Group Sensory Manager Digital

BAT is evolving at pace into a global multi-category business.  We are on a mission to decrease the health impact of our industry 
To achieve our ambition, we are looking for colleagues who are ready to Be The Change. Come, join us on this journey!

British American TobaccoUK has an exciting opportunity for a Group Sensory Manager Digital in Southampton

What are the key objectives and expectations from this role?  

• This is a new role to strengthen and lead the digital sensory and product competitor intelligence capabilities within new categories, FMC and beyond.
• This leadership role will be passionate about understanding the needs of the R&D developers and directing a group of skilled Sensory and Digital Scientists to build and lead a portfolio of sensory and consumer insight projects, designed to provide technical insight to identify digital solution to sensory drivers in product performance and drivers of a positive consumer perception. 
• This will involve developing an expert capability focused on techniques, methods, and programmes to drive the digital footprint across the sensory and product competitor COE, delivering the strategic implementation for non-human sensory, competitor intelligence and cross category links. 
• Through the application of sensory and consumer technical insights, methodologies, digital and scientific principals this role ensures that new sensory insight is delivered to the business to broaden the enjoyment of next generation nicotine products and other products and drive a positive experience for our consumers and ultimately, commercial success for BAT.  

What is the direct impact of this role on the team or organization? 

• This is an integral part of the leadership team in Sensory & PCI and will support the vision, mission and strategy for the department, with the ultimate aim of replacing human sensory with digital sensory testing.
• Working across R&D and marketing functions, this role is pivotal in understanding the sensory and competitor benefits of the R&D funnel and how these innovations perform vs our current and competitor products.

Your key responsibilities will include:

• Lead, establish and evolve digital platforms across the S&PCI global team maintain a high level of expertise in all aspects of sensory evaluation across categories.
• Develop and evolve the methodology toolbox for our next generation products and FMC products, to become future fit with the business demands under the digital scope, actively seeking out and assessing methodologies which bring innovation and identify outstanding technical insights and differentiating multi-sensory experiences which drive consumer preferences for our products.
• COE best practise delivery and implementation across the categories and teams to drive the vision, mission, and strategy.
• Effectively partner with team members ensuring work is in line with the strategic priorities of the business, emphasising the sensory, digital, and technical consumer insight requirements within the product area.
• Provide the business with actionable product and technical consumer understanding and recommendations at category and project level.
• Apply expert knowledge in the area of sensory science to implement new technologies and ways of working, providing training in technical skills and innovative methodologies.
• Leading sophisticated multistage programmes, collaborating closely with internal partners and responsible for demonstrating external partnerships to provide the business with actionable insights.
• Cultivate an environment of forward thinking, digitisation and entrepreneurial spirit promoting and integrating ways of working within the Sensory Science and PCI teams, interacting with partners and cross functional teams to drive the capability advancement.

What are we looking for?

Experience Required

• Experience of managing multiple projects across multiple panels to deliver insights to a broad range of partners.

Technical / Functional / Leadership Skills Required

• Provide leadership, direction, implementing ground-breaking insights to provide the business with actionable sensory insights and understanding.
• Actively promote expertise and standard methodology within the business to develop a sensory consumer centric culture in line with the global sensory ambition.
• Effectively handle knowledge, promote cross-functional communication, digital data and sensory and establish effective relationships both internally and externally.
• Deep knowledge of sensory and/or computer science and various approaches for descriptive
• Proficiency in data analysis software (XLSTAT, R)

• ANOVA
• Significance test (Tukey, Fisher)
• Correlation tests
• PCA (Principal Component Analysis)
• MFA (Multi Factor Analysis)

And/or

• Proficiency in computing:
  • • Coding
    • Software builds / development
    • Design
    • Web design
    • Programming
    • Network and data.
• Experience in sensory testing for claim substantiation and regulatory purposes.

Education / Qualifications / Certifications Required

• Professional/academic achievement in Computer Science or a scientific background experience in a product related position or relevant experience within the food/flavour industry. 

BENEFICIAL 

• Experience working with commercial partners or with partnerships.
• Experience in Digital and Data Science (Multivariate analysis, Programming in R Statistics).
• Project Management Experience.

QUALIFYING QUESTIONS FOR APPLICANTS

• Have you set up a panel from scratch?
• Have you designed a new sensory method? Or adapted an old method to suit a new product format?
• Can you take clusters of information and bring them together and make sense of it?
• Are you able to simple communicate sophisticated and incomplete data to a senior audience?
• Have you used sensory or consumer insight data to further product development?

What we offer you?
•    We offer a market leading annual performance bonus (subject to eligibility)
•    Our range of benefits varies by country and includes diverse health plans, initiatives for work-life balance, transportation support, and a flexible holiday plan with additional incentives
•    Your journey with us isn't limited by boundaries; it's propelled by your aspirations. Join us at BAT and become a part of an environment that thrives on internal advancement, where your career progression isn't just a statement – it's a reality we're eager to build together. Seize the opportunity and own your development; your next chapter starts here.
•    You'll have access to online learning platforms and personalized growth programs to nurture your leadership skills
•    We prioritise continuous improvement within a transformative environment, preparing for ongoing changes

WHY JOIN BAT?
We’re one of the few companies named as a Global Top Employer by the Top Employers Institute – certified in offering excellent employee conditions.

At BAT, we champion collaboration, inclusion, and partnership as the bedrock of our values. We wish to foster an environment where every individual can thrive, irrespective of factors such as gender, sexual orientation, marital or civil partnership status, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, disability, age, skills, experience, education, socio-economic and professional background, as well as diverse perspectives and thinking styles. We recognise that our strength lies in embracing talent from all walks of life, empowering us to develop our culture of inclusivity and better achieve our business objectives.

We view career breaks not as obstacles but as opportunities and encourage everyone, without hesitation, to apply. Through our Global Returners program, we provide support to professionals seeking to re-enter the workforce after an extended absence, be it for family care, parental leave, national service, sabbatical, or starting their own venture.
Come bring your difference and see what is possible for you at BAT. Learn more about our culture and our award winning employee experience here.

We take pride in being a Disability Confident Employer. If you need any reasonable adjustments or accommodations to be made during the recruitment process to support you performing at your best, please inform the recruitment partner who will be in touch should your profile be selected for the role you applied for. We are wholeheartedly committed to optimising your prospects of success by making suitable arrangements so that you may showcase your full potential.