Director, Social Strategy

Overview

PepsiCo is a global leader in food and beverages, operating in over 200 countries with a portfolio that includes 22 iconic billion-dollar brands. Our vision is to be the global leader in beverages by Winning with Purpose, embedding sustainability and innovation into everything we do.

The Studio is PepsiCo Beverages North America’s in-house creative agency and Social AOR. We bring culture-shaping, award-winning work to life across iconic brands like Pepsi, Mountain Dew, Bubly, Mug, and Starry.

As the Director of Social Strategy, you’ll be the driving force behind shaping a social-first vision for some of the most iconic brands in the world. You’ll lead the strategic direction across content creation, platform innovation, and community engagement to ensure PepsiCo’s beverage brands not only stay culturally relevant but also set new standards for social excellence.

In this role, you will pioneer strategies that elevate our brands into leaders of digital culture, turning insights into action and moments into movements. With a focus on creativity, agility, and platform expertise, you’ll inspire and empower cross-functional teams to deliver breakthrough work that sparks conversation, drives engagement, and strengthens connections with audiences across all channels.

Responsibilities

Social Strategy Leadership:

• Lead Social AOR Strategic Operations: Own and direct the overarching social strategy for The Studio, setting the standard for social excellence across all beverage brands, with a focus on driving measurable business impact.
• Set the Vision: Define the long-term social strategy to position our brands as leaders in digital culture and engagement.
• Standardize Social Processes: Build a unified, collaborative social strategy planning calendar and process to streamline execution across teams, including creative, community, and analytics partners.
• Platform Innovation: Establish The Studio as a thought leader in social trends and platform innovation by exploring new opportunities on TikTok, Instagram, YouTube Shorts, Threads, and emerging channels.
• Social Playbooks: Develop comprehensive social strategies that include brand purpose, audience insights, content frameworks, measurement plans, and creative workstreams tailored for each platform.

Content Creation & Community Engagement:

• Social-First Campaigns: Partner with creative teams to oversee the development of best-in-class social-first campaigns and evergreen content that spark conversation, engagement, and cultural relevance.
• Real-Time Engagement: Lead cross-functional efforts to identify, strategize, and activate around real-time cultural moments, ensuring our brands show up authentically and with measurable impact.
• Influencer Strategy: Shape influencer programs that amplify brand messaging and foster community growth.
• Community Insights: Work with community managers to integrate feedback and insights into evolving strategies that keep our brands relevant and responsive.

Capability Development and Innovation

• Social Media Thought Leadership: Establish yourself as a visionary leader and trusted advisor on all social platforms, leveraging deep expertise to guide PepsiCo’s brands in staying ahead of platform trends, technologies, and audience behaviors. Proactively identify and implement opportunities for innovation that solidify PepsiCo’s position as a cultural and digital trendsetter.
• Strategic Process Optimization: Architect and oversee the development of scalable, best-in-class processes for digital brand communication across cross-functional teams (e.g., Legal, Consumer Relations, Communications, Brand) while ensuring alignment with Corporate Governance. Lead efforts to reduce friction, foster efficiency, and future-proof social operations across the organization.
• Cultural Leadership and Advocacy: Champion a culture-first mindset at an organizational level, embedding forward-thinking strategies that reflect and shape the cultural zeitgeist. Partner with leadership to ensure PepsiCo’s social presence authentically connects with consumers, fosters brand love, and positions the company as a cultural authority across markets.

Collaboration & Team Leadership:

• Manage Social Strategists: Lead a high-performing team of social strategists, fostering growth and consistency in execution across the portfolio.
• Partner with Stakeholders: Collaborate with SL&A (Social Listening & Analytics), creative, and brand teams to align social strategies with broader business objectives.
• Cross-Functional Leadership: Work with PBNA to ensure our social strategies integrate seamlessly with broader marketing initiatives.

Measurement & Insights:

• Data-Driven Strategies: Partner with analytics teams