Twinings
Lead Sensory and Consumer Scientist
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Department: New Product Development
Location: Andover
Description
Great People Work Here
Are you searching for a career with bags of variety, in an environment that celebrates differences and empowers collaboration, which values individuals and will encourage you to make an impact? Do you want the freedom to explore, and the opportunities to find new ways, innovate and shape the future of Tea at Twinings?
We’re looking for someone who can bring their expertise in sensory and consumer science to drive our consumer-led journey, and would love to hear from people who don’t just come here to get the job done, but who have a real passion for the brand and a desire to do the best job they can.
You'll get a lot in return - a competitive salary plus bonus potential, car allowance, hybrid working, private medical, onsite gym / wellness centre and much more - but most of all an opportunity to shape the future of one of the best-known and long established brands globally.
This is a fixed term maternity-cover contract for 12 months, so plenty of time to make a tangible impact and whilst we can't make any promises, we do prioritise internal talent when opportunities arise!
Key Responsibilities
- You'll lead a world class sensory capability that underpins R&D decision making and drives brand growth, whilst also driving rigour and agility in product insight, decision making and qualification across the Stage and Gate cycle.
- Partnering seamlessly with technical and commercial teams to demonstrate the richness of technical insights that sensory brings, and with the Insights team to maximise insight and consumer-product understanding, you will be able to develop CBAs (Current Best Approaches) for maximising learning through sensory research - whilst also explore and piloting the exciting role of AI within Sensory.
- Building consumer-product model for innovations which drive our future growth goals, and bringing in the desired consumer experience will be engrained in your role - plus you'll also lead integration into product development to ensure innovation is focused on key quality attributes that best drive consumer liking.
- Business Partnering with stakeholders will give what you do a real voice and level of exposure across Twinings, working within R&D and beyond (for example with commercial teams) to drive consumer led thinking of strategic big bet platform technologies.
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Skills, Knowledge and Expertise
- Accomplished Product Research/CCS (Consumer Sensory Science) Manager with 8-10 years CSS FMCG experience and ideally several years’ experience in beverages, with relevant scientific degree.
- Experienced in leading Product Research/consumer science and sensory programs resulting in significant business impact via consumer delighting innovation and compelling product claims.
- Proven ability to link consumer insight, consumer and sensory product understanding and technical knowledge to drive consumer led innovation.
- Motivational leader: technically and consumer curious and commercially minded who is confident steering and challenging R&D and commercial thinking in pursuit of consumer-product design.
- Experienced in CSS research methods, capabilities and the analysis and interpretation of data/learnings for actionable insights that inform decisions is essential. Sensory expertise and quantitative product testing experience is critical and qualitative research skills are desirable.
- Natural communicator and collaborator; able to effectively engage and enrol others in a vision.
- Experience in digital approaches for speed and quality learning (least amount of most effective research).
- Curious mindset – keen exploration of new/novel methodologies to fully deliver the best product experience for our consumers.
- Agile and creative mindset: able to see big picture/broader business opportunities, work at pace, and leverage excellent organisational skills to drive impact. and ideally ‘tech savvy’.
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Benefits
- Yearly bonus based on personal contribution and financial performance
- Flexible working options
- 25 days holiday plus 8 bank holidays and the option to buy and sell holidays
- Onsite Gym and Wellbeing Centre
- Perkbox – employee discount scheme with discounts online, in high street stores, cinema, holidays, restaurants and many more
- Pension scheme with your contributions matched for up to 10% of your salary
- Cycle to work scheme
- SimplyHealth Cash plan
- Onsite Staff shop and online staff discounts
- Bupa Private Medical Insurance
- Competitive Car Allowance
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