JOB OVERVIEW:

The KDP Ireland Beverage Flavour & Concentrate Development Senior Manager leads the research, development, and innovation of beverage flavors and concentrates, driving the creation of high-quality, consumer-preferred products in key markets. This role oversees the flavor creation & development, concentrate design & development, and optimization processes to ensure products meet market trends, regulatory requirements, and company standards. The Senior Manager will collaborate closely with KDP Global R&D, regulatory scientific affairs, procurement, production, quality assurance, and supply chain to bring innovative beverage solutions from concept to commercialization.

REQUIREMENTS:

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Food Science, Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, or related discipline. Advanced degree preferred.
• Minimum 8+ years of experience in beverage R&D with a strong focus on flavor and concentrate development.
• Deep knowledge of flavor chemistry, beverage formulation, and concentrate manufacturing processes.
• Proven leadership experience managing R&D teams in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong understanding of regulatory requirements relevant to beverage flavors and ingredients.
• Experience working with sensory analysis and consumer testing methodologies.
• Innovative mindset with a passion for developing unique, market-driven beverage solutions.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and cross-functional stakeholder management skills.
• Ability to travel domestically and internationally as required

PREFERRED SKILLS:

• Project management skills.
• Experience in natural and clean-label flavor development
• Familiarity with beverage manufacturing technologies and quality systems
• Experience in cross-functional collaboration in multi-national matrixed organization
• Proficiency in data analysis and formulation software is a plus.

• Lead the design, development, and improvement of beverage flavors and concentrate formulations that align with company brand strategy and consumer preferences.
• Manage a team of flavorists, chemists, and technologists focused on Flavor and Beverage concentrate innovation.
• Partner with KDP Beverage Product & Packaging Development identifying Innovation, Renovation and Productivity opportunities.
• Oversee flavor & concentrate development projects, from ideation and formulation through testing, scale-up, and commercial launch.
• Act as a technical expert and leader, providing guidance on flavor chemistry, sensory evaluation, and concentrate processing and technologies.
• Lead strategic partnerships with external flavor houses, ingredient suppliers, and technical vendors to leverage innovation and optimize supply chain.
• Support troubleshooting and problem-solving efforts related to flavor & concentrate quality and production issues.
• Manage strong relationships with KDP Beverage Product & Packaging Development, and other R&D Functions in US, external regulatory bodies, technology vendors, and service providers.
• Manage R&D budgets, project timelines, and resource allocation effectively