Manager, Sensory Design & Capability

Job Overview

Danone North America is seeking an experienced, impact-driven individual to join our Research & Innovation organization as Manager, Sensory Design & Future Capability
. This role plays a critical part in driving consumer centricity by translating insights into clear, actionable product experiences.

You will lead advanced category learning, define scalable sensory design guidance, and embed foresight into innovation strategies, helping teams make better decisions today while building capabilities for the future. This role requires strong strategic thinking, technical depth, and the ability to influence across functions and levels.

Salary range: $,000 USD. Additional compensation includes performance-based bonus and a comprehensive benefits package. This role is hybrid, requiring presence at the assigned office location at least 3 days per week.

Category & Consumer Understanding

• Lead advanced category learning to identify drivers of liking, preference structures, and consumer decision journeys.
• Lead competitive understanding from a sensory lens.
• Translate complex data into clear, compelling guidance for strategic decision-making.

Scalable Sensory Design

• Create and standardize sensory and experience design playbook used across innovation and renovation pipelines in key categories.
• Leverage large internal data sets to uncover new insights, patterns, and strategic implications.
• Champion data-driven, consumer-centered ways of working.

Capability Building

• Pioneer/Adopt new capabilities such as AI in day-to-day work.
• Partner with global team in piloting new capabilities in North America.

Leadership & Influence

• Act as a trusted thought partner to R&I, SIA and Marketing and global UX teams.
• Influence without authority to align stakeholders around shared consumer and product truths.

What Success Looks Like

• Recognized as a go-to expert in sensory strategy and category drivers of liking.
• Scalable sensory design guidance adopted across multiple categories.
• Existing data assets unlocked for greater strategic value.

Physical Demands & Work Environment

• This role is primarily performed in a standard office setting and requires the ability to remain in a stationary position for extended periods.
• The employee may be exposed to moderate noise levels from office equipment and conversations.

Education & Experience

• Master's degree required (PhD preferred) in Sensory Science, Consumer Science, Food Science, Market Research, Psychology, or a related field.
• 8+ years of experience in consumer research and/or sensory science within CPG or an adjacent industry.
• Demonstrated experience leading preference mapping, drivers of liking, and advanced consumer insight work.
• Proven ability to operate at both strategic and executional levels with increasing scope and influence.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Deep expertise across quantitative modeling, qualitative insight, and sensory evaluation methodologies.
• Strong capability in data mining, synthesis, and translation of large, complex datasets into strategic guidance.
• Excellent storytelling and communication skills with the ability to influence senior stakeholders.
• Creative yet rigorous thinker who balances scientific depth with practical business impact.
• Demonstrated leadership mindset with the ambition and capability to grow into broader enterprise leadership.

• Medical, Dental, Vision, Prescription Drug Coverage.
• 401(k) plan, tuition reimbursement, employee discount programs, voluntary perks.
• Performance-based bonus, wellness program, mental health and substance abuse support.
• Family care: caretaker benefits, 18 weeks of parental bonding, fertility, surrogacy, adoption benefits, pet insurance.

Danone North America is proud to be an Equal Opportunity employer. It is our policy to give equal employment opportunities to all qualified persons without regard to legally protected characteristics, or any other consideration made unlawful by applicable federal, state, provincial and/or local law.

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