Senior Manager, Consumer Experience

Church & Dwight Co., Inc.; Princeton (NJ); Hybrid; USD 130,000 - 185,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical coverage

Dental coverage

Vision coverage

Paid time off

401k with match

Job summary

Church & Dwight is seeking a Senior Manager, Consumer Experience to lead consumer and product research programs across categories, partnering with R&D, Marketing, Innovation, and external research partners to translate learnings into business recommendations that improve product performance and support growth.

The role includes leadership and development for Consumer Experience team members, advancing methodologies, and driving continuous improvement in research quality and impact.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Consumer Science, Psychology, Marketing Research, Statistics, Sensory Science, Social Science, Human Factors, Behavioral Science, Product Development, or related field.
• Minimum 8 years of progressive experience in consumer insights, consumer science, sensory science, market research, product research, or related disciplines.
• Demonstrated success leading complex research programs that influence product, innovation, and business decisions.
• Proven experience managing and developing research professionals and/or scientific teams.
• Experience leading external research suppliers, consulting partners, and research budgets.
• Strong background in study design, experimental methods, statistical interpretation, and insight generation.
• Experience introducing, evaluating, and scaling new research methodologies and capabilities.

Responsibilities

• Lead consumer and product research strategies across assigned categories to support innovation, product development, claims development, and business decision-making.
• Collaborate with R&D, Innovation, Marketing, and other stakeholders to define learning objectives, business questions, success criteria, and research plans.
• Develop and execute qualitative, quantitative, sensory, and agile research programs that provide actionable recommendations and drive consumer-centered decision-making.
• Translate complex consumer, sensory, and product data into clear business implications, recommendations, and strategic actions for technical and non-technical audiences.
• Identify emerging consumer needs, usage behaviors, market opportunities, and innovation spaces that support business growth and product differentiation.
• Serve as a trusted advisor and subject matter expert on consumer research strategy, methodology selection, and learning plan development.
• Lead vendor selection, study design, project execution, and data interpretation while ensuring research quality, timeline adherence, and budget management.
• Evaluate, pilot, and implement new consumer research methodologies, technologies, platforms, and analytical approaches that improve learning quality, efficiency, and business impact.
• Continuously monitor industry best practices, emerging research techniques, and market trends to strengthen organizational capabilities and research effectiveness.
• Establish and promote excellence in study design, methodology selection, interpretation, and application of consumer learning across projects and categories.
• Manage, coach, and develop Consumer Experience team members, providing performance feedback, technical guidance, and career development support.
• Support talent acquisition, onboarding, succession planning, and capability development to ensure organizational readiness for future business needs.
• Allocate resources and manage priorities across multiple categories and projects to ensure efficient delivery of business objectives.
• Present findings, recommendations, and business implications to senior leadership and key stakeholders, influencing strategic decisions and investment priorities.

Skills

Consumer research

Qualitative methods

Quantitative methods

Sensory science

Agile research

Data interpretation

Communication

Leadership

Stakeholder management

Emerging tech

Talent development

Education

Bachelor's degree (related field)

Master's or PhD preferred

Job description

A collective energy and ambition. A place where you can make a real difference. We’re a company that genuinely cares about our people, our products, our consumers and the environment. Our unique, informal culture champions courage, determination and collaboration. Knowing we have an open and supportive team means each of us has the freedom to take responsibility and ownership. We have a shared passion to work hard, innovate and push boundaries. United by the belief that when we strive for growth, anything is possible. While we might not be the largest company in our industry, we believe we can have the biggest impact because: Together We Have the Power to Win.

Job Summary

Church & Dwight is seeking a Senior Manager, Consumer Experience to join our team. The role serves as a strategic leader and senior voice of the consumer, responsible for translating consumer, sensory, and product learning into actionable business recommendations that improve product performance, strengthen innovation pipelines, and support growth objectives.

About the Role

The Senior Manager, Consumer Experience will lead the design, execution, interpretation, and communication of consumer and product research programs across multiple categories. The role partners closely with R&D, Marketing, Innovation, and external research partners to ensure consumer learning is integrated throughout product development and commercialization. In addition to delivering business-critical insights, this position provides leadership and development for Consumer Experience team members, advances research capabilities through methodology innovation, and drives continuous improvement in research quality, effectiveness, and organizational impact. This role includes direct management responsibility for Consumer Experience professionals and researchers.

Work Environment: Hybrid: The role will be based in Princeton, NJ, and requires in-person attendance on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, with remote work options on Mondays and Fridays.

Role Accountabilities and Responsibilities

• Lead consumer and product research strategies across assigned categories to support innovation, product development, claims development, and business decision-making.
• Collaborate with R&D, Innovation, Marketing, and other stakeholders to define learning objectives, business questions, success criteria, and research plans.
• Develop and execute qualitative, quantitative, sensory, and agile research programs that provide actionable recommendations and drive consumer-centered decision-making.
• Translate complex consumer, sensory, and product data into clear business implications, recommendations, and strategic actions for technical and non-technical audiences.
• Identify emerging consumer needs, usage behaviors, market opportunities, and innovation spaces that support business growth and product differentiation.
• Serve as a trusted advisor and subject matter expert on consumer research strategy, methodology selection, and learning plan development.
• Lead vendor selection, study design, project execution, and data interpretation while ensuring research quality, timeline adherence, and budget management.
• Evaluate, pilot, and implement new consumer research methodologies, technologies, platforms, and analytical approaches that improve learning quality, efficiency, and business impact.
• Continuously monitor industry best practices, emerging research techniques, and market trends to strengthen organizational capabilities and research effectiveness.
• Establish and promote excellence in study design, methodology selection, interpretation, and application of consumer learning across projects and categories.
• Manage, coach, and develop Consumer Experience team members, providing performance feedback, technical guidance, and career development support.
• Support talent acquisition, onboarding, succession planning, and capability development to ensure organizational readiness for future business needs.
• Allocate resources and manage priorities across multiple categories and projects to ensure efficient delivery of business objectives.
• Present findings, recommendations, and business implications to senior leadership and key stakeholders, influencing strategic decisions and investment priorities.

Skills and Competencies

• Strong expertise in consumer research, consumer science, sensory science, or related consumer learning disciplines.
• Advanced knowledge of qualitative, quantitative, sensory, and agile research methodologies.
• Demonstrated ability to select appropriate methodologies and research approaches based on business objectives and development stage.
• Strong analytical, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to interpret complex data and translate findings into actionable business recommendations.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and stakeholder management skills.
• Experience leading cross-functional teams and influencing decisions across multiple organizational levels.
• Knowledge of emerging research technologies, AI-enabled research tools, digital research platforms, and advanced analytics methodologies preferred.
• Proven leadership, coaching, and talent development capabilities.

Education and Experience

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree required in Consumer Science, Psychology, Marketing Research, Statistics, Sensory Science, Social Science, Human Factors, Behavioral Science, Product Development, or related field.
• Minimum 8 years of progressive experience in consumer insights, consumer science, sensory science, market research, product research, or related disciplines.
• Demonstrated success leading complex research programs that influence product, innovation, and business decisions.
• Proven experience managing and developing research professionals and/or scientific teams.
• Experience leading external research suppliers, consulting partners, and research budgets.
• Strong background in study design, experimental methods, statistical interpretation, and insight generation.
• Experience introducing, evaluating, and scaling new research methodologies and capabilities.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master's degree or Ph.D. preferred.
• Fragrance, flavor, sensory, or product performance testing experience preferred.
• Consumer packaged goods experience strongly preferred.

Compensation and Benefits

The U.S. base salary range for this full-time position is $130,200– $185,200.

• As a Church & Dwight US employee, you (and eligible dependents, as applicable) will have access to medical, dental, vision, basic life insurance, paid vacation and sick time, and Paid Parental Leave.
• U.S. employees are entitled to paid holidays, floating holidays, and vacation days starting in their first year of employment depending on hire date.
• You are also able to participate in our 401k retirement plan (with company match and profit-sharing) and Discounted Employee Stock Purchase Plan.

The actual base pay offered to the successful candidate will be based on multiple factors, including, but not limited to, job-related knowledge/skills, experience, business needs, geographical location, and internal pay parity. Compensation decisions are dependent upon the facts and circumstances of each position and candidate.

#LI-Hybrid Church & Dwight is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities.

For more information on our company, our brands and our culture visit us at http://www.churchdwight.com/ Church & Dwight is a world-leader in household and personal care products.

Our global brands include ARM & HAMMER, Batiste, OxiClean, Trojan, XTRA, Nair, First Response, Spinbrush, Orajel, vitafusion, Li’l Critters, Water Pik and FLAWLESS.

Founded in 1846, we have operations globally and are listed in the S&P 500.