Overview The Business Engagement Lead BEL will represent PepsiCo s Global Sustainable Agriculture GSO Ag team across India and the Middle East Africa MEA driving the implementation of our Positive Agriculture Pos Ag agenda This role bridges global strategy with regional execution working closely with Agro Procurement and Sustainability teams as well as suppliers growers and external partners The BEL will ensure accurate reporting enable supplier and grower engagement and strengthen regional leadership alignment to deliver on PepsiCo s Pos Ag goals and commitments The ideal candidate brings solid agricultural or sustainability expertise commercial acumen and the ability to influence senior stakeholders across diverse markets Responsibilities Driving Positive Agriculture Implementation Support the successful execution of the Pos Ag agenda in respective regions adapting responsibilities to regions structures and capabilities Provide procurement Category MSO teams and Agro teams with measurement tools governance structures and reporting frameworks Maintain an up-to-date list of ingredients their sourcing origins and assigned buyers Lead region-based prioritization for Positive Agriculture activation considering risks volumes acres and opportunities Work closely with Agro and Procurement teams to define and refine the execution model independent implementation supplier-led models In-house sustainability programs etc Regional Leadership Engagement Build and maintain trusted relationships with Regional CSOs Procurement teams Regional Category leads MSO teams Agro leads OU Sustainability leads and other relevant stakeholders External partners suppliers In case of Supplier led programs and implementers Act as the first point of contact for regional sustainability inquiries and guidance Engage GSO SMEs Theme and Ingredient leads for deeper expertise on Pos Ag goal delivery like Livelihoods DCF sourcing Forest Risk Commodities and activating enablers like Regional and Global Public Private Partnerships Performance Monitoring Continuous Improvement Conduct monthly review calls with regional CSOs CPOs Agro lead and other key stakeholders using standardized dashboards highlighting KPI s and key actions Identify and address capability gaps in sustainability reporting supplier engagement and impact measurement in conjunction with GSO Pos Ag Capability lead Continuously evaluate and improve sectors sourcing sustainability strategy based on evolving business and environmental needs Ensuring Accurate Effective Glidepath Reporting Provide guidance on glidepath submissions ensuring accuracy and completeness Evaluate submissions provide feedback and engage GSO SMEs where needed Support the regional and Anchor OU sustainability team in overseeing the glidepath process while maintaining commodity country-level details Direct Supply Chains Grower sourced Crops managed by Agro i e Potatoes Driving Positive Agriculture Implementation Work with regional Agro and procurement teams to scale sustainability impact across the sector Oversee and support the execution of Positive Ag initiatives for Agro-managed crops adapting to sector-specific structures and capabilities Provide Agro teams with measurement tools governance structures and reporting requirements Grower Engagement Work with Agro leads and grower networks to implement sustainability best practices including Regen Restore and Protect programs Identify opportunities to expand PepsiCo s direct sourcing model where beneficial Facilitate knowledge-sharing across regions by bringing in global solutions e g Smart Irrigation low emission fertilizers Biochar etc for region-wide adoption Reporting Governance Ensure accurate reporting of Pos Ag metrics for direct-sourced crops Act as the first point of contact for guiding Agro teams on reporting frameworks and compliance Support Agro teams in glidepath reporting ensuring that sustainability commitments are measurable and trackable Conduct monthly reviews with Agro teams to flag risks track progress and recommend course corrections Indirect Supply Chains Supplier-Sourced Crops Managed by Procurement Supplier Implementation Engagement Work closely with Procurement teams Regional Category leads MSO teams to manage supplier-driven sustainability initiatives where makes sense Ensure that suppliers receive clear guidance on measurement tools governance expectations and reporting protocols Ensure alignment of sustainability reporting with procurement and relevant x-charges for GSO led programs with regional and OU finance teams Provide insights on common supply origins across different sectors to drive synergies Provide RFP questions to Procurement teams and join strategic supplier calls to explain PepsiCo Pos Ag goal expectations Help Procurement teams especially buyers understand the holistic cost model by sharing the Pos Ag cost and implications to any change in sourcing model like shifting origins swapping Ingridients etc Evaluate supplier responses on Pos Ag Goal metrics and provide procurement teams with Rankings of suppliers based on sustainability impact Go no-go recommendations or necessary adjustments for approval Post-approval ensure that contractual reporting requirements are embedded in supplier agreements Independent Implementer Engagement Identify evaluate and onboard independent implementation partners to drive supplier-led sustainability programs Lead and manage relationships with third-party sustainability implementers ensuring alignment with PepsiCo s goals Oversee onboarding contracting reporting compliance performance reviews of independent implementers Monitoring Governance of Supplier Programs Receive monthly supplier reports and flag risks inconsistencies or areas for improvement Provide training to suppliers to ensure accurate reporting and compliance with sustainability frameworks Work with Procurement to initiate annual reviews of supplier programs aligning messaging and sustainability commitments Support procurement in accurately developing Pos Ag glidepaths and ensuring accuracy in their sustainability submissions Qualifications Education Experience Master s degree or Post Graduation in Agriculture Sustainability Environmental Science Supply Chain Business or related field 10-12 years of professional experience in agriculture procurement sustainability or supply chain roles with demonstrated leadership in cross-functional and multi-stakeholder settings Experience in program design implementation and monitoring within agriculture or sustainability domains direct and or supplier-sourced Proven track record of engaging with external partners suppliers NGOs governments or implementation partners to deliver sustainability initiatives Preferred Qualifications Direct experience with crops like e g Potatoes Veg Oils Grains and Sweeteners Strong understanding of agricultural systems in India and or MEA markets including smallholder engagement models Familiarity with external sustainability frameworks and initiatives e g SBTi Regen Ag principles Rainforest Alliance Fairtrade WBCSD Demonstrated success in managing supplier-led sustainability programs and independent implementation partners Previous experience in a global FMCG food beverage or agricultural commodity company