Innovation Design Senior Manager

Overview

At PepsiCo Design, we have a saying: "We're crazy enough to think we can inspire the future." That belief drives everything we imagine, create, and bring to life.

 

Design is a strategic capability at PepsiCo, creating business value through innovation, brand experiences, and product excellence. As one of the first global food and beverage companies to unite design strategy, innovation, industrial design, user experience and brand experience design within a single organization, we leverage design as a force for growth and transformation.

 

SodaStream is a critical part of PepsiCo's future—a consumer-centric, sustainability-led business uniquely positioned at the intersection of beverages, appliances, and connected experiences. Together, PepsiCo and SodaStream have the opportunity to redefine how people discover, create, and enjoy beverages at home and beyond.

 

PepsiCo Design & Innovation exists to identify new opportunities, solve meaningful consumer problems, and create experiences that drive long-term business growth. We innovate with intent—combining human insight, emerging technologies, design excellence, and business strategy to create solutions that positively impact consumers, brands, and the world around us.

 

As we continue to evolve SodaStream beyond its core business, Design & Innovation will play a central role in shaping the future of beverage. Our focus is on creating healthier, more sustainable, and more connected consumer experiences that meet changing needs around the world.

 

Our ambition is clear: transform SodaStream from a sparkling water maker into a connected beverage platform that seamlessly combines PepsiCo's beverage portfolio, SodaStream's appliance ecosystem, and emerging digital experiences. By integrating products, services, and technology, we aim to create meaningful consumer experiences that deliver the beverages people want—when, where, and how they want them—with less waste.

 

This role will help define and deliver that future.

Responsibilities

The Opportunity

 

The Innovation Design Senior Manager is a highly strategic and deeply hands-on design leader responsible for shaping and delivering the future of the Sodastream ecosystem. This role combines innovation leadership, industrial design excellence, and cross-functional influence to identify new growth opportunities and translate them into commercially viable consumer experiences.

 

Reporting to the Head of Sodastream Industrial Design, this individual will lead the development of innovation strategies, product concepts, and design solutions across Sodastream's portfolio of appliances, bottles, consumables, accessories, service and connected experiences. The role requires equal strength in strategic thinking and execution—someone who is comfortable defining future innovation platforms while also actively creating, developing, and refining product solutions.

While focus is on leading the strategic innovation pipeline and shaping future growth opportunities for SodaStream, the successful candidate will be a hands-on practitioner who personally contributes to concept generation, product design development, storytelling, prototyping, and innovation execution while leading cross functional teams and external partners.

The ideal candidate possesses exceptional industrial design skills, outstanding innovation capabilities, strong business acumen, and the ability to inspire teams, influence senior stakeholders, and drive ideas from insight to commercialization.

 

Innovation Leadership

• Drive the innovation agenda across the Sodastream ecosystem, identifying opportunities that unlock future growth and create competitive advantage.
• Build innovation strategies and roadmaps rooted in consumer insights, brand strategy, emerging technologies, cultural shifts, and Sodastream’s business priorities.
• Lead opportunity identification, concept development, and innovation platform creation across products, services, systems, and experiences.
• Challenge conventional approaches and champion future-focused perspectives that inspires and accelerates meaningful innovation.
• Translate complex business challenges into actionable innovation opportunities that drive value for consumers and the organization.
• Leverage deep expertise in innovation frameworks, methodologies, and agile development to guide cross-functional teams through iterative prototyping, validation and execution.

Design Strategy

• Define holistic design strategies that connect brand, product, packaging, digital experiences, services, and future ecosystems.
• Ensure all innovation activity supports the long-term vision of transforming Sodastream from a sparkling water maker into a connected beverage platform.
• Integrate consumer needs, brand objectives, sustainability priorities, technological advancements, and business goals into a cohesive innovation vision.
• Monitor emerging trends, technologies, startups, and adjacent industries to identify opportunities for disruption and growth.

Hands-On Design Leadership

• Lead and personally contribute to the creation of world-class product experiences from early exploration through commercialization.
• Generate, sketch, prototype, visualize, and develop product concepts that elevate the consumer experience and strengthen the Sodastream brand.
• Drive form exploration, interaction design, user experience, CMF development, and product architecture.
• Create compelling design narratives and storytelling frameworks that align stakeholders and drive decision-making.
• Leverage AI-powered tools and emerging technologies to enhance creativity, accelerate exploration, and improve design outcomes.
• Maintain a high bar for design excellence across all deliverables.

Product Development & Execution

• Partner closely with Engineering, R&D, Brand Design, Marketing, Insights, and Commercial teams to ensure innovation concepts are feasible, desirable, viable, and scalable.
• Balance consumer desirability with technical feasibility, sustainability objectives, manufacturing requirements, and commercial realities.
• Guide projects through the complete product development process from insight generation through production.
• Drive key design decisions and secure leadership alignment throughout development.
• Ensure all projects are delivered with excellence, on time, and within budget.

Cross-Functional & External Partnerships

• Lead cross functional teams and external agencies to deliver breakthrough innovation outcomes.
• Build strong partnerships across global functions to align innovation efforts and accelerate execution.
• Influence senior stakeholders through clear communication, compelling storytelling, and evidence-based recommendations.
• Foster a culture of curiosity, experimentation, learning, and creative excellence.

Compensation & Benefits:

• The expected compensation range for this position is between $132,200 - $262,400.
• 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 25% of annual salary paid out annually and an additional target payout of 10% of annual salary is paid out over 3 years following the end of the performance period.
• Long term incentive equity may be awarded based on eligibility and performance.
• 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.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in industrial design or related field required.
• 10+ years of experience leading innovation, industrial design, or product experience development within global organizations.
• Proven track record of bringing innovative consumer products, services, or experiences from concept to market.
• Exceptional industrial design portfolio demonstrating excellence in innovation, strategy, product design and execution.
• Deep expertise in design thinking, innovation methodologies, and human-centered design.
• Strong understanding of product development, engineering processes, manufacturing technologies, and commercialization.
• Outstanding form development, visualization, sketching, prototyping, and storytelling capabilities.
• Advanced proficiency in 3D modeling and visualization tools.
• Working knowledge of AI-enabled design workflows and emerging creative technologies.
• Experience developing connected products, ecosystems, or integrated consumer experiences is a strong advantage.
• Demonstrated ability to lead ambiguity and transform insights into actionable innovation strategies.
• Strong presence and ability to influence senior stakeholders across functions.
• Excellent communication, storytelling, presentation, and facilitation skills.
• Passion for innovation, sustainability, and creating experiences that positively impact consumers and the world.

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