Applied Behavioural Science Director

Applied Behavioural Science Director

Location:

1202 Genève (GE).

Employment type:

Permanent. Start:
Immediately. Workload: 100 %.

As our global Applied Behavioural Science Director, you will be at the forefront of embedding behavioural science into how JTI designs products, experiences, and influences real-world adult consumer behaviour for reduced risk products. Your mission, in this newly created role, is to translate behavioural science into practical, scalable solutions that shape how adult consumers decide, form less harmful behaviours, and sustain a switch away from combustible products to non-combustible reduced risk alternatives.

You will build and lead applied behavioural science as a new strategic capability, moving beyond stated preferences to understand how behaviour is formed in context. By applying behavioural theory and evidence to moments of choice, you will help design propositions, experiences, and communications that reflect how consumers actually interpret, decide and act. Working across R&D, Innovation, Strategic Insights, Marketing, Commercial and Digital, you will act as both a subject matter expert and delivery leader.

You will advise teams on behavioural science questions and theory, lead and oversee behavioural science research projects and experiments, and ensure behavioural thinking is embedded from early design through to in-market execution. You will also play a critical role in connecting scientific rigor with real-world execution, building a culture where decisions are grounded in observed behaviour, experimentation, and causal evidence.

In a highly regulated environment, you will ensure all behavioural approaches are applied responsibly, strengthening both decision quality and consumer trust.

Define and lead JTI’s applied behavioural science strategy, embedding behavioural science thinking into reduced risk proposition design, communication and commercialisation. Lead and oversee a portfolio of behavioural science projects, including applied projects with immediate business relevance and fundamental projects that deepen category-specific understanding of switching behaviours, behaviour formation, persistence, and consumer decision-making. Leverage advances in behavioural science to diagnose the behavioural drivers of reduced risk choice, behaviour formation, switching and loyalty, identifying mechanisms such as framing, defaults, social influence and friction.

Translate established and emerging behavioural science theory into clear, evidence-led inputs that shape reduced risk portfolio direction, innovation priorities and go-to-market strategy. Design, lead and oversee real-life and digital experiments and embed behavioural interventions across propositions and experiences (both offline and online) to improve trial, adoption and long-term engagement for reduced risk propositions thereby contributing to harm reduction outcomes. Leverage science to inform behavioural communication strategy and choice architecture for reduced risk propositions, ensuring messaging, activation and touchpoints reflect how consumers interpret and respond in real contexts.

Act as the functional applied behavioural science subject matter expert, while establishing frameworks, tools and standards that enable cross functional teams to apply behavioural science consistently and effectively. Partner with Legal and Regulatory Affairs to ensure behavioural approaches meet the highest standards of rigor, ethics and credibility.

10–12+ years of relevant professional experience. Deep expertise in theoretical and applied behavioural science, behavioural economics, psychology or decision sciences, with strong applied experience in industry or consultancy. A proven ability to translate behavioural theories and insights into commercial, innovation, and communication outcomes, not just research outputs. A deep understanding of behavioural mechanisms such as choice architecture, behaviour formation, and social influence.

Postgraduate degree (PhD/MSc) in applied behavioural science, behavioural economics,…