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About the Role

The Senior Director, Technical Consumer Data Research (APAC) leads sensory and consumer research strategy across the APAC region, spanning multiple categories and Operating Units. This role directs regional TCDR resources, integrates Global TCDR capabilities, and translates consumer insights into actionable product, package, and equipment solutions for regional launches. The position advances a 3–5-year innovation pipeline and accelerates the adoption of digitized, AI-enabled research methodologies.

Responsibilities

Define and execute the APAC TCDR strategy to enable 3–5 year innovation pipelines across categories and Operating Units.
Lead discovery of emerging consumer trends, behaviors, and unmet needs, translating insights into technical attributes and solution hypotheses.
Partner with Category, Marketing, Human Insights, and GDI leadership to align multi-year pipeline needs, priorities, and success metrics.
Ensure consumer-centric insights are embedded into innovation portfolios to deliver advantaged, future-proof solutions.
Direct development and deployment of technical consumer learning plans across innovation, renovation, core, and business continuity projects.
Oversee internal and external sensory panels, ensuring scientific rigor and regional relevance.
Embed cross-functional frameworks into learning plans to enable streamlined, global-ready research execution.
Monitor external environments to identify category and country-specific opportunities and risks.
Lead adoption of digitization and data science capabilities from Global TCDR, accelerating AI-enabled, predictive, and forecast-driven insights, regionally.
Advance Gen-AI and machine-learning applications within consumer research, ensuring appropriate risk, safety, and compliance standards.
Shape future-state consumer research practices through external partnerships, networks, and emerging technologies.
Act as APAC representative on the Global TCDR Leadership Team, ensuring regional priorities are aligned with global methodologies and standards.
Drive local adoption of standardized global best practices while allowing for market-specific flexibility.
Lead training, upskilling, and storytelling capability development for regional TCDR teams using global playbooks and tools.
Lead and develop a highly engaged, diverse, and geographically distributed APAC TCDR team.
Manage regional TCDR and DMI budgets, including forecasting, actuals tracking, and alignment with annual business plans.
Build a strong succession pipeline and actively develop subject-matter expertise across the organization.
Build trusted partnerships across Operating Units, Global Categories, Marketing, GDI, Operations, Bottlers, and external partners.
Influence senior stakeholders through clear, evidence-based insights and technical recommendations.
Establish dashboards, timelines, and scorecards to ensure visibility, transparency, and proactive risk management.

Requirements

Deep expertise in human-centric consumer insights, sensory science, statistics, and advanced analytics.
Strong understanding of data science, machine learning, and generative AI applications.
Proven ability to influence and advise senior executives in complex, matrixed environments.
Track record of leading regional and global teams with an agile, future-focused mindset.
Exceptional stakeholder management and systems-thinking capability.
Experience in developing innovation and organizational strategies, defines strategic direction, balancing short-term delivery with long-term growth.
Experience in translating external trends into strategy to stay ahead of the competition.
Builds a culture of curiosity, experimentation, and bold idea generation at scale.
Shapes long-term capability development and technical excellence across teams.
Addresses systemic challenges and enables scalable, sustainable solutions.
Expertise in driving organizational transformation, and embedding new processes to create lasting change and organizational buy-in.
Builds high-performing teams, develops future leaders, and drives engagement.
Makes strategic and organizational decisions with accountability for outcomes.
Experience operating across Global and Operating Unit environments.

Skills

Accountability
Advanced Analytics
Business
Business Partnerships
Collaboration
Communication
Consumer Research
Consumer Trends
Consumer Understanding
Customer Insights
Data Analysis
Data Science
Decision Making
Design of Experiments (DOE)
Experimentation
Human Insights
Innovation
Innovation Pipeline Development
Innovation Strategies
Innovative Leadership
Leadership
Machine Learning (ML)
New Product Development
Product Innovations

Location

Shanghai, China

Work Type

Full-time

Experience Level

15+ years leadership experience in FMCG (Food & Beverage strongly preferred)
Senior Director

Education Level

Bachelor’s or PhD in Consumer Science, Food Science, Psychology, or related discipline

Benefits

Career growth and development
Access to educational platforms
Coaching, mentoring and feedback
Diverse and inclusive culture
International Experience
Become part of international projects
Work along multicultural teams

About the Company

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. The Coca-Cola Company is a global community of passionate employees who are refreshing the world and making a difference every day. Innovation has been at the heart of our story since 1886. It goes beyond new flavors and brands. Learn more about our system and how we’re making an impact. As a global organization, we seek opportunities to embrace and champion progress. Our careers span across functions and are globally connected to give you an unmatched career experience. We’re glad you’ve chosen to explore your next career opportunity with The Coca-Cola Company. Learn more about our hiring process and pick up tips on how to showcase your experience and skills so you can stand out and thrive. The Coca‑Cola global business system is composed of The Coca‑Cola Company (TCCC), its subsidiaries and 225 bottling partners around the world. Search jobs throughout our system.