Product Experience Science Manager

**General Information**:

- Date Published- 14-Nov-2024- Advertising Ends- 24-Nov-2024- Country- New Zealand- Location- Manawatu- Role Type- Science & Technology- Work Type- Permanent- ID#- 10623**Position Description**:
**Our Co-operative**

**Fonterra’s strength is in the collective | Te Mātāpuna toa takitini**
- We are a Co-operative created and owned by Aotearoa New Zealand dairy farmers. Since our beginnings, collaboration, innovation, and passion have enabled us to share the goodness of our dairy with the world. We're committed to caring for the land, our animals, and every drop of milk, producing nutritious food with safe, quality ingredients loved here in New Zealand and around the world.

As part of the Fonterra Co-op, you'll be solving for a better future alongside a team connected by solid values as we strive to be a leader in dairy sustainability, dairy innovation and science, with a focus on New Zealand milk.

When you join Fonterra, you'll open yourself to a career of opportunities where you can grow with us by developing your skills, sharing your knowledge, and exploring diverse career paths that ignite your passions.

**About Us| He kupu mō mātou**
- At our Research and Development Centre in Palmerston North, we know the smallest things can make a difference, so we research and develop products that last longer, stretch further, work faster, waste less, withstand more and taste better. Bringing together world class dairy products and the deep expertise of our people we work alongside the passionate, talented and innovative food professionals who are driving dairy industry and innovation.

**About the opportunity | Te whiwhinga mahi**
- We have an exciting opportunity for a Product Experience Science Manager to join the Product Experience Science team at our Palmerston North Research and Development Centre on a permanent basis.

As our Product Experience Science Manager, your main focus will be on enhancing technical capabilities, advancing data-driven research, and aligning with Fonterra's future innovation and strategic needs. You will work cross-functionally to understand end-user needs, challenges, value drivers, and deploy resources to validate product outcomes for customers and consumers.

This role supports the optimisation of current operations and aims to increase Fonterra’s innovation success rate.

**Key responsibilities include**:

- Lead a high-performing sensory and consumer science research team as a centre of excellence within Fonterra
- Provide leadership, guidance, mentorship, development opportunities, engagement, and performance evaluation for the team throughout the employee lifecycle
- Inspire and motivate team members as they work in cross-functional teams to design and deliver both new methodologies and approaches, and product experience insights that drive successful product innovation
- Develop and drive the execution of the future vision for consumer and sensory science excellence within Fonterra, including transitioning to new data-led approaches.
- Engage with a wide range of stakeholders within and outside Fonterra, including experts in the consumer and sensory science field, advocating for and implementing experience-led product design and best-in-class scientific approach
- Manage complex and flexible project resourcing requirements across the research team and the sensory panel
- Support the development and execution of the wider Everyday Dairy strategy.

**About you | Ko wai koe**
- You will be a strong people leader with a deep passion for Consumer and Sensory Sciences, allowing you to make a significant impact across Fonterra.

With a background in consumer and sensory sciences, you have built technical and business expertise in a global food industry. Your experience includes creating an empowering environment for your team and maintaining high levels of staff engagement and performance.

As a key influencer in the business, you’ll demonstrate proven expertise in stakeholder management, effectively engaging with senior technical experts, marketing, sales leaders and global customers.

**To be successful in this role you will need**:

- A relevant degree in innovation, food technology, science, engineering, or a dairy-related field is required
- Post-graduate research experience with a focus on consumer science and sensory science is preferred
- Proven track record of delivering results within the food industry
- Experience in the development of new products and technologies
- Strong stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence and guide others
- A strategic mindset with proven capability to develop and implement strategies, particularly as they pertain to innovation
- Ability to mentor and guide a team of researchers and technical experts within a high-performing team culture

Take advantage of this exciting and new opportunity to grow your career and make a significant impact in Fonterra's Strategic and Innovation goals.

**Our s