Sensory Manager - Ninja Test Kitchen

Our purpose is to positively impact people’s lives every day in every home around the world! We work very hard to provide our consumers with high-quality, exciting 5-star products that make life easier. We thrive on passion and innovation and are looking for great people, with great ideas, who want to build the next big thing and develop while they do.

Position Summary:

The Ninja Test Kitchen is looking for a Sensory Manager to join our vibrant group of global chefs and food scientists. Our team takes a unique approach to product development, blending culinary arts and the science of food. The Ninja Test Kitchen shapes the product roadmap, development and story creation.

The Ninja Test Kitchen is highly collaborative, and team members are expected to contribute feedback and problem-solving ideas across all projects. Team members are expected to have a strong knowledge of the industry, to be familiar with the latest food trends, and to foster a curiosity for product development.

The NTK Sensory team is responsible for ensuring that appropriate and unbiased testing and research is developed, executed, and reported to help make key product decisions and inform continuous improvement initiatives. They serve a key role in helping us maintain our consistently high standards for amazing 5-start products!

This position will be based at our Corporate Headquarters in Newton, MA.

Responsibilities:

• Designs sensory methodologies in support of product optimization and innovation during product development cycle
• Define sensory testing approach, protocols and parameters to guide product development, evaluate prototypes, validate claims, etc.
• Manage and grow team members within the organization- providing guidance on their assigned projects, ensuring product success, supporting professional advancement within their role and within SharkNinja, and holding them accountable to their specific job responsibilities. You will be viewed as a manager who has proficiency navigating people, conflict, and resource management.
• Utilize statistical software and sensory data analysis tools to interpret and present sensory and consumer data
• Analyzes sensory data and provides insightful recommendations to appropriate team members, including but not limited to product development, engineering, marketing, testing, etc.
• Develops standardized practices, protocols and processes to align sensory across the organization
• Creates, monitors and manages shelf-life studies with respect to flavor integrity over time in conjunction with quality assurance and product development teams
• Coordinates the execution of the various sensory tests and manages the preparation of resources needed
• Partner with the cross functional leadership team to ensure sensory strategy is aligned with broader business and schedules
• Coordinates and helps manage internal and external testing schedules
• Maintains internal database of consumers and qualified sensory panelists
• Leads sensory panels for consistent and reliable data collection
• Improves sensory evaluation processes for efficiency and accuracy
• Be called upon to take leadership of larger cross-functional "breakthroughs" that increase executive visibility and accelerate career growth
• Monitor and research industry trends on an ongoing basis and brings new ideas to the team
• Assist in the shipping of products/samples when needed
• Assists, attends, and presents at internal and external events, as needed
• Other job duties as assigned
  
  

Attributes and Skills:

• Degree from an accredited Food Science, Sensory Science, Food Chemistry, or related degree and relevant experience with strong working knowledge of sensory science in all qualitative and quantitative methodologies
• 5+ years of related sensory science experience or a related field, preferably at a consumer goods company
• Prior experience hiring, managing, leading, and goal setting with team members
• Ability to effectively "manage up" by communicating your top priorities and constantly seeking feedback on your and your team's work product
• A mindset geared toward building relationships across multi-functional teams, coupled with excellent interpersonal skills
• Highly-effective communication skills – both written (presentation/email) and in-person (ability to host succinct, effective conversations that solve problems and ability to make effective presentations to all levels of management, including SharkNinja’s executive leadership team)
• Strong project management skills, with the ability to prioritize effectively, manage multiple projects simultaneously, and stay organized in a fast-paced environment
• Good balance of strong strategic, critical thinking skills and being detail-oriented
• A desire to learn and grow in a passionate environment. The ability to embrace transparency and shifting priorities while learning from each decision and focusing on the path forward
• Proficient in Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
• Comfort with standard data acquisition tools
• Resourceful, well-organized, highly dependable, efficient, and detail-oriented
• Ability to be a team player as well as work independently
  

At SharkNinja, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion are vital to our global success. Valuing each unique voice and blending all of our diverse skills strengthens SharkNinja’s innovation every day. We support ALL associates in bringing their authentic selves to work, making an impact, and having the opportunity for career acceleration. With help from our leadership, associates, and our community, we aim to have equity be a key component of the SharkNinja DNA.

YOUR ROLE in leading our SUCCESS DRIVERS & representing our UNIQUE MINDSET

• Lead us to be “RARELY SATISFIED”
• Make things better each day; “PROGRESS OVER PERFECTION”
• Use your knowledge of our consumer, understand that “DETAILS MAKE THE DIFFERENCE”
• Deliver something great; “WINNING IS A TEAM SPORT”
• Be clear and honest, “COMMUNICATING FOR IMPACT”
  
  

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SharkNinja's Candidate Privacy Notice can be found here: https://www.sharkninja.com/candidate-privacy-notice/

We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability, or any other class protected by legislation, and local law. SharkNinja will consider reasonable accommodations consistent with legislation, and local law. If you require a reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, please contact SharkNinja People & Culture at accommodations@sharkninja.com