Director, Global Flavor Creation

The Coca-Cola Company; Atlanta (GA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 250,000; Full time

Job summary

The Coca-Cola Company is seeking a Director of Global Flavor Creation to lead the development of advanced sweet flavor systems for our beverage platforms. This role requires strategic influence, technical mastery, and global coordination across disciplines and suppliers.

You will mentor flavorists, drive innovative approaches, ensure regulatory compliance, and align projects with business priorities for scalable, high-quality flavor solutions.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Chemistry, Flavor Chemistry, Sensory Science, or related field; Master’s degree preferred.
• Certified Member of the Society of Flavor Chemists strongly preferred; Apprentice Certification or equivalent training desirable.
• 7+ years in flavor development with sweet flavor systems; 10+ years if no advanced degree.
• Experience in flavor house and beverage company environments preferred.
• Strong regulatory knowledge across FDA, USDA, TTB and international standards.

Responsibilities

• Lead creation and optimization of sweet flavor systems across beverage platforms.
• Oversee a portfolio of high-priority flavor initiatives for global innovation and productivity.
• Partner with R&D, product development, sensory, regulatory, quality, and suppliers.
• Provide technical guidance and risk assessments to leadership and stakeholders.
• Mentor flavorists and develop training resources and standards.
• Drive evaluation and implementation of new flavor ingredients and tools.
• Use data-driven decisions to select ingredients and address process challenges.
• Ensure regulatory compliance and protect proprietary flavor information.
• Influence supplier engagement and participate in cross-functional forums.

Skills

Flavor chemistry

Sensory science

Leadership

Regulatory compliance

Cross-functional collaboration

Data-driven decision making

Mentoring

Analytical data interpretation

Project management

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Chemistry, Flavor Chemistry, Sensory Science, or related field

Master’s degree preferred

Tools

GC/MS instrumentation

Chromatography

Data management tools

Job description

At The Coca‑Cola Company, flavor is at the heart of our iconic brands and our commitment to delivering exceptional taste experiences worldwide. As consumer preferences evolve and innovation accelerates, our ability to create differentiated, high‑quality flavors is essential to driving growth, maintaining competitive advantage, and ensuring consistency across markets.

Director, Global Flavor Creation will lead the development of cutting‑edge sweet flavor systems that bring to life new beverage experiences while ensuring continuity and productivity across our global portfolio. This role combines deep technical expertise with strategic influence, working to guide the creation, optimization, and commercialization of flavors and ingredients that align with business priorities.

In partnership with cross‑functional teams, external suppliers, and industry networks, the Director will shape future‑ready flavor capabilities, mentor emerging talent, and drive innovative approaches that enhance consumer preference, operational feasibility, and regulatory compliance. If you are passionate about the science and artistry of flavor, this is an opportunity to make a meaningful impact on one of the most recognized brands in the world.

What You’ll Do For Us

• Lead the creation and optimization of sweet flavor systems across multiple beverage platforms, applying advanced flavor chemistry, sensory principles, and creative formulation skills
• Oversee a portfolio of high-priority flavor initiatives that enable brand innovation, support continuity, and deliver productivity improvements globally
• Partner with internal business functions—including R&D, product development, sensory, regulatory, quality, procurement, marketing—and external supplier partners to ensure timely delivery of strategic flavor solutions
• Provide expert recommendations, technical risk assessments, and progress updates to leadership and stakeholders, aligning projects with business objectives
• Build organizational flavor capability by mentoring flavorists and developing training resources, best practices, and technical standards that advance collective expertise
• Drive evaluation and implementation of new flavor ingredients, technologies, and tools that enhance taste performance, stability, and regulatory compliance
• Apply data-driven decision-making to optimize ingredient selection, address process challenges, and ensure operational feasibility for global commercialization
• Ensure compliance with global and regional regulations, labeling requirements, and standards of identity while safeguarding proprietary flavor information
• Influence supplier engagement strategies and represent the function in cross‑functional committees, industry forums, and strategic partnerships
• Foster a culture of technical excellence, curiosity, and collaboration aligned with The Coca‑Cola Company’s growth behaviors and innovation mindset

Requirements & Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Chemistry, Flavor Chemistry, Sensory Science, or related field; Master’s degree preferred
• Certified Member of the Society of Flavor Chemists strongly preferred; Apprentice Certification or equivalent technical training required or highly desirable
• Minimum of 7+ years of experience in flavor development, creation, or application with demonstrated expertise in sweet flavor systems; 10+ years preferred for candidates without advanced degrees
• Prior flavor house and/or beverage company experience strongly preferred
• Proven technical proficiency in flavor chemistry, ingredient functionality, interaction effects, and stability within beverage matrices
• Advanced understanding of regulatory frameworks including FDA, USDA, TTB, and international compliance requirements
• Ability to interpret and apply analytical data using tools such as GC/MS, chromatography, and other flavor evaluation instrumentation
• Strong capability in overseeing experimental design, sensory evaluation, and flavor performance testing across complex projects
• Digital proficiency including Microsoft applications and data management tools supporting flavor creation and project execution
• Demonstrated leadership in mentoring technical talent, building collaborative networks, and influencing cross‑functional decision-making in a matrixed environment
• Proven ability to manage proprietary information with high regard for confidentiality and intellectual property protection
• Preferred experience in coffee, tea, and flavored protein beverage systems

What We’ll Do For You

• Offer the opportunity to shape the future of flavor innovation for some of the world’s most iconic brands
• Provide access to advanced flavor creation technologies, ingredient innovations, and global development platforms
• Support professional growth through cross‑functional project leadership, technical capability-building, and exposure to global markets and innovation ecosystems
• Enable you to partner with diverse technical, commercial, and supplier teams to influence product excellence at a global scale