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The Designate Experience

Be Part of the Next Generation of Leadership

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Meet one of our Regional Vice Presidents who has seen exactly how the Zone Sales Leader Designate program is building our best leaders of tomorrow.

When I was first approached about joining PepsiCo Foods North America (PFNA), I politely declined. I had just been promoted to a new role at my old company, and I wasn’t ready to leave. (I know some of you might be feeling the exact same way right now.)

But the recruiter gently followed up. Would I just have a coffee meeting? Just meet someone for breakfast? They started a conversation and kept coming back. That tells you a lot about PFNA’s belief in building the next generation of leaders. When they zero in on talented people, they don’t walk away.

Through those coffee chats and meetings with senior leaders, I got a glimpse of the people and culture at PFNA.

The first thing I could see was how our frontline is the beating heart of our business, and that brings a humbleness throughout the organization. Every day, you are surrounded by high-caliber talent and, yet, there’s this feeling of family and friendly faces wherever you go. You might have heard of “servant-style leadership,” but at PFNA you will see it in action.

Next, you realize how invested PFNA is in making sure that our leadership is not only filled with seasoned associates — who might have started out delivering bags of Fritos and Cheetos — but brings in people like me, a Hispanic female immigrant, with diverse perspectives and different backgrounds.

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Here I am with fellow leaders meeting with our CEO Steven Williams (center).

Our CEO Steven Williams is unapologetic about setting up our company to be faster, stronger and better. And he’s focused on making sure we have that right mix of new and seasoned voices to take the company to the next level. He wants our future leaders to reflect our beliefs in gender and racial diversity and to ensure that those leaders are primed for success.

PFNA is not a company that throws you in a pool and sees how well you can swim; it makes sure that you have the support and development to  never be afraid to dive in.

That’s exactly why we developed the Zone Sales Leader Designate Program.

I have the privilege of managing a few former designates who have now become Zone Sales Directors, and I’ve been amazed by how this program prepares them for the huge responsibilities that this role carries.

When you’re running a Zone, you not only manage our integral frontline and develop new talent, you also brainstorm and test out new innovations in the market and find new ways to elevate our customer service promise. When I talk with my Zone Directors, I don’t tell them to just go and execute — I encourage and empower them to drive the business further.

It’s an integral role at PFNA and a sweet spot for bringing new and diverse leaders into the organization. So, our recruiters seek out rising stars — like you — in the sales field and from the military to be our next Zone Leaders. Then we pay you to just get trained.

For months, we invest time and resources to train you on the DNA of our company and the daily demands of the role. You’re on trucks at 2 a.m. running delivery routes with our frontline drivers, meeting HR leads over coffee to talk hiring processes and shadowing Zone Sales Directors during the day to learn all the ins and outs of the job. You’ll also be connected to mentors and get facetime with senior leadership. It’s demanding, but our designates always bring so much passion and dedication to it. They’re like sponges taking in every moment.

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Some of our amazing team members out in the field.

And the training doesn’t just educate you on the DNA of the company — it also encourages you to bring your fresh perspectives into the ranks of our leadership. It allows you to take the lessons you’ve learned and use your own unique background, voice your opinions fearlessly and say, “Hey, let’s try something new!” And that’s the culture of change that has propelled our company forward from our very roots.

As a Zone Sales Leader, you get to create your own culture within the zone, you get to develop your team and you get to drive the vision and mission for that zone. We’re giving you the opportunity to hone your leadership skills so that you’re ready to take on your next big role as we make PFNA faster, stronger and better in the future.