Global R&D Trialling Excellence Manager

PepsiCo is looking for Global R&D Agricultural Science – Global Trialling Excellence Manager to join in R&D site in Leicester.

This exciting role sits within the Agricultural Science team, a core function that delivers research and development to support PepsiCo’s billion-dollar global food brands, including Lays, Walkers, Doritos and Quaker. Our global team of scientists is at the heart of PepsiCo’s mission – driving world class research, development and innovation in new crop technologies and practices that delivers for both people and the planet.

Reporting into the Global Trialling Excellence Lead, the Agricultural Science Global Trialling Excellence Manager is a new role whose primary responsibility is focused on adapting, managing and communicating the standards for experimental design, field trial protocols, assessment methods and associated training materials to ensure trialling excellence across the PepsiCo Agricultural Science R&D global trialling network. The role is also responsible for QA of the field trial data packages generated across the global trialling network to ensure the integrity and interoperability for all global field trials.

Responsibilities

• Responsibility for setting and managing our global trialling standards across all PepsiCo Agricultural Science led field trials which take place around the world, including the experimental design, protocols and training materials

• Responsibility for ensuring the execution of field trial data package QA across all Agricultural Science led field trials globally

• Responsibility for ensuring globally standardised, consistent and interoperable field and post-harvest data is collected by setting the standards for field assessments including methodologies and equipment used both in field and postharvest

• Act as a Subject Matter Expert in research agronomy for potato and small grains across PepsiCo R&D categories, Office of Sustainability and Procurement teams

• Develop and maintain strong collaborative relationships across the Agricultural Science Global trialling network, including with Agricultural Science regional trialling execution teams, contract research organisations (CROs), and partner universities to align on and implement agreed experimental designs, protocols and assessments

• Provide regular and timely project progress updates to key stakeholders to ensure continued alignment with business objectives

• Provide high quality research outcomes to support and document delivery against the Global Ag Strategy, Annual Operating Plan and pep+ goals

• Higher degree or equivalent in Agriculture/Crop Science, plus 7 years’ experience in designing and executing field research projects with agronomy, AgriTech and/or sustainable agriculture.

• The above experience must include potato, ideally for the processing/crisping industry. Oats and/or corn would be an advantage.

• Experience with global agronomic research and associated assessment methods.

• Track record in delivering technical project outcomes through others, taking account of global ways of working and cultural practices.

• Expertise in experimental design and implementation of field and lab-based experiments.

• Experience in potato storage research would be advantageous.

• Skilled in working with large datasets and statistical interpretation.

• Demonstrated ability to explain complex scientific concepts to other scientists and to non-technical business partners.

• Cross-functional team player as part of an agile global working group.

• Experience of working with and managing external vendors, including quoting and drafting of research contracts.