Manager, Sensory Quality (Coffee) at Mother Parkers Tea & Coffee USA, Ltd – Fort Worth, Texas

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:

We are looking for a seasoned sensory quality professional to join our Sensory Quality team as a Sensory Quality Manager at our Fort Worth, Texas office. You will be the subject matter expert in coffee & tea sensory evaluation, and network-wide roaster qualifications and calibrations. In this role, you will enable a systematic evaluation of inbound raw materials, verification of roasted product sensory profiles, and customer sensory quality calibration sessions. As well, you will coordinate best practices for roaster qualification and calibration and Sensory Quality lab standards and procedures.

What you get to do:

• Evaluate and describe tea and coffee sensory profile for both finished goods and raw materials.
• 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.
• Partner with Product Development 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.
• Ensure that customer specific sensory specifications and requirements are met and lead customer specific sensory quality programs.
• Lead validation of coffee sensory profile for roasted coffee with focus on optimizing sensory profile, yield and capacity.
• Lead, implement and sustain a network wide training program.
• Ensure compliance with all food safety and general occupational safety standards, quality specifications, local and governmental environmental requirements.
• Lead a team of 2 Sensory Quality Technicians – setting team objectives, provide coaching, direction and leadership support.

What you bring to the role:

• Minimum of 5 years sensory quality (cupping) experience.
• 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 (SCA) evaluation standards and protocols.
• Designated Q Arabica (and optional Q Robusta Grader) certification(s) is preferred.
• Undergraduate Degree, preferably in Food Science or similar discipline.
• Experience managing a team of direct reports.

What we offer you:

• Flexible work hours.
• Competitive Total Rewards package – health benefits coverage on day 1, employer matched retirement savings plans, Flexible Spending Account.
• Employee discount program on our coffee and tea products.
• Dress for your day: Come in your casual dress attire every day, unless you have a client meeting.
• Tuition Assistance Program – we value continuous learning and self-development.

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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 accommodations for persons with disabilities. Accommodation is available on request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process.