Latam Variety Trialing and Deployment Lead

Overview:**We Are PepsiCo**Join PepsiCo and Dare for Better We are the perfect place for curious people, thinkers and change agents. From leadership to front lines, we're excited about the future and working together to make the world a better place.Being part of PepsiCo means being part of one of the largest food and beverage companies in the world, with our iconic brands consumed more than a billion times a day in more than 200 countries.Our product portfolio, which includes 22 of the world's most iconic brands, such as Sabritas, Gamesa, Quaker, Pepsi, Gatorade and Sonrics, has been a part of Mexican homes for more than 116 years.A career at PepsiCo means working in a culture where all people are welcome. Here, you can dare to be you. No matter who you are, where you're from, or who you love, you can always influence the people around you and make a positive impact in the world.**Know more**:PepsiCoJobs**Join PepsiCo, dare for better.****Responsibilities**:**The Opportunity**This role leads variety trialing strategies across LATAM to address raw material challenges, develop agritechnologies, and deliver sustainable solutions for supply chain growth. Overseeing a team of 8-10 scientists in ~6 countries, it ensures testing of proprietary varieties to enhance consumer satisfaction, sustainability, and processing efficiency.Key responsibilities include building strategic partnerships, translating research into deployable solutions, and representing the team in LATAM leadership forums. The position aligns variety testing and agronomic practices with regional needs, ensuring supply chain continuity while meeting pep+ sustainability and quality goals.**Your Impact**Lead the strategy and execution of variety trialing projects across LATAM to address raw material challenges, develop sustainable agronomic practices, and deliver innovative solutions for supply chain growth and continuity. Manage a regional team and foster collaboration with internal and external stakeholders to ensure new potato variety development aligns with business, sustainability, and quality goals.**Key Responsibilities**:**Leadership and Team Management**:- Oversee a team of 8-10 scientists across ~6 LATAM countries for variety and agronomic testing.- Ensure efficient operations for trialing programs, data collection, and deployment of solutions.**Strategic Planning and Execution**:- Develop and implement short- and long-term strategies for variety testing, technology integration, and grower practice optimization.- Align trialing operations with divisional objectives and supply chain needs.- Manage budgets, ensuring alignment with organizational goals.**Collaboration and Stakeholder Management**:- Build relationships with universities, industry partners, and internal teams to advance research and deliver actionable solutions.- Represent R&D at LATAM leadership meetings, ensuring technical solutions address regional needs and opportunities.**Innovation and Product Development**:- Lead testing and deployment of new proprietary potato varieties with traits for consumer, sustainability, and processing efficiency gains.- Guide product life cycle management to optimize supply chain performance and meet market needs.- Coordinate technical recommendations and best practices for growers and procurement teams.**Pipeline and Market Analysis**:- Oversee product advancement teams, ensuring effective new product introductions and alignment with strategic priorities.- Research market trends, competitive landscape, and opportunities to minimize risks and support business growth.**Compliance and Representation**:- Maintain safety, confidentiality, and compliance with research agreements.- Represent PepsiCo in external consortia, government research initiatives, and grant programs.Qualifications:**Who Are We Looking For?****Education**- PhD or MS in Agronomic/Crop/Horticulture Sciences or related discipline with at least 7 years experience (including graduate school years) in developing solutions for growers in producing potato raw materials.**Experience**- Track record in corporate setting of testing new varieties from breeding, agronomic practice development and agritechnology to deliver best recommended solutions set for growers to produce top quality potatoes meeting corporate sustainability targets and consumer wants- Significant experience agronomy technology development, breeding, biotech, and integrated agricultural solution development and launch is highly desirable.- Track record of success in managing project execution via external collaborations and partnerships.- Demonstrated research experience in leading teams in the testing of new variety, growing practices and agricultural technology and final recommendation of solutions for grower on farm use is highly desirable.- Excellent communication and networking ability with internal and external audiences that have a wide range of scientifi