Manager, Sensory & Consumer Insights

Panera Bread; United States; On-site; USD 105,000 - 126,000; Full time

Job summary

Panera Bread’s Manager, Sensory & Consumer Insights at the Newton Support Center leads sensory and consumer research to shape the brand’s food and beverage portfolio. You translate guest needs, behaviors, and trends into actionable insights that guide menu development and product optimization.

You will partner with Culinary, Marketing, Operations, and senior leadership to inform long‑term strategy, design mixed‑method studies, manage external agencies, and champion a consumer‑first mindset

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in consumer insights, sensory research, market research, or product innovation.
• Demonstrated success influencing product development and menu innovation through consumer-driven insights.
• Experience managing sensory testing programs and translating findings into actionable recommendations.

Responsibilities

• Lead all sensory and consumer research initiatives supporting food and beverage innovation.
• Design and execute quantitative and qualitative studies, including sensory evaluations and product testing.
• Develop research objectives, questionnaires, discussion guides, and reporting frameworks.
• Partner with Culinary and Marketing teams to inform long‑term menu strategy and product development.
• Identify white space opportunities, emerging trends, and unmet guest needs for future innovation.
• Translate guest insights into recommendations to improve product quality and guest satisfaction.

Skills

Consumer insights

Sensory research

Market research

Product innovation

Storytelling

Project management

Stakeholder influence

Data visualization

Travel willingness

Job description

Manager, Sensory & Consumer Insights

TheManagerofSensory& ConsumerInsightsis a strategic leader responsible for shaping the future of the brand’s food and beverage portfolio through deepsensory/productinsights. This rolecombinesresearchexpertise, culinary curiosity, and business acumen to guidefood and beverage innovation. TheManagerensures that guest needs, behaviors,preferences,and emerging trendsare translated into actionable insights that drive menu development.

Reporting to theVice President, Consumer Insights, this role serves as a key partner to Culinary, Marketing, and cross-functional teams toidentifyopportunities,validateinnovation, and build a guest-centered product pipeline.

Scope of Responsibilities

• Sensory & Consumer Insights

• Lead all sensory and consumer research initiatives supporting food and beverage innovation, optimization, and performance.

• Design and execute quantitative and qualitative research studies, including sensory evaluationsandproduct testing.

• Develop researchobjectives, questionnaires, discussion guides, and reporting frameworks that deliver actionable insights.

• Partner closely with Culinary and Marketing teams to inform long-term menu strategy, innovation priorities, and product development decisions.

• Identifywhite space opportunities, emerging food and beverage trends, competitive learnings, and unmetguest needsto fuel future innovation.

• Translate guest insights into clear recommendations that improve product quality, guest satisfaction, and business performance.

• Cross - FunctionalCollaboration

• Collaborate closely withCulinaryteams totranslate insights into prototypesandoptimizeproducts.

• Serve as a trusted advisor to Marketing, Culinary, Operations, and Leadership teams by providing strategic recommendations grounded in data and consumer understanding.

• Present findings and business implications to senior leadership with clarity, confidence, and influence.

• Champion a consumer-first mindset across the organization and advocate for guest insights throughout the product development process.

• Research Excellence & Methodology

• Design and oversee custom research programsutilizinga range of qualitative and quantitative methodologies, including focus groups, in-depth interviews, surveys, and sensory panels.

• Moderate focus groups and qualitative sessions as needed.

• Execute in-house testing initiatives and work collaboratively with cross-functional partners to ensure seamless study implementation.

• Apply advanced analytical techniques and sensory evaluation tools to uncover meaningful insights and opportunities.

• Manage external research agencies and suppliers, ensuring high-quality deliverables, methodological rigor, timelines, and budget efficiency.

• Continuously evolve research practices by incorporating innovative methodologies, technologies, and best practices.

Qualifications

• Experience &Expertise

• 5+ years of experience in consumer insights, sensory research, market research, or product innovation, preferably within the restaurant, foodservice, food and beverage, or consumer packaged goods industries.

• Demonstrated success influencing productdevelopmentandmenuinnovation

• through consumer-driven insights.

• Experience managing sensory testing programs and translating findings into actionable recommendations.

• Skills & Competencies

• Strong understanding of sensory research methodologies and consumer research techniques.

• Experience designing,conductingand analyzing both qualitative and quantitative studies.

• Exceptional storytelling, presentation, and communication skills.

• Strong project management skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced, highly collaborative environment.

• Proven ability to build relationships and influence stakeholders across functions and organizational levels.

• Proficiencywith research, survey, and data visualization tools.

• Willingness and ability to travel as needed to support testing.

• Performance & Success Measures

Success in this role will bedemonstratedthrough:

• A food and beverage innovation pipeline rooted in deep guest understanding.

• Tangible impact on menu performance, guest satisfaction, and innovation success rates.

• Clear, influential insights that shape critical culinary and marketing decisions.

• Strong partnerships across Culinary, Marketing, and Operations teams.

• Efficient and effective execution of sensory and consumer research programs.

• Identification of emerging trends and opportunities that support long-term brand growth.

Competitive Pay-$104,942 to $125,930 annually.

The actual pay offered will be determined by multiple factors, including but not limited to the candidate’s relevant experience, job-related knowledge, skills, and geographical location. Individual compensation decisions are dependent upon the facts and circumstances of each position and candidate.

Newton Support Center