Director, Technical Consumer Data Research

Coca-Cola · Tokyo

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Job Description Summary:

Role Type: Individual Contributor  

The Director, Technical Consumer Data Research (TCDR) reports to the Senior Director, TCDR, APAC and leads consumer research for Japan and South Korea Operating Unit (JSK OU) and Global Categories, delivering front end, consumer centric insights to drive a prioritized innovation pipeline across Product, Packaging, and Equipment for right first time, high impact outcomes. Organizationally, the TCDR function sits within the Innovation, Technology & Strategy team, ensuring strong integration of consumer insights into broader innovation and strategic decision-making processes. This role serves as a critical business partner shaping strategic, end-to-end consumer centric innovation learning plans for the OU and Global categories whilst collaborating closely with Marketing, Human Insights, Global Development & Innovation teams, within the innovation centers to deliver present-forward and future-back research strategies, that drive exceptional consumer experiences whilst delivering business growth.

What You’ll Do for Us:

• TCDR Leadership of JSK OU, Global Categories and Global Community.

• Be a strategic business partner by leading and influencing the innovation pipeline for the OU, Global Categories and the Global TCDR Community, whilst shaping cross-functional alignment across TCDR, SRA, HI, Marketing, GDI, PD, ITS, Strategy, adopting a consumer-first mindset and with a deep understanding of the business environment.

• Identify strategic global and local category needs to develop and implement research plans to gain actionable sensory and consumer insights, providing technical guidance to the development team, Operating Unit and Global Category teams.

• Design and lead strategic enterprise-wide consumer research focused on human-centric design, for product, packaging, and equipment, applying sensory science expertise, data analysis, and insight interpretation to inform business recommendations and product solution development.

• Adopt a transformational, future-forward mindset leveraging digital, technology, AI/ML, and modeling to design agile consumer research plans and champion best-practice, innovative methodologies that solve complex challenges in collaboration with the Global TCDR team.

• Collaborate and partner with cross-functional internal and external experts, to include consumer researchers, experts of consumer, human, behavioral, shopper insights, external agency partners, academia, inclusive of AI technology data partners, to deliver best in class research for the local OU.

• Demonstrates deep functional expertise across TCDR disciplines, including sensory science, human behavioral science, consumer research, and advanced statistical and data science methodologies and sophisticated modeling techniques (e.g., AI, ML, LLMs, PLS regression) leveraging AI capability, to advance beverage category insights with strong business acumen.

• Utilizes rigorous statistical methodologies and advanced analytical techniques (e.g., AI, ML, LLMs, PLS regression) to design studies, analyze data, and interpret results with precision; synthesizes findings into robust, evidence-based conclusions and delivers clear, actionable technical and business recommendations to inform decision-making.

• Deploy standardized TCDR Global Capabilities across our frameworks, methodologies, approaches, as required, ensuring best-in-class functional expertise within the OU, adopting appropriate risk management, safety, and compliance.

• Lead and champion best practices, research methodologies, and develop creative solutions to complex challenges. Be curious to identify innovative alternative methods, frameworks, approaches.

• Global Beverage Category knowledge and understanding, with a trained palette for sensory evaluation thereof.

Data Analytics & Synthesis

• Perform advanced statistical analysis for sensory & consumer research, to include interpretation of research data outcomes, and application of appropriate methods (e.g., ANOVA, parametric/non‑parametric, modeling), adopting appropriate risk management.

• Proficient usage of Statistical software and tools such as JMP, SPSS, SAS, Python, R, SQL, Power BI, and Azure ML, parametric and non-parametric methods, ANOVA, factorial analysis, and modeling tools.

• Apply advanced analytics and statistical modeling to solve complex business problems.

• Translate data into clear, actionable insights that support business decision-making.

• Develop and adopt innovative, data-driven solutions to drive competitive advantage.

• Demonstrate hands-on experience applying analytics to real-world business challenges with measurable impact.

Technical Risk Management

• Skilled in identifying and assessing technical risks, developing strategies to mitigate these risks, and implementing proactive measures to ensure project continuity and system integrity.

Business Understanding & System Knowledge

• System Thinking- Partner with cross functional teams considering the needs of multiple stakeholders to influence and drive decisions for beneficial business outcomes.

• Ability to listen to and influence those in less technical roles to act and invest in capabilities with compelling business cases.

• Build cross-functional relationships and networks to drive consumer-centric solution development within assigned categories.

Technical Communication & Data Storytelling

• Translate strategic visions into actionable plans, using knowledge of current business processes and best practices.

• Communicate with clarity and precision by using data-driven storytelling to drive change, negotiate with stakeholders, and engage with target audiences.

• Delivers insightful reports and trend dashboards to thoroughly examine consumer behavior, turning data into practical insights and suggestions for the entire organization.

• Storytelling, frameworks, tools, and approaches to socializing our Technical Product Story.

Influencing & Stakeholder Management

• Function as a key business partner by effectively managing and nurturing internal and external relationships, including collaboration with research suppliers, academic institutions, and cross-functional project teams, to support and advance organizational goals.

• Demonstrates the ability to navigate a complex organization within the TCCC System, ensuring exception leadership and influencing skills with a strong focus on business impact.

Qualifications & Requirements: 

• Bachelor Science Degree or PhD, BSc /MSc / PhD from an accredited University in Food or Sensory Science, Engineering, Behavioral Psychology, or related field, and technical mastery of Sensory, Consumer, Applied Statistics and AI, Data Science, User Experience, to include science, methodologies, frameworks, and approaches, preferably within the food and beverage industry.

• 12+ years of experience within FMCG Beverage/Food Industry with proven relevant experience in Sensory and Consumer research, delivering consumer centric results working in a matrix FMCG organization including R&D, Marketing and Human Insight, translated into successful business impact.

• Proven expertise leading large‑scale global and regional consumer research programs

Desired Skills and Competencies:

Technical & Category: As the Director of TCDR JSK & Global Tea Category, to require an elevated level of understanding and proficiency of TCDR Sensory & Consumer Science methodologies and applied Statistics & AI experience and Category knowledge.

• Expertise of Consumer Centric Innovation Frameworks, Approaches and Future Planning.

• Expertise in TCDR sensory & consumer science methodologies & statistics

• Social & behavior science applied expertise, applicable for beverage industry of consumer insights.

• Understanding of Demand Space & Need States frameworks, Psychographic consumers, Synthetic personas, and cross-fertilization of such learnings thereof in partnership with HI.

• Digital, technology-driven, and modelling approach knowledge and application with experience of large-scale sensory and consumer data of success business outcomes, of significant ROI.

• Algorithm application for unstructured data, in building an agile approach for knowledge mining.

• Applied Statistic, Data Processing, NLP, ChatGPT, Dall-E, Gen AI etc.

• Visualizations and creative Storytelling, expert in Power BI.

• Beverage Category knowledge and understand, with a trained palette for sensory evaluation thereof.

Human-Centered Design: Lead holistic research plans to address key questions for a specific project.

• Sensory Science & Consumer Science with a sound understanding of the underlying statistics.

• Social, behavioral human science

• Research Design Principles for qualitative and quantitative research.

• Foundations of technical risk management

• User experience

Technical Communication: Simplify complex information in a concise format that is appropriate for the audience.

• Analyze and communicate research in a fit for purpose format.

• Technical Communication and Storytelling with data

• Data Engineering, database development & understanding

• Ability to apply technical knowledge to build credibility with both technical and non-technical audiences, influencing decision makers and benefiting customers or the Company.

Data Analytics & Synthesis of Structured and Unstructured data:

• Excellent statistics and data analysis skills.

• Knowledge of AI and Machine Learning principles, demonstrating an eagerness to deepen understanding and apply these technologies effectively.

• Understand and work in data management tools (Azure) and proficiency in visualization (Power BI or other)

Business Partnerships: Work with multiple functions to execute project work (R&D, Marketing, HI, etc.)

• Serves as a trusted advisor, offering insights into relevant markets, business strategies, and operating environments to support informed decision-making across the organization and among individual team members.

• Leads strong partnerships with internal and external stakeholders by providing valuable market analysis and strategic guidance to enhance business operations and drive organizational success.

• Capable of mentoring and coaching team members and peers.

• Strong collaborator, enthusiastic, creative, and curious, with the ability to inspire and motivate teams.

Process Improvement

• Recommends more effective ways of working to execute and drive value.

• Bring the outside in, remain current with relevant scientific literature. Inspire self and the team with external resources.

Travel: Travel will fluctuate and it is projected to be a maximum of 5-25% of the time.

What can help you to be successful in the role?

Growth Behavior:

• Growth Mindset: Demonstrates Curiosity. Welcomes failure as a learning opportunity.

• Smart Risk: Makes bold decisions/recommendations.

• Externally Focused: Understands the upstream and downstream implications of his/her work.

• Performance Driven & Accountable: Has high performance standards. Outperforms her/his peers.

• Fast/Agile: Removes barriers to move faster. Experiments and adapts. Thrives under pressure and fast pace.

• Empowered: Brings solutions instead of problems. Challenges the status quo. Has the courage to take an unpopular stance.

Leadership Behavior

• Act Like an Owner: Deliver results, creating value for our brands, our System, our customers and key stakeholders.

• Collaborate with the System, Customers and Key Stakeholders

• Develops Self and Others: Develop self and support others' development to achieve their full potential.

• Drive Innovation: Generate new or unique solutions and embrace new ideas that help sustain our business.

What We Can Do For You 

• Career growth and development: Leveraging our boundaryless network, we provide access to educational platforms and provide coaching, mentoring and feedback, as a part of our Leadership & Development process.

• Diverse and inclusive culture: You’ll be embraced for who you are and empowered to use your voice to help others find theirs. We want to make our culture inevitable.

• International Experience: Become part of international projects and work along multicultural teams, through our global network.

Skills:

Location(s):

City/Cities:

Travel Required:

Relocation Provided:

Job Posting End Date:

Our Purpose and Growth Culture:

We are taking deliberate action to nurture an inclusive culture that is grounded in our company purpose, to refresh the world and make a difference. We act with a growth mindset, take an expansive approach to what’s possible and believe in continuous learning to improve our business and ourselves. We focus on four key behaviors – curious, empowered, inclusive and agile – and value how we work as much as what we achieve. We believe that our culture is one of the reasons our company continues to thrive after 130+ years. Visit Our Purpose and Vision to learn more about these behaviors and how you can bring them to life in your next role at Coca-Cola.

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