Sensory Specialist

Ahold Delhaize•Pleasant Hill, CA

2d•Hybrid

About The Position

This position is responsible for the ownership (development and leading) of the routine quality monitoring program for Private Brands. They will plan, execute and oversee a routine quality review testing strategy. Partners with Sensory Manager to assign and manage sensory team members to support. Leads the task force meetings; reviews product concern inputs and complaints and develops action plans; Responsible for success of in-store blind sampling program for private brand products. Owns store communications, testing schedules, provides training and support to the sensory team in report generation and data analysis. Communicates results and develops action plans in conjunction with the sensory manager and business counterparts to drive product quality improvements. Responsible for ensuring all projects and quality improvements stay on track and within specified project timelines. Our flexible/ hybrid work schedule includes 3 in-person days at one of our core locations and 2 remote days. Our core office locations include Salisbury, NC, Quincy, MA, Carlisle, PA, and Scarborough, ME. Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis.

Requirements

Bachelor degree or equivalent combination of education and related work experience in one of the following or related subjects: Food Science, Food Technology, Nutrition, Sensory Science, Biochemistry or Microbiology
5+ years of related experience, preferred in private label/manufacturing
Must be able to work collaboratively and independently with minimal supervision
Expertise in sensory testing and guidance and consumer product testing
Ability to evaluate multiple aspects of food products
Proven analytical and problem solving skills
Travel around 20-40% of time (includes sample procurement across multiple retailers in multiple states, processing for perishable shipments, third party site visits)
Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis.

Nice To Haves

Story telling and customer focus
Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously and adapt to change
Understanding of consumer food products brand management
Understanding of the private label retail food business environment and metrics
Communicate and influence cross functionally
Excellent oral and written communication skills
Ability to analyze, interpret and take appropriate action on information

Responsibilities

Leads planning, executing and overseeing of quality review testing strategy (including internal testing, organization of ad hoc third party testing and customer research testing) for all private brand items in alignment with the sourcing event calendar, private brand priority strategies and risk assessment calendar
Owns the relationship with third party testing agency including budget, communication, testing calendar, test result review
Leads the weekly Product Excellence task force meeting to address trending quality concerns via complaints and developing action plans.
Conducts a prioritized and sequenced review of all categories of private brand products.
Leads the customer research testing program and supplier outreach on reformulation efforts.
Incorporates new technologies such as Trace One for enhanced product tracking and analysis.
Compiles & communicates the master data report to be cascaded to category management teams and communications with third party execution team and sensory software company.
Communicates results and developing action plans in conjunction with the Sensory Manager and business counterparts to drive product quality improvements.
Responsible for ensuring all quality improvement projects stay on track within specified project timelines.
Monitors supplier transitions for Private Brand items to help mitigate potential issues in customer perception of changes in quality.
Manages the review of internal data points and creates action plans for product quality improvements.
Partners with cross-functional team members collaboratively (consumer affairs, category development, sourcing, sensory).
Collaborates with Private brand manufacturers and outsourced QA third party organizations (where applicable) to monitor quality.
Ownership of creating store rotation schedules, sensory tech support schedule and leading store location changes.
Creates and writes Sensory Ballots and sets up sensory panels utilizing relevant sensory science and techniques to create unbiased customer sensory research.
Additional job duties may be assigned as needed to meet the needs of the business and support our Values.