Manager, Sensory Quality

Mother Parkers Tea & Coffee USA, Ltd; Fort Worth (TX); On-site; USD 98,000 - 118,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits coverage on day 1

Employer matched retirement savings

Annual Safety Shoes Program

Tuition Assistance Program

Job summary

Mother Parkers Tea & Coffee USA, Ltd seeks a Manager of Sensory Quality to lead coffee cupping, roaster calibrations, and a sensory lab network. You will guide a two-person technician team, coordinate sensory programs, and ensure calibration consistency across materials and products.

Your role includes developing training programs, maintaining certifications, and driving adherence to safety and quality standards to meet customer specifications. Strong leadership and SCA expertise are essential.

Qualifications

• Ability to assess coffee quality objectively.
• Identify and articulate coffee attributes using industry terminology and SCA standards.
• Designated Q and optional R Grader certifications preferred.
• Professional sensory training certification preferred.

Responsibilities

• Evaluate and describe coffee sensory profiles for raw materials and finished goods.
• Lead and develop staff in cupping setup and sensory assessments.
• Oversee cup lab operations and ensure compliance with sensory standards.
• Standardize sensory assessment practices across the network.
• Lead training programs and set team objectives aligned with the business plan.
• Ensure compliance with food safety and occupational safety standards.

Skills

Coffee sensory evaluation

Team leadership

Quality assessment

SCA protocols

Education

Q and R Grader certification

Professional Sensory Training Certification

Job description

If you are unable to complete this application due to a disability, contact this employer to ask for an accommodation or an alternative application process.

Manager, Sensory Quality

7 days ago Requisition ID: 1128

Who is Mother Parkers?

We are one of the largest tea and coffee manufacturers in North America, with a mission to create a better beverage experience for our customers. As a leading customer solutions provider to some of North America’s largest retailers and foodservice chains, we use state-of-the-art technology and new product innovation to help our customers grow their business and deliver superior products to their clientele. Our team of coffee and tea experts are deeply passionate about what we do, proud of our 100+ years of business success, and excited about building a future with endless possibilities. Come join our team and work among the best, collaborate with high performers, and contribute to challenging work every day!

The Role:

The Manager Sensory Quality is a subject matter expert in coffee sensory evaluation (cupping) and network-wide roaster qualifications and calibrations. This position enables systematic evaluation of inbound raw materials, verification of roasted product sensory profiles and customer sensory quality calibration session and appropriate blend diversions as needed. This role coordinates and supports best practices for roaster qualification and calibration and Sensory Quality lab standards and procedures. This position is also responsible for network wide sensory quality calibrations and for developing and sustaining sensory quality training program. This role leads a team of 2 Technicians.

What you get to do:

• Evaluate and describe coffee sensory profile for raw material and finished goods, utilizing a repeatable and systematic methodology that enables
• comparing a variety of samples side by side or samples to a sensory profile specification.
• Lead and develop staff in the proper handling of raw materials and finished goods in relation to setting up of a cupping table, conducting raw material
• and finished good physical and sensory assessments.
• Lead and develop staff to approve in-process and finished products by confirming specifications - conducting visual and measurement tests,
• communicating required adjustments, and reporting inspection results with recommended revisions.
• Partner with PD and Commodities to standardize sensory assessment practices and protocol across the business.
• Responsible for the day-to-day operation and maintenance of the cupping lab in designated location.
• Responsible for meeting all customer specific sensory specifications and requirements.
• Leads customer specific sensory quality programs for Network.
• Lead validation of coffee sensory profile for roasted coffee with focus optimizing sensory profile, yield and capacity.
• Lead and develop staff in evaluating roasted coffee sensory profile to ensure compliance to specification.
• Lead, implement and sustain a network wide training program.
• Set objectives with the team in close collaboration with functional stakeholders that align with the business plan.
• Identify and communicate key responsibilities and practices to ensure the team promotes Mother Parkers values, and builds on core competencies to
• achieve superior results.
• Ensure compliance with all food safety and general occupational safety standards, quality specifications, local and governmental environmental
• Requirements.
• Ensure a high level of compliance with the internal systems including maintaining required certifications.
• Active People-developer that recognizes the importance of supporting the Individual Development and Succession/Talent Review processes to develop
• organizational capability
• Conduct and ensure the timely completion of performance reviews
• Provide coaching, direction and leadership support to employees to achieve employee, company and customer results.
• Regularly monitor employee punctuality and performance to ensure team efficiency.

What you bring to the role:

• The ability to assess coffee quality objectively.
• Identify, evaluate and articulate the attributes of the coffee, detect any defects, and the coffee characteristics using accepted industry terminology utilizing fundamental knowledge of Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCA) evaluation standards and protocols.
• Designated Q and optional R Grader certification(s), preferred.
• Professional Sensory Training Certification (University or College) is preferred.

What we offer you:

• Competitive Total Rewards package – health benefits coverage on day 1, employer matched retirement savings plans, optional Health or Wellness Spending Accounts.
• Employee discount program on our coffee and tea products.
• Annual Safety Shoes Program – your safety is our #1 priority.
• Tuition Assistance Program – we value continuous learning and self-development.

The hiring range for this position is $98,000 to $118,000 annually.

This posting is for an existing/new vacancy.

We use AI enabled tools to support parts of our selection process; however, every hiring decision is reviewed and finalized by our people.

While Mother Parkers welcomes all applications, we do not accept unsolicited resumes from employment agencies or search firms. Only those candidates who meet the minimum requirements will be contacted. Mother Parkers is committed to providing accommodation for persons with disabilities. Accommodation is available on request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process.