Sr Manager, R&D - Sensory Center of Excellence

Job Description

Job Purpose

As the Senior Sensory Center of Excellence (CoE) Manager, you will serve as a key strategic partner and technical lead for sensory science within Kraft Heinz’s North American Zone (NAZ). This role is dedicated to providing expert sensory guidance and fostering a collaborative environment where scientific data helps drive product excellence. As the leader of this specialized CoE, you will focus on growing and mentoring a talented team of sensory professionals. Your goal is to provide the R&D organization with the "sensory source of truth”, delivering clear, actionable recommendations through a consultative approach that ensures our products are consistently best-in-class.

Essential Functions & Responsibilities

· Team Development & Sensory CoE Leadership

o Talent Cultivation: Lead the growth and professional development of a high-performing sensory team. You will focus on coaching sensory scientists and panel leaders to reach their full potential through active mentorship and technical support.

o Collaborative Culture: Foster a team environment rooted in scientific curiosity and cross-functional partnership, ensuring the sensory team is seen as an accessible and vital resource for the broader R&D community.

o Operational Excellence: Optimize CoE workflows by integrating advanced digital tools and automation; evaluate and implement new sensory methodologies that reduce testing cycles and improve data reliability across global product development teams

· Annual Benchmarking & Product Stewardship

o QDA Leadership & Strategic Mapping: Spearhead the Yearly Product Profiling Program by designing and executing complex Quantitative Descriptive Analysis (QDA) studies. Partner with R&D to establish a systematic rhythm for mapping the portfolio against market standards, translating technical sensory fingerprints into strategic roadmaps for product optimization and high-impact innovation.

o Sensory Guidance: Serve as a trusted consultant for R&D project teams, offering expert recommendations on methodology—including discrimination, descriptive, and sensory screenings—to ensure project objectives are met with scientific integrity.

o Consistent Standards: Facilitate the adoption of best practices in sensory science across the zone, ensuring that the methodologies used are reliable, reproducible, and aligned with industry standards.

· Technical Partnership & Insights

o Actionable Recommendations: Translate complex sensory data into meaningful guidance that helps R&D partners refine product design principles and optimize formulations.

o Substantiation Support: Work closely with legal and regulatory partners to provide the sensory data needed to support product claims and benefits in a scientifically sound manner.

o Knowledge Sharing: Represent the North American CoE within the Global Sensory Excellence network, contributing to a global community of practice and staying informed on emerging sensory trends and technologies. Represent Kraft Heinz in professional organizations and at industry conferences.

o External Network Management: Build and maintain strong relationships with external sensory partners, ensuring we have the agility and specialized support needed for complex projects.

People Management Responsibilities

· Team (salaried): 5 direct reports.

Expected Experience & Required Skills

· Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Sensory Science, or a related Physical Science required. Master’s or PhD degree in Sensory Science or related field preferred.

· Minimum 8 years of experience in Sensory Science or Sensory Research within an FMCG/CPG environment (Food & Beverage preferred).

· Demonstrated ability to mentor, develop, and inspire technical teams, fostering a collaborative and high-performing culture.

· Experience developing and managing product benchmarking programs that generate long-term insights and value for the organization.

· Strong ability to translate complex sensory results into clear, actionable insights for cross-functional partners.

· Experience leveraging modern sensory software and digital data platforms to enhance the accuracy, speed, and strategic impact of sensory research.

· Ability to influence and guide others through expertise, credibility, and partnership rather than authority, while maintaining a people-first leadership approach.

· Demonstrates a proactive mindset toward evolving processes, adopting new technologies, and driving operational improvements, while leading teams through change.

· Ability to connect sensory activities (e.g., profiling, mapping, and benchmarking) to broader R&D strategy and long-term business objectives.

· Strong commitment to accurate, unbiased data and scientific rigor to inf