Senior Manager, Consumer Insights

Dole Packaged Foods•Thousand Oaks, CA

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

Dole Packaged Foods is a purpose led organization that is a champion of accessible fruit nutrition and builds a brighter future for people through the goodness of fruit. At Dole, our culture is uniquely driven by core Values. Our commitment to these Values transforms our work into a meaningful journey toward a brighter future together. Here, you'll be part of a respectful, inclusive culture that deeply values our colleagues, customers, and global communities. We strive for excellence, empowering each other to confidently overcome challenges, continuously learn, and achieve world-class results. Guided by unwavering integrity, our actions consistently reflect our commitment to always doing what's right, fostering lasting trust and strong relationships. Through a spirit of collaboration, we cultivate positivity, generosity, and genuine teamwork, enabling collective success toward our One Dole Purpose. Our innovative spirit leads directly to meaningful outcomes and business success. As the Senior Manager, Consumer Insights, you will serve as a strategic thought leader and trusted advisor to cross‑functional partners across Marketing, Innovation, Sales, and Strategy. This role is responsible for shaping the consumer insights agenda, delivering advanced, actionable insights, and influencing key business decisions that drive growth, brand positioning, and innovation. This is a high‑impact individual contributor role with enterprise‑level influence. You will independently own complex insights workstreams, partner closely with senior stakeholders, and leverage both internal data and external research partners to ensure Dole’s strategies remain deeply grounded in consumer understanding. This role provides flexibility to work in a hybrid environment of home and our Westlake Village, CA office. (Hybrid is defined as 3 times per week in the office).

Requirements

8+ years of experience in consumer insights, market research, or related fields, preferably within the CPG industry.
Experience working within an in‑house consumer insights team, either exclusively or in combination with agency experience is required.
Deep expertise in qualitative and quantitative research methods, including surveys, focus groups, ethnography and product testing.
Strong proficiency with consumer and market data platforms (e.g., Numerator, Nielsen, SPSS, or similar tools).
Demonstrated ability to translate complex data into clear, strategic insights that influence business decisions.
Exceptional communication and storytelling skills, with experience presenting to senior leadership audiences.
Proven ability to manage multiple complex projects and prioritize work in a fast-paced environment
Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Consumer Behavior, Business, or a related field required
Ability to sit and use the computer for extended periods of time; ability to answer phones and use a variety of office equipment; ability to lift 15 pounds and reach overhead.

Nice To Haves

Experience within the food or beverage industry.
Knowledge of digital and emerging tools for consumer tracking and analytics.
Strong understanding of evolving consumer behavior related to health, sustainability, and premiumization.
Experience working with and directing third-party research agencies.
Master’s degree preferred

Responsibilities

Consumer & Market Trend Leadership - Continuously identify, synthesize, and interpret emerging consumer, category, and cultural trends related to preferences, flavors, packaging, nutrition claims, and health behaviors. Translate these trends into forward‑looking implications for brand strategy and innovation.
Advanced Consumer Sentiment & Behavior Analysis - Analyze social listening, reviews, survey data, and other qualitative and quantitative sources to uncover shifts in consumer sentiment, motivations, and unmet needs. Partner with external agencies as needed to deepen analysis and validate findings.
Consumer Segmentation & Target Definition - Design, refine, and evolve sophisticated consumer segmentation frameworks, defining priority target segments, behaviors, motivations, and need states. Ensure segmentation is actionable and embedded into marketing, innovation, and commercial decision‑making.
Market Landscape & White Space Opportunities - Conduct in‑depth market and competitive analyses to identify non‑consumption, unmet needs, and white‑space opportunities. Clearly articulate growth opportunities and strategic implications for the business.
Consumer Decision Journey Mapping - Develop and maintain consumer decision trees and journey maps across retail and e‑commerce channels, identifying key drivers, barriers, and moments that influence purchase decisions.
Need States, Occasions & Motivations - Define and assess consumer need states, occasions, and emotional drivers that influence purchasing behavior, enabling sharper targeting, positioning, and messaging strategies.
Strategic Insight Translation & Influence - Synthesize complex research, sales data, and market inputs into clear, compelling insights and recommendations. Influence cross‑functional partners and senior leadership by connecting insights directly to business outcomes.
Consumer Insights Learning Agenda Ownership - Own and evolve the consumer insights learning agenda, ensuring research investments align with strategic priorities. Balance short‑term business needs with longer-term capability building, leveraging internal and external resources.
Innovation & Product Testing Leadership - Independently manage consumer testing for innovation launches, renovation, and packaging updates. Oversee study design, execution, analysis, and recommendation development, partnering with agencies where appropriate.
Insights Reporting & Storytelling - Develop high‑impact reports, presentations, and narratives that clearly communicate consumer truths, category dynamics, and strategic opportunities to diverse stakeholder groups.
External Partner Management - Serve as the primary point of contact for third‑party research agencies, ensuring high-quality execution, strong partnership, and maximum value from external investments.
Other duties as assigned