Director, Functional Ingredients Platform Research

About the Research Team:

The Research to Experimentation (RtE) function in TI&SC delivers scalable and impactful innovations in the areas of ingredients, packaging, and dispensing (package-less) that grow, sustain, and protect our business. The Flavor and Ingredients Research (FIR) team is part of RtE and creates a compelling consumer holistic experience through flavor & ingredients.

Our team is researching and developing the most advanced science and technology to design ingredient solutions for beverages to help drive business innovation and growth.

The Director of Functional Ingredients Research will lead the ingredient research for functional benefits. This high-impact role will continue advancing our expertise in areas such as (but not limited to) protein science, digestive health and functional peptides, striving to unlock transformational opportunities for differentiation in functional beverages.

This role has global scope, and we are looking for a thought leader with technical subject matter expert and influencing skills. The ideal candidate will have a strong track record in combining deep scientific and academic expertise with hands-on experience in the Consumer-Packaged Goods (CPG) or ingredient industry and will bring leadership acumen to develop and execute a robust research pipeline across short, mid, and long-term horizons.

The individual will play a pivotal role in driving innovation in functional ingredients while collaborating across global networks to deliver impactful solutions aligned with The Coca-Cola Company's strategic vision of beverages for life.

• Develop, execute and lead the research strategy and pipeline (short-mid-long-term) for functional ingredients, with consumer centric approach from insights to communication, to deliver differentiated and transformational solutions for functional beverages.
• Work with appropriate internal and external experts to develop clinical studies and test protocols and experiments to substantiate claims and validate efficacy of functional ingredients and technology.
• Drive end-to-end collaboration with cross-functional teams, including Global Category Innovation, Scientific & Regulatory Affairs, Technical Consumer Research and external partners, to accelerate the innovation process and translate research into consumer-centric ingredient solutions. Responsible for identifying, recommending, and managing external research partners.
• Stay ahead of cutting-edge developments in functional ingredient science and proactively identify novel technologies, partnerships, or methodologies to maintain competitive advantage.
• Provide technical guidance and leadership across global and regional networks while influencing stakeholders and aligning priorities to the company’s strategic goals. Present scientific topics to senior leadership and scientific and non-scientific audiences, communicating clearly.
• Gather and organize information under tight timelines to support senior management's decision-making.
• Conduct technical feasibility assessment to provide MVP (minimal viable product) for minimum further product development: prepare samples and sampling plan for ingredients, intermediate or finished products, or other materials to perform analyses (e.g., chemical, physical, sensory, microbiological). Take into consideration aspects like cost, stability, sensorial profile and supply chain.
• Write detailed & accurate reports for analysis, experiments, or projects (e.g., technology assessment and validation, evaluation of new processes).
• Access and make recommendations for technology investments today that will enable future success.
• Assess and interpret relevant scientific literature and studies, ensuring research outputs meet regulatory, safety, and quality compliance standards.
• Foster an innovation mindset and accountability culture within the team and external collaborations to deliver measurable results.

• Advanced degree (PhD preferred) in Nutrition Science, Food Science, Biochemistry, Pharmaceutical Sciences, or a related discipline.
• A minimum of 8-10 years of applied research experience, with a proven track record in the CPG or industry or ingredient company setting.
• Expertise in key focus areas such as protein science, digestive health & microbiome, functional/bioactive peptides.
• Strong leadership capability with experience driving research strategy, managing high-impact projects, and influencing diverse teams and stakeholders.
• Demonstrated understanding of the functional beverage landscape, including scientific, regulatory, and consumer trends.
• Exceptional collaboration and networking skills, with the ability to align cross-functional teams to shared goals.
• Proven curious and innovative mindset, with the ability to turn scientific insights into actionable, consumer-relevant solutions.
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to clearly articulate complex science to both technical and non-technical…