Sensory Manager

Sensory Manager - 24-Month FTC

Location: Ashby-de-la-Zouch (Home of Hula Hoops, Popchips, Nik Naks, and more…)

At KP Snacks, we believe in a dynamic working model built on trust, choice, and balance. Our colleagues typically connect in person three days a week, fostering collaboration and creativity. Plus, enjoy our Dynamic Friday Hours, allowing you to flex your time and finish early on Fridays when possible!

Join Our Snack-Loving Team!

Are you ready to bring your ideas to the table? We’re on the lookout for a Sensory Manager to join our vibrant team at KP Snacks. If you’re passionate about food, sensory science, and leading high-performing teams, this could be your next big move!

About the Role

This is a highly influential position where you will:

• Lead a team of specialist sensory colleagues and expert tasters.
• Provide sensory expertise to Research & Development, Marketing, Research & Insights, Operations, and Commercial teams.
• Ensure robust sensory testing and analysis supports key business decisions across innovation, product improvement, cost optimization, and quality.

As our sensory expert, you will utilize a range of methodologies and statistical techniques to deliver meaningful insights, helping us create products that delight consumers. You will champion best practices in sensory evaluation, build strong relationships across our sites, and continuously improve our sensory capabilities.

What’s in It for You?

We believe in rewarding our colleagues and helping them thrive. Here’s a taste of what we offer:

• Competitive Salary: Annual salary review and bonus opportunity (target 7.5%), plus a KP Pension Plan with up to 7% matched contributions and a £6,000 car allowance.
• Generous Holiday: 25 days holiday with the option to buy up to five additional days, plus extra holiday after five years of service.
• Comprehensive Healthcare: Including Single Cover Private Healthcare, Health Cash Plan, Digital GP, and Employee Assistance Programme.
• Sustainable Travel: Electric Vehicle Car Scheme for more sustainable and cost-effective travel.
• KP4ME Benefits Platform: Access to discounts, cashback, and wellbeing support.
• Family-Friendly Policies: Enhanced policies to support colleagues at every stage of life.

Your Responsibilities

In this role, you will:

• Lead Sensory Capability: Manage sensory programs and ensure resources are effectively deployed to support innovation, product improvement, cost reduction, and business growth.
• Provide Expert Insights: Design and deliver sensory studies, analyze complex data using statistical techniques, and translate findings into actionable recommendations.
• Develop a High-Performing Team: Recruit, train, coach, and motivate sensory panellists and colleagues, ensuring the highest standards of sensory evaluation.
• Drive Sensory Excellence: Promote best practices, design and deliver sensory training, and support informed product development decisions.
• Build Strong Relationships: Collaborate with colleagues across various teams and external partners to deliver impactful sensory programs.

Who Are We?

We’re KP Snacks, part of the Intersnack family. With over 15,000 colleagues across more than 30 countries, we create the snacks people love—from Hula Hoops to McCoy’s. In the UK, our close-knit team of around 2,400 colleagues thrives on collaboration, celebrating differences, and pushing boundaries together.

Our Commitment to Inclusion

We’re dedicated to building a workplace where everyone belongs. If you don’t tick every box, we still want to hear from you—your unique perspective could be just what we need. Let us know if there’s anything we can do to make the application process easier for you.

What We’re Looking For

If you can bring the following, we’d love to hear from you:

• Strong Sensory and FMCG Experience: Proven experience in an FMCG environment, ideally food, with expertise in sensory assessment and product development.
• Excellent Analytical Skills: Knowledge of sensory methodologies, statistical analysis, and sensory software (e.g., Compusense, Minitab, R), with the ability to turn complex data into actionable insights.
• People Leadership Skills: Experience in leading and developing teams, managing priorities, and building effective relationships with stakeholders.
• Relevant Scientific Qualification: A bachelor’s degree or equivalent in a science discipline, ideally including food science and/or statistics, along with an understanding of the food industry and consumer needs.
• Proactive and Passionate Approach: A genuine enthusiasm for food, flavour, and sensory science, along with excellent communication skills and strong Excel and PowerPoint capabilities.