Manager, Flavour Development at Pacific Smoke International Inc – Markham, Ontario

Salary Range: 85,000 - 130,000 CAD

Position: Manager, Flavour Development (Team Manager)

Location: Markham, Ontario

Role Overview

The Manager, Flavour Development (Team Manager) is the functional owner of flavour development across the company’s product portfolio. Operating within a matrix New Product Development (NPD) organization, this role is responsible for setting flavour strategy, building systems and standards, and leading the flavour team to deliver consistent, high-quality, compliant, and competitive flavour lineups.

This role partners closely with Product Managers, Product Execution, Creative Design, Regulatory, and external manufacturing partners to translate product briefs and market insights into well-reasoned flavour recommendations. The Manager, Flavour Development brings structure and clarity to flavour development efforts, anticipates future needs, and ensures flavour intent, quality, and compliance are preserved from early development through mass production.

The ideal candidate is a strong people manager and systems thinker with high business acumen. They are equally comfortable guiding sensory decisions, building repeatable processes, reviewing technical and quality data, and developing a high-performing team. Periodic travel to manufacturing partners and key markets is required and may vary by year based on business needs.

Key Responsibilities

Flavour Leadership & Strategy

Own the flavour development function across all new product initiatives.Partner with Product Managers early in the NPD process to understand product intent, target consumers, and market context.Ask thoughtful clarifying questions and recommend flavour lineups and alternatives based on research, experience, and strategic judgment.Continuously assess competitive products with a focus on flavour profiles, trends, and differentiation.Translate consumer insights, sales data, and market trends into actionable flavour strategies.Draw inspiration from adjacent industries such as food, beverage, candy, and fragrance to inform flavour direction.Partner with Brand and Marketing teams to support flavour naming and descriptors, ensuring proposed names align with brand intent and regulatory requirements.

Team Leadership & Development

Lead and manage the flavour development team, including internal specialists and external flavourists.Set clear priorities, expectations, and quality standards for the team.Coach and develop team members to strengthen technical rigor, consistency, and decision-making.Bring structure and alignment to a team of strong individual contributors with complementary skill sets.Lead in alignment with company values (Judgment, Curiosity, Agility, Results, Ownership, Teamwork) and leadership values (Drive, Humbleness, Learning).

Flavour Operations, Systems & OKRs

Build and maintain effective operating systems for flavour development, including planning, prioritization, and delegation.Use project management tools (e.g., Asana or similar) to manage workload, timelines, and dependencies across multiple products.Establish clear objectives and key results (OKRs) for the flavour team aligned with broader NPD and business goals.Anticipate future flavour needs based on product roadmaps, portfolio gaps, and evolving market trends.

Sensory Standards, Quality & Compliance

Build and implement structured systems for flavour evaluation and benchmarking.Define and maintain reference standards for sweetness, cooling, intensity, and other sensory attributes.Lead sensory evaluations and sign off on flavour prototypes and production samples.Ensure flavour formulations and ingredients meet applicable safety, quality, and regulatory requirements across target markets, including appropriate documentation and supplier disclosures.Review and assess technical attributes of flavour formulations (e.g., viscosity and stability) as part of flavour approval and flavour library inclusion, in collaboration with manufacturing and quality partners.Own the transition from prototype approval to mass production to minimize flavour drift.Investigate and resolve flavour discrepancies between development and production.

Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)

Own flavour development-related SOPs, ensuring they are current, practical, and aligned with quality and regulatory requirements.Periodically review, update, or develop SOPs as needed to support consistent execution and team scalability.

Flavour Intelligence & Library Development

Build and maintain a structured flavour library, including recipes, reference profiles, sensory benchmarks, and documented learnings.Proactively develop flavour concepts and ready-to-use options based on research and trend analysis.Ensure learnings from past successes and failures are captured and reused to improve future outcomes.Use the flavour library to accelerate decision-making and improve consistency over time.

Supplier & Manufacturer Collaboration

Build strong relationships with flavour houses, manufacturers, and suppliers.Design and implement effective collaboration models, including embedded supplier support and co-development arrangements.Partner closely with manufacturing teams to ensure flavour intent is preserved at scale.Evaluate new flavour technologies, formulations, and suppliers.

Travel & Market Immersion

Travel periodically to manufacturing partners and key markets, which may include Canada, Asia, and other priority regions as the business evolves.Stay close to market dynamics through on-site visits, expos, and supplier engagement.

Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Chemistry, Flavour Science, or a related field.7+ years of experience in flavour development, sensory science, or related product innovation roles.Experience managing and developing technical or creative teams.Strong sensory evaluation skills and comfort signing off on flavour quality.Demonstrated ability to build systems, standards, and repeatable processes.High business acumen, with the ability to balance consumer appeal, cost, scalability, and compliance.Strong organizational skills and experience managing complex, multi-project environments using structured tools.Excellent cross-functional and cross-cultural communication skills, including supplier and manufacturer collaboration.Analytical and strategic thinker able to translate market signals and data into flavour recommendations.Comfortable participating in sensory evaluations of vaping products where legally permitted.Willingness to travel internationally as required.Mandarin proficiency considered an asset, but not required.

What you can expect from Pacific Smoke International:

At our company, we strive to provide our team members with the best possible support. Here is an overview of the current benefits and perks we offer:

A total compensation package that includes group benefits program starting from day 1 of joining and year-end performance bonusOngoing learning and development opportunities to help build the career you want and hit the goals you set, while ensuring you’re reaching your fullest potentialAwards for top performers and employee tenure4 weeks vacationA unique opportunity to build, grow and leave your impact on a US$25-billion industryTo work with a group of people who are humble, supportive, and care about our customersProduct at distributor pricing to all employees Company events

If you are a results-driven, self-motivated individual who thrives in a collaborative and fast-paced environment, we invite you to join our team at PSI. You will have the opportunity to make a meaningful difference in the lives of people nationwide while working in an inclusive and supportive environment.

Thank you to all the applicants who have shown interest in this position. We appreciate the time and effort you have taken to apply.

While we carefully review every application we receive, we regret to inform you that only the candidates who are being considered for further evaluation will be contacted.

Pacific Smoke international is an equal opportunity employer and encourages all qualified candidates to apply. In accordance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA), we are committed to providing accommodations for people with disabilities to support their participation in all aspects of the recruitment and selection process.