Manager User Experience Plant-Based Food & Beverage

Short Intro and About the Job

Danone is seeking a UX (User Experience) Manager within Research & Innovation (R&I) to lead consumer and sensory strategy for our plant-based food and beverage portfolio in the United States, based in Louisville, CO.

The UX Manager will own and shape the consumer and sensory research agenda: leading advanced category insights and translating consumer understanding into winning innovations & design strategies. This role requires strong strategic thinking, technical depth, and the ability to influence across functions and levels.

The Role
Key Responsibilities
As a leader within our UX team, you will play key role in inspiring consumer-centric decisions and driving our mission to bring health through food to as many people as possible. The following responsibilities outline the core expectations and contributions for this position:

Category & Consumer Understanding
Lead advanced category understanding (ethnography, usage/user journey, and market analysis) to identify emerging consumer needs and whitespace opportunities
Facilitate early-stage consumer-embedded research to develop product, claims and packaging ideas via rapid, iterative prototyping/protocepting (e.g. design thinking or co-creation)
Lead competitive understanding for the plant-based category from a consumer & sensory lens, identifying trend, ingredient, and product insights that serve to strengthen pipelines & innovation positioning
Lead a quantitative research program that guides development & validates the superiority of our innovations & renovations, using advanced research methods including preference modeling (e.g. LSA, external preference mapping, or DOE) to understand category drivers of liking and benefit cues.
Translate complex data into clear, compelling guidance for strategic decision-making
Identify consumer perception claim opportunities &work cross-functionally with marketing, insights, and legal to develop & execute strategic claims support

Leadership & Influence
Act as a trusted partner to research & innovation, insights, and marketing and global UX teams, to develop fully aligned & integrated research plans
Influence key stakeholders around shared consumer and product truths, driving decisions on pipeline, including points of difference and product design features to truly meet consumer needs
Champion consumer-led and data-based decision making in the US organization, utilizing emerging ai tools as a key enabler for future growth

What Success Looks Like
Recognized as a go-to expert in our plant-based consumers, championing an outside-in mindset that brings competitiveness to the forefront of decision making
Influence the strategic direction of the plant-based business with understanding of unmet needs & emerging trends
Delivering insights that strengthen our product taste while enhancing the nutritional profile of our products

Physical Demands & Work Environment
This role is primarily performed in a standard office setting and requires the ability to remain in a stationary position (e.g., seated or standing) for extended periods.
The employee may be exposed to moderate noise levels from office equipment and conversations.

The salary range for this position is $,000 USD. The exact salary offered will depend on several factors, including the candidate's relevant experience, geographic location, internal equity, and market conditions. Danone North America additionally offers a performance-based bonus and has a strong benefits package including Medical, Dental, Vision, Prescription Drug Coverage, 401k Plan, Wellness Program, Life Insurance, Tuition Reimbursement, Flexible Time Off, and Paid Parental Bonding Leave, among other benefit plan options.

To give our employees flexibility, Danone is a hybrid work environment.

This role is considered a "hybrid" position that allows for flexible work, meaning it is a role where collaboration with key stakeholders in Danone Hubs occurs. While you may have the option to work from home on a schedule as agreed to with your supervisor, you are also expected to regularly report to your assigned office location at least 3 days per week.

About You

Qualifications & Capabilities

• Bachelor's or ideally Master's degree in Food Science, Sensory Science, Market Research, or a closely related field, with deep, hands-on experience in consumer and sensory research.
• 8+ years of experience (or equivalent impact) in consumer research and/or sensory evaluation within a Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) environment; experience in Dairy and/or Plant-Based Foods preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to lead consumer and sensory strategy, not just execute research-using insight to shape innovation direction, portfolio priorities, and business decisions.
• Experience with fuzzy-front end research practices and consumer co-creation, with experience in design thinking-based research preferred
• Advanced expertise in consumer and sensory methodologies, including behavioral and human-centered research practices, as well as quantitative…