Job Description

Are you looking for a fantastic opportunity to further develop standard sensory science skills and apply these in a truly creative and exciting way? Are you looking to join a truly international and growing organisation?

About MMR...

MMR is an independent, global consumer and sensory research agency specialising in food, drink, personal and household care research. We are industry leaders, guiding best in class innovation for our clients - partnering with over 50% of the top 100 global food and drink brands.

Our team of over 600 highly engaged, multi-disciplined employees are primarily dynamic research professionals, sensory experts and data scientists. We boast a true global reach with offices in Wallingford (near Oxford), London, New York, Shanghai, Singapore, Mumbai, Sao Paulo, Cali (Colombia), Bangkok, Durban and Amsterdam.

What makes MMR special?

We are a "people first" company that prides itself on collaboration, honesty and mutual trust. Don\'t take our word for it though, check us out on Glassdoor. You\'ll see we\'re currently rated at 4.7 out of 5 as an employer destination and a massive 99% of our employees would recommend working for us to a friend. Add to that 99% of our people approve of our CEO and you a general feel of what it means to be part of the MMR family.

No two projects are ever the same, often involving exciting innovations, varied methods and international markets. It\'s a great opportunity to challenge and add value to client decision making, all while working with our passionate, friendly teams across the globe.

About the opportunity....

Senior Research Executives are responsible for liaising with nominated client companies to profitably develop MMR business. They have prime responsibility for handling client projects through all stages from initial briefing to report writing and/or debrief presentation, ensuring that the research design, analysis and interpretation of results, fulfils clients\xe2\x80\x99 needs.

MMR\xe2\x80\x99s qualitative footprint is expanding, and this is creating a fantastic opportunity to further develop standard sensory science skills and apply these in a truly creative and exciting way through one of MMRs most successful methodologies. EROS and Retreats for example are designed to help clients work towards perfect product briefs, so the role includes a strong element of client interaction and working directly with consumers and MMR researchers to really add value to the product development process.

This role is sensory based but with a qualitative focus:

• Working across teams, with all members of staff as required, for a variety of clients
• Providing a sensory perspective to qualitative projects \xe2\x80\x93 help with the writing of sensory qualitative proposals
• Selecting product stimuli alongside client teams or provide recommendation on selection to ensure relevancy for achieving the project objectives
• Moderating focus groups, conducting depth interviews and facilitating workshops as relevant
• Liaising with international agencies and attending international fieldwork as relevant (there will be plenty of opportunities to travel!)
• Producing qualitative sensory focused outputs and assisting in initiatives to improve the visual aspects of MMR output generally
• Writing screeners, discussion guides and supporting field materials
• Taking part in Sensory qual debriefs and client facing sensory activities (training, consultancy, etc.)

On the job training will be provided but there will also be the opportunity to attend external training courses.

Requirements

Qualitative work requires (at times) long hours, anti-social hours and international travel (generally a week at a time). There is flexibility because of this but it is an inevitable part of the job.

This role is based in Singapore, but the successful candidate will be expected to handle projects in China. Also, this will require traveling to China from time to time (mostly for groups or client meetings). But traveling to other APAC markets may happen from time to time for other projects.

• Working with Others - Helps to promote a co-operative spirit between departments. Works to promote sensory knowledge in the company and MMR\xe2\x80\x99s expertise to clients.
• Client Service - Develops close, lasting working relationships with clients.
• Innovation/Creativity - Thinks laterally to solve demanding logistical and other issues. Helps to drive forward and implement new initiatives and processes.
• Learning and Improving - Moves on to more advanced levels of understanding of methods & techniques, continuing to seek out and use new skills and knowledge. Develops softer skills.
• Sensory moderation \xe2\x80\x93 Is able to elicit detailed sensory vocabulary from trained panellists and can transfer these moderation skills to working with clients / untrained consumers
• Sensory acuity \xe2\x80\x93 Is able to articulate product sensory characteristics themselves and to provide clear argumentation / recommendation on product differences to support a product selection relevant to the project objectives
• Project Design - Assists in scoping projects and writing proposals. Can conceptualise the design of logistics and discussion flow for more complex studies.
• Project Management - Ensures a project is managed effectively within budget and to agreed timescales.
• Client Focus and Client Management - Focusses on client needs, developing close,lasting relationships with customers and delivering excellent service.
• Analysis and Interpretation - Interpreting complex, consumer, sensory and conceptual data and producing commercially focused summaries to meet client needs.
• Good storyteller \xe2\x80\x93 Presents data and insights in an engaging and clear story to effectively communicate key findings and recommendations to clients rather than reports that are data-heavy and segmented by parts
• Preferably fluent in Mandarin (both oral and written) \xe2\x80\x93 Mandarin is first or second language, can read and write in Mandarin, fluent in both formal and conversational Manadarin as the role entails having meetings with Chinese clients, and moderating/listening to Chinese consumer interviews

Benefits

Here at MMR, we are about building a workplace for the future. We believe in equal opportunities and celebrate diversity. We\xe2\x80\x99re an inclusive workplace, where everyone is welcome, everyone can be natural, and be the best versions of themselves.

MMR Research