consumer experiences for retail environments, special events, digital platforms, and physical activations that drive memorable brand interactions.

• Brand Consistency & Guardianship: Uphold brand integrity and visual identity across all touchpoints, ensuring that all experiential elements are authentic, consistent, and resonate with target audiences.

• Creative Direction & Agency Management: Provide clear creative direction to internal design teams and external agency partners, managing project timelines, budgets, and deliverables to ensure high-quality execution.

• Cross-Functional Partnership: Collaborate closely with Marketing, Insights, Innovation, Commercial, and other relevant departments to integrate brand experience strategies into broader go-to-market plans and ensure cohesive execution.

• Trend Analysis & Innovation: Proactively research and identify emerging cultural, design, and technological trends to inspire innovative creative approaches and maintain brand relevance in a dynamic market.

• Team Mentorship & Development: Coach and mentor junior designers, fostering a culture of creative excellence, collaboration, learning, and continuous improvement within the design team.

• Performance Measurement: Establish key performance indicators (KPIs) for brand experience and activation initiatives and analyze their effectiveness in driving brand love, engagement, and business growth.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of strategic creative leadership and practical execution management. For operations professionals, understanding this role's impact on customer journey mapping, brand perception, and ultimately, conversion rates, is key. The "Measurement" responsibility directly ties into operations' focus on defining and tracking success metrics for GTM initiatives.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Bachelor's degree in Design, Fine Arts, Marketing, or a related field is typically expected for this level of role. Advanced degrees or specialized certifications in brand strategy or experiential design are a plus.

Experience: 7+ years of progressive experience in brand experience design, activation design, or related creative fields, with a strong preference for candidates with experience in Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG), lifestyle brands, or reputable creative agencies. Proven track record of leading end-to-end design programs from initial strategy to final execution.

Required Skills:

• Brand Experience Design: Deep expertise in conceptualizing and executing engaging brand experiences across physical and digital touchpoints.

• Activation Design: Proven ability to design and implement impactful marketing activations, retail experiences, and event designs.

• Creative Direction: Strong aesthetic sensibility and the ability to articulate and guide creative vision for diverse projects.

• Storytelling: Skill in crafting compelling narratives that connect brands with consumers on an emotional level.

• Design Thinking & Innovation: Proficient in design thinking methodologies and a passion for exploring new creative approaches and technologies.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Excellent interpersonal skills to effectively partner with diverse teams (Marketing, Insights, Commercial).

• Stakeholder Management: Demonstrated success in managing relationships and expectations with internal stakeholders and external agency partners.

• Presentation & Communication: Superior verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to present ideas persuasively and influence decision-making at various levels.

• Brand Guardianship: A strong understanding of brand systems and the ability to maintain brand consistency and authenticity.

• Trend Identification: Aptitude for identifying and leveraging cultural, design, and technology trends.

Preferred Skills:

• FMCG/CPG Experience: Direct experience within the Fast-Moving Consumer Goods or Consumer Packaged Goods sector.

• APAC Market Experience: In-depth understanding and experience working with markets across the Asia-Pacific region.

• 3D/Motion Design Proficiency: Familiarity with 3D modeling, animation, or motion graphics tools.

• Digital Experience Design: Experience in designing interactive digital experiences or AR/VR activations.

• Retail Design Strategy: Expertise in leveraging retail environments for brand expression and consumer engagement.

📝 Enhancement Note: The experience requirement of 7+ years positions this as a leadership role, demanding strategic thinking and proven execution capabilities. The emphasis on a "strong portfolio" is crucial for design roles and implies a need to showcase process, problem-solving, and impact, similar to operations portfolio requirements.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• End-to-End Program Showcase: Demonstrate a minimum of 2-3 comprehensive brand experience or activation design programs, from initial concept and strategy development through to execution and measurement of results.

• Consumer-Centricity: Highlight projects where consumer insights directly informed the design strategy and execution, showcasing an understanding of target audience needs and preferences.

• Multi-Channel Integration: Present examples of integrated campaigns that effectively blend physical, digital, and social touchpoints to create a cohesive brand experience.

• Brand System Application: Illustrate how global brand principles were translated into locally relevant and impactful market activations, showcasing adaptability and strategic brand guardianship.

• Problem/Solution Framework: For each project, clearly articulate the business challenge or objective, the design approach taken, key creative decisions, and the tangible outcomes or ROI achieved.

Process Documentation:

• Design Process Methodology: Be prepared to articulate your personal design process, including how you approach concept generation, stakeholder alignment, iterative development, and final implementation for experiential projects.

• Collaboration Workflow: Describe how you typically collaborate with cross-functional teams (marketing, insights, commercial) and external agencies to ensure seamless project execution and alignment.

• Trend Integration: Explain how you incorporate cultural, design, and technology trend research into your design process to drive innovation and relevance.

• Measurement & Evaluation: Outline your approach to defining success metrics for brand experiences and how you would evaluate their effectiveness post-launch.

📝 Enhancement Note: While this role is creative, the expectation for a portfolio and process documentation mirrors that of operations roles. Candidates should frame their experience in terms of process efficiency, strategic impact, and measurable outcomes, using data and KPIs where possible to demonstrate ROI, similar to how an operations professional would present project successes.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Based on industry benchmarks for a Brand Experience Design Manager role with 7+ years of experience in a major metropolitan area like Bangkok, Thailand, the estimated annual salary range would typically fall between $65,000 - $90,000 USD. This range can vary significantly based on the candidate's specific experience, negotiation skills, and the exact compensation structure within PepsiCo's APAC operations.

Benefits:

• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance plans.

• Retirement savings plan (e.g., provident fund, 401k equivalent) with company matching contributions.

• Paid time off, including vacation days, sick leave, and public holidays.

• Opportunities for professional development, including training programs, workshops, and conference attendance.

• Employee assistance programs (EAP) for mental health and well-being support.

• Potential for performance-based bonuses and annual salary reviews.

• Employee discounts on PepsiCo products and potentially other partner offerings.

• Relocation assistance may be available for candidates relocating internationally.

Working Hours: Standard full-time position, typically 40 hours per week. While core business hours will apply, there may be flexibility required to accommodate project deadlines, global team collaboration, and event-related activities, which could occasionally involve working outside of standard hours.

📝 Enhancement Note: Salary estimation is based on general market data for similar roles in major APAC cities, considering the FMCG industry and a multinational corporation. PepsiCo's benefits are generally competitive for large corporations. The standard 40-hour work week is typical, but the nature of design leadership often involves periods of intense work around project launches or events.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Food and Beverage (FMCG/CPG). PepsiCo is a global leader in the snack, beverage, and food industry, with a diverse portfolio of well-known brands. This context means the brand experience design must appeal to a broad consumer base and adapt to evolving market trends and consumer preferences.

Company Size: Large Enterprise. PepsiCo is a multinational corporation with tens of thousands of employees globally. This implies a structured environment with established processes, resources, and opportunities for career growth, but also requires navigating larger organizational complexities.

Founded: 1965. PepsiCo has a long-standing history, indicating a stable and established corporate culture with deep brand heritage, alongside a commitment to innovation and future growth.

Team Structure:

• Design Team: This role likely sits within a broader Brand Marketing, Creative, or Design department. The team may include other brand designers, graphic designers, digital designers, and potentially specialists in areas like packaging or retail.

• Reporting Structure: The Brand Experience Design Manager will likely report to a Director or Senior Director of Brand Marketing, Creative Director, or Head of Brand Experience. They will manage a team of designers and collaborate with peers in marketing, insights, and commercial functions.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Expect close collaboration with Marketing Managers, Brand Managers, Insights Analysts, Innovation Teams, Sales/Commercial Leads, and external agencies (creative, experiential, digital). The success of brand experiences hinges on seamless integration across these functions.

Methodology:

• Data-Driven Insights: PepsiCo leverages consumer insights and market data to inform brand strategy and design decisions. This role will need to integrate research findings into experiential concepts.

• Strategic Brand Planning: Design initiatives will be rooted in broader marketing and business objectives, requiring a strategic approach to translating brand goals into tangible experiences.

• Agile & Iterative Approaches: While not strictly "Agile" in a software sense, design processes will likely involve iterative development, feedback loops, and adaptation based on stakeholder input and testing.

• Global-Local Adaptation: A core methodology will involve adapting global brand frameworks and assets for specific local market needs and cultural nuances within the APAC region.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: Understanding PepsiCo's scale and industry is crucial. The "Global-Local Adaptation" methodology is particularly relevant for this Bangkok-based role, emphasizing the need to balance international brand standards with regional consumer preferences.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role represents a significant leadership position within the brand experience domain. It's a mid-to-senior management level role focused on strategic creative output and team leadership, bridging the gap between brand strategy and consumer interaction. It requires a blend of creative vision, strategic planning, project management, and people management.

Reporting Structure: The Manager will report to a senior marketing or creative leader and will have direct reports (junior designers). They will be a key collaborator with other functional leaders. This structure provides visibility and influence across marketing and GTM planning.

Operations Impact: While not directly managing sales operations or revenue systems, this role's impact is deeply tied to the customer journey and brand perception. Successful brand experiences drive brand affinity, customer loyalty, and ultimately influence purchase decisions and market share. The role contributes to the top of the funnel by creating awareness and desire, and to the bottom by reinforcing brand value and encouraging repeat business.

Growth Opportunities:

• Leadership Advancement: Potential to advance to Director-level roles within Brand Marketing, Creative, or Design departments, overseeing larger teams and broader portfolios across multiple brands or regions.

• Specialization: Opportunity to deepen expertise in specific areas like digital experience design, retail innovation, or large-scale event strategy.

• Cross-Functional Moves: Potential to transition into broader Brand Management, Marketing Strategy, or even GTM strategy roles, leveraging a deep understanding of consumer engagement.

• Global Mobility: As part of a multinational corporation, opportunities may arise to work on global initiatives or relocate to other PepsiCo offices worldwide.

• Skill Development: Continuous learning in design trends, technology, consumer behavior, and leadership through internal training, external workshops, and industry events.

📝 Enhancement Note: This analysis frames the role within a broader career context, highlighting its strategic importance and potential for advancement. For operations professionals, understanding how creative leadership contributes to overall GTM success and revenue generation is key. The "Operations Impact" section draws a parallel between creative engagement and business outcomes, similar to how operations metrics track efficiency and revenue.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The role is based at the Emporium Tower in Bangkok, a prominent commercial building. This suggests a modern, professional office environment conducive to collaboration and client meetings. It is likely a hybrid or full on-site setup.

Office Location(s): 622 Emporium Tower, Klongtoey, Bangkok, Thailand 10110. This location is in a prime business district of Bangkok, offering accessibility and proximity to other corporate offices and amenities.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Spaces: Expect a workspace designed to facilitate teamwork, brainstorming, and cross-functional interaction, with meeting rooms, presentation areas, and open collaboration zones.

• Design Tools & Technology: Access to industry-standard design software and hardware, potentially including advanced visualization tools, large format displays for presentations, and necessary IT infrastructure.

• Team Interaction: Opportunities for regular interaction with the local design team, as well as frequent communication with global marketing and design teams, likely through video conferencing and digital collaboration platforms.

Work Schedule: The primary work schedule will be Monday to Friday, adhering to standard business hours. However, the nature of managing large-scale brand experiences and activations may require flexibility to attend events, meet deadlines, or collaborate with teams in different time zones, potentially involving occasional work outside of typical office hours.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on a professional office environment and collaborative spaces is important for understanding the day-to-day work setting. For operations roles, this translates to understanding the infrastructure and tools available to support efficient work.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A recruiter or HR representative will likely conduct an initial screening to assess basic qualifications, experience, and cultural fit.

• Hiring Manager Interview: A conversation with the direct hiring manager to delve deeper into experience, design philosophy, leadership style, and understanding of the role's strategic objectives.

• Portfolio Review & Presentation: A critical stage where candidates present their portfolio, showcasing key projects, design process, problem-solving skills, and measurable outcomes. This may involve a presentation to the hiring manager and/or a panel.

• Cross-Functional Panel Interview: Interviews with key stakeholders from marketing, insights, commercial, and potentially other design leads to assess collaboration skills, strategic thinking, and ability to integrate brand experience into broader GTM efforts.

• Final Interview/Executive Review: Potentially a final interview with a senior leader (e.g., Director, VP) to assess strategic alignment and overall fit within the organization.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 3-5 of your strongest projects that best demonstrate your experience in brand experience, activation design, and storytelling.

Prioritize projects with clear objectives, innovative solutions, and measurable results.

• Structure for Impact: For each project, clearly outline:

  • The client/brand and your role.
  • The business challenge or objective.
  • Your design process and key decisions.
  • How you translated global strategy to local relevance.
  • The creative solution and its execution.
  • The measurable outcomes or impact (e.g., engagement metrics, brand perception shifts, sales impact).

• Highlight Collaboration: Be prepared to discuss how you collaborated with cross-functional teams and managed external partners.

• Showcase Process: Don't just show the final output; explain your thinking, your iterations, and how you overcame challenges.

• Tailor to PepsiCo: Research PepsiCo's brands and their current marketing efforts. Be ready to explain how your skills and experience align with their brand portfolio and strategic goals in the APAC region.

Challenge Preparation:

• Case Study Simulation: Be prepared for a potential design challenge or case study exercise, either before or during the interview process. This might involve analyzing a brand or market scenario and proposing an experiential activation concept.

• Strategic Articulation: Practice articulating your strategic rationale for design decisions, focusing on how they support business objectives and resonate with target consumers.

• Trend Integration: Be ready to discuss current trends in brand experience and how they could be applied to PepsiCo brands.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on a portfolio, case studies, and strategic articulation is directly transferable from operations interview preparation. Candidates should focus on demonstrating strategic thinking, problem-solving, and measurable impact, even within a creative context.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Adobe Creative Suite: Essential proficiency in Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign for creating visual assets, mockups, and presentations.

• Presentation Software: Advanced skills in PowerPoint or Keynote for creating compelling presentations and articulating design concepts to stakeholders.

• 3D/Visualization Tools (Preferred): Experience with software like SketchUp, Rhino, Blender, or similar for 3D modeling, rendering, and spatial design visualization.

• Prototyping/UX Tools (Beneficial): Familiarity with tools like Figma, Adobe XD, or InVision for digital experience design and interactive prototyping.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Internal Reporting Dashboards: Familiarity with using internal company dashboards (likely developed in tools like Tableau, Power BI, or similar) to track campaign performance and consumer engagement metrics.

• Market Research Tools: Awareness of how to access and interpret data from market research platforms to inform design strategies.

CRM & Automation:

• While not a direct user, an understanding of how brand experience initiatives integrate with CRM systems (like Salesforce) for lead generation or customer relationship management in digital activations is beneficial.

• Awareness of marketing automation platforms (e.g., Adobe Marketing Cloud, HubSpot) and how experiential campaigns can feed into broader marketing automation workflows.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the core tools are design-focused, highlighting familiarity with presentation tools and data visualization platforms connects this role to operations' analytical and reporting needs. Understanding how creative output integrates with marketing technology stacks is a plus.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Creativity & Innovation: A core value driving the generation of novel and engaging brand experiences that capture consumer attention.

• Consumer-Centricity: A deep commitment to understanding and prioritizing the consumer's needs, desires, and journey in all design decisions.

• Collaboration & Partnership: Valuing teamwork and open communication to foster strong relationships with internal teams and external partners for unified execution.

• Brand Excellence & Authenticity: Upholding the highest standards of brand representation, ensuring all experiences are true to the brand's identity and values.

• Data-Informed Decision Making: Utilizing consumer insights and performance metrics to guide creative strategy and measure the effectiveness of initiatives.

• Efficiency & Impact: Striving for impactful outcomes through efficient design processes and resource management.

Collaboration Style:

• Integrated Approach: Working in close partnership with marketing, insights, and commercial teams to ensure brand experiences are strategically aligned with overall business goals.

• Open Feedback Culture: Encouraging constructive feedback among team members and with agency partners to refine concepts and improve execution.

• Knowledge Sharing: Promoting the sharing of best practices, trend insights, and learnings across the design and marketing teams.

• Proactive Communication: Maintaining clear and consistent communication channels to keep all stakeholders informed and aligned throughout project lifecycles.

📝 Enhancement Note: The values emphasize a blend of creative drive and business acumen, mirroring the dual focus of operations roles. The collaboration style highlights the importance of cross-functional alignment, a critical aspect for any GTM or operations professional.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Global & Local: Effectively translating global brand guidelines into unique, culturally resonant experiences for diverse APAC markets.

• Rapidly Evolving Trends: Keeping pace with fast-changing consumer behaviors, digital technologies, and cultural shifts to ensure brand experiences remain relevant and cutting-edge.

• Cross-Functional Alignment: Navigating diverse stakeholder priorities and ensuring buy-in from various departments for experiential initiatives.

• Measuring ROI: Quantifying the direct impact of brand experience design on business outcomes, which can be more nuanced than direct sales metrics.

• Agency Management: Effectively briefing, managing, and evaluating the performance of multiple creative and experiential agencies.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Trend Forecasting: Access to industry reports, conferences, and internal foresight teams to stay ahead of emerging trends in design, technology, and consumer engagement.

• Leadership Training: Opportunities for leadership development programs focusing on team management, strategic planning, and executive communication.

• Cross-Disciplinary Exposure: Gaining exposure to different facets of the business (e.g., innovation, commercial strategy, digital marketing) to broaden understanding of the GTM ecosystem.

• Specialized Design Workshops: Participating in workshops focused on emerging design disciplines, such as AR/VR experience design, sustainable design, or advanced visualization techniques.

• Mentorship: Opportunities to be mentored by senior leaders within PepsiCo or to mentor junior talent, fostering continuous learning and growth.

📝 Enhancement Note: Identifying these challenges helps candidates prepare for the realities of the role and demonstrate problem-solving skills. The growth opportunities highlight PepsiCo's commitment to employee development, a key factor for operations professionals seeking long-term career paths.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "How would you approach developing a brand experience strategy for a new product launch in a key APAC market, considering both global brand consistency and local cultural nuances?" (Focus on strategic framework, insight integration, and cross-functional alignment.)

• "Describe a time you had to manage conflicting priorities or feedback from multiple stakeholders on a creative project. How did you ensure alignment and deliver a successful outcome?" (Focus on stakeholder management, negotiation, and problem-solving.)

• "How do you measure the success of experiential marketing campaigns and demonstrate their ROI to senior leadership?" (Focus on KPI definition, data analysis, and impact reporting.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What PepsiCo brands do you admire, and why? How would you approach designing an experience for them?" (Demonstrate research and creative application.)

• "How do you foster a collaborative and innovative environment within a design team?" (Focus on leadership style and team dynamics.)

• "How do you ensure brand authenticity and consistency across diverse touchpoints and markets?" (Focus on brand guardianship and process.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Storytelling is Key: Frame each project as a narrative – the challenge, your journey (process), and the triumphant outcome (results).

• Quantify Impact: Wherever possible, use numbers and data to illustrate success. This could include engagement rates, social media reach, foot traffic, lead generation, or any other relevant metrics. For operations professionals, this resonates strongly.

• Visual Clarity: Ensure your presentation is visually engaging but clean. Avoid clutter and let your design work speak for itself, supported by your clear explanations.

• Focus on Process & Strategy: Be prepared to discuss why you made certain design choices, not just what you designed. Emphasize your strategic thinking and problem-solving approach.

• Conciseness: Respect the interviewer's time. Practice your presentation to be within the allocated timeframe, hitting all key points efficiently.

📝 Enhancement Note: These interview questions and preparation tips are designed to help candidates showcase strategic thinking, problem-solving, and a results-oriented approach, aligning with expectations for both creative leadership and operations roles. The emphasis on quantifiable impact is particularly relevant for operations candidates.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Brand Experience Design Manager position:

• Submit your application through the PepsiCo jobs portal at https://pepjobs.mypepsico.com.

• Portfolio Customization: Curate and tailor your professional portfolio to highlight 3-5 of your most relevant projects that demonstrate end-to-end brand experience design, activation strategy, and measurable impact, particularly any experience relevant to FMCG or APAC markets.

• Resume Optimization: Ensure your resume clearly articulates your 7+ years of experience, leadership capabilities, strategic design skills, and achievements using keywords from the job description (e.g., Brand Experience, Activation Design, Creative Direction, Cross-Functional Collaboration, APAC Markets).

• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your design process, leadership philosophy, and strategic approach to brand experience. Prepare specific examples for behavioral questions and be ready to present your portfolio confidently, focusing on storytelling and measurable outcomes.

• Company Research: Deeply research PepsiCo's brand portfolio, its presence and strategy in the APAC region, and recent marketing campaigns to demonstrate genuine interest and understanding of the company's business context.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and industry-standard assumptions. All details, especially regarding salary and specific benefits, should be verified directly with the hiring organization during the application and interview process.