Senior Director, Global Juice Quality

Job title: Senior Director, Global Juice Quality in Apopka, FL at Coca-Cola
Company: Coca-Cola
Job description: Location(s): United States of AmericaCity/Cities: ApopkaTravel Required: 00% - 25%Relocation Provided: YesJob Posting End Date: May 19, 2025Shift:Job Description Summary:This leadership role within the Flavor Supply function is a “leader of leaders” responsible for 2 laboratory teams located in Florida and France. The Senior Director, Global Juice Quality provides leadership and strategic direction to the Midi Juice Quality Center (Signes, FR) and direction and primary management of the Florida Juice Quality Center (Apopka, Fl) under Flavor Supply. This leader may also interact with Coca-Cola Analytical Services Shanghai about the testing of juice ingredients.Due to the nature of this work being “business essential on-site, there is limited flexibility for remote work.The position reports to the Senior Director of Coca-Cola Analytical Services (also based in Apopka, FL) and is responsible for the Company juice quality center laboratories providing quality assurance testing of all juices used by the Company including batch release. This leader is responsible for approving all new juice ingredients to be used by the Company globally.This position regularly interacts with all levels of global leadership of Technical, Juice Procurement, Supplier Quality teams, Ingredient and Product Governance, Commercial Product Supply, Product Integrity and Scientific and Regulatory Affairs. The position also interacts with juice suppliers to influence overall performance and with leaders of external laboratories.The function is directly responsible for leadership, providing juice ingredient quality to operating units and corporate functions to help assure the quality and regulatory compliance of TCCC products, supporting the business in the investigation and resolution of IMCRs related to juice ingredients, and providing troubleshooting and problem-solving support operating units and corporate functions.The role is also responsible for strategic development of the Juice Quality Centers programs, processes, and capabilities to meet future needs.Key Responsibilities:

• Oversee the development of short- and long-range business plans for Global Juice Lab operations that are comprehensive, realistic, and aligned with broader Company and business plans.
• Develop strategies, goals, and plans for work that focus on and enables the Company to better serve or work with customers, bottlers, or suppliers, and always with focus on the work that matters most. This includes continuous evolution of support programs and juice ingredient quality plans.
• While the laboratories are distributed around the globe and in different time zones, this leader is responsible for demonstrating strong leadership, guidance, and coaching to the laboratory managers to achieve work objectives and continuously improve culture, engagement, performance and skills.
• Act as a scientific, regulatory, technical or quality expert and consultant by responding to targeted questions from across our Coca-Cola system and providing support to supply chain functions, operating units and bottlers. This includes acting as a resource for general information and acting as a consultant for other technical personnel in the Company.
• Create and communicate laboratory management strategy/long-term plan to address issues and future trends expected to affect the business. This includes anticipating changes in analytical technology, regulatory and consumer shifts, changes in agricultural ingredient supply impacting performance of juice ingredients and finished beverages, and evolution of Company portfolio and route to market.
• Review and evaluate reported crisis in relation to juice ingredients as related to Coca-Cola system incidents with immediate negative implications for the Company) and contribute or formulate a plan of action for handling the incident/issue based on area of expertise/responsibility. This work is in strong collaboration with the Ingredient Quality Department, Quality, Safety & Environment (QSE), Global Development & Innovation (GDI), Operating Units (OU’s), and other key stakeholders.
• Provide leadership in building laboratory organizational capabilities (infrastructure and people) by identifying needs or gaps, creating a plan to close gaps, and ensuring plan execution.
• Lead, coach and inspire the Global Juice Quality teams to deliver best-in class results and ISO17025 accreditation while fostering individual growth and development.
• Provide expertise and leadership in the development and implementation of standardized problem-solving methodologies and across juice ingredient laboratories.
• Manage purchases of laboratory capital equipment. This includes preparing budgets and tracking purchases against budget.
• Represent the Company in relevant external organizations/committees/boards

Qualifications & Requirements:

• Education: Master's Degree or Postgraduate: Chemistry, Microbiology, or Advanced Science
• Degree, minimum. Doctorate/JD/Ph.D./MD: Chemistry preferred.
• Years of Experience: 10+ Years Experience preferred
• Technical Competencies:
• Advanced Juice Ingredient Chemistry and Microbiology: Comprehensive understanding of the quality assurance in juice components of Company products.
• Beverage Composition and Manufacturing: Knowledge of beverage product composition, manufacturing methods for various product types and analytical methods.
• Building Technical Relationships: Ability to apply technical knowledge and prove credibility with highly technical audiences to build technical relationships that will benefit customers or the Company.
• Advanced Analytical Chemistry: Expert ability to integrate analytical chemistry techniques (e.g., GC, GC/MS and MS) and to apply the right techniques to testing of juice ingredients.
• Laboratory informatics and Automation: Knowledge in and proven experience of LIMs systems used in laboratory operation, and a keen sense in advancement of automation and robotics initiatives to build the laboratory of the future.
• Quality Assurance Principles: Knowledge and application of quality cost analysis, inspection, corrective action planning, internal customer satisfaction, internal monitoring to detect and correct non-conforming information, materials or processes using modern quality problem-solving tools. Serve as a technical expert to Coca-Cola operating functions in the area of fruit and vegetable ingredients. Contribute to maintaining business continuity through global technical networks and supply chain.
• Incident Management: Ability to effectively and consistently manage all potential and actual incidents (e.g., quality issues) that could be harmful to the Coca-Cola trademark.
• Managing Scientific and Regulatory dialogue in a Business Environment: Ability to apply communication skills (e.g., listening, expressing empathy, probing, asking questions) and Company language to effectively manage dialogue in response to product scientific or regulatory issues related to juice and its by products. Includes the ability to handle sensitive and complex contacts that require a high level of judgment, tact and diplomacy to minimize negative impact to the System and Industry.
• Food Law: Knowledge of food law as it applies to juice and its by products. This includes knowledge of required/allowed levels and restrictions for juice ingredients or knowledge of where this information exists and how to access it. This may also include knowledge of whether a juice ingredient meets country level requirements.

Skills: Analytical Thinking, Communication, Laboratory Management, Leadership, People Management, Safety Strategy, Teamwork, Technical Knowledge, WritingPay Range: $176,000 - $199,000Base pay offered may vary depending on geography, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. A full range of medical, financial, and/or other benefits, dependent on the position, is offered.Annual Incentive Reference Value Percentage: 30Annual Incentive reference value is a market-based competitive value for your role. It falls in the middle of the range for your role, indicating performance at target.Our Purpose and Growth Culture:We are taking deliberate action to nurture an inclusive culture that is grounded in our company purpose, to refresh the world and make a difference. We act with a growth mindset, take an expansive approach to what’s possible and believe in continuous learning to improve our business and ourselves. We focus on four key behaviors – curious, empowered, inclusive and agile – and value how we work as much as what we achieve. We believe that our culture is one of the reasons our company continues to thrive after 130+ years. Visit to learn more about these behaviors and how you can bring them to life in your next role at Coca-Cola.We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and do not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, sex, age, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, status as a veteran, and basis of disability or any other federal, state or local protected class. When we collect your personal information as part of a job application or offer of employment, we do so in accordance with industry standards and best practices and in compliance with applicable privacy laws.
Expected salary: $176000 - 199000 per year
Location: Apopka, FL
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