CTI Assistant Manager (Convenience Foods)

Department: R&D – Consumer Technical Insight (CTI) / Convenience Foods

Location: [Biên Hòa / HCMC / Masan Consumer R&D Center]

Job Summary

The CTI Assistant Manager (Convenience Foods) plays a pivotal role in bridging consumer insight and product development, ensuring that technical innovation and sensory design are deeply grounded in consumer needs and behaviors.

This position is responsible for designing and executing consumer-technical studies, translating findings into actionable product improvements, and partnering closely with R&D, Marketing, and Manufacturing to create winning Convenience Food products (noodles, seasonings, ready-to-eat meals, etc.) that delight consumers and strengthen Masan’s leadership in the category.

Key Responsibilities

1. Consumer Engagement, Research & Technical Insights

• Recruit, manage, and engage a Consumers-in-Love (CiL) community for continuous product feedback and rapid consumer validation.
• Design and lead in-field consumer testing, home-use tests, and sensory evaluation sessions to capture actionable insights.
• Analyze sensory and technical feedback to identify key drivers of liking, areas for improvement, and product optimization directions.
• Conduct Habits & Attitude (H&A) studies and translate consumer language into technical product requirements.
• Monitor consumer and technical trends in instant noodles, seasonings, and ready-to-eat categories to anticipate innovation opportunities.

2. Innovation Project & Product Development Support

• Partner with R&D teams to design and execute CTI workstreams across innovation projects — including concept validation, prototype testing, and cost-performance assessment.
• Translate consumer insights into measurable technical targets for product formulation, flavor development, and packaging design.
• Evaluate product sensory attributes and performance benchmarks against competition to ensure superior quality and consumer preference.
• Support go-to-market readiness by validating product performance consistency across development stages (lab – pilot – factory).

3. Market & Competitive Analysis

• Conduct market scanning and competitive benchmarking to map taste profiles, formulation trends, and packaging innovations.
• Identify white space opportunities and unmet consumer needs that can inspire new product or packaging solutions.
• Collaborate with Brand and Marketing to refine product positioning and communicate technical superiority in consumer-relevant language.
• Track technology trends and ingredient innovations relevant to convenience foods to inform long-term R&D strategy.

4. Cross-functional Collaboration & Leadership

• Serve as the voice of the consumer within R&D, ensuring all development projects are anchored in real consumer needs.
• Collaborate effectively across functions (R&D, Marketing, QA, Manufacturing, Procurement) to ensure holistic product understanding.
• Coach junior researchers and CTI officers on methodology design, data analysis, and storytelling with insights.

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree or higher in Food Technology, Food Science, Sensory & Consumer Science, Marketing, Cognitive Psychology, or Market Research.

Experience:

• Minimum 5–7 years of experience in Consumer Technical Insight, Sensory Science, or R&D Marketing Interface within FMCG or Food industries.
• Experience in Convenience Foods (instant noodles, seasonings, sauces, or ready-to-eat products) is a strong advantage.

Technical & Professional Skills:

• Strong understanding of consumer sensory science, product evaluation, and consumer behavior.
• Hands-on experience designing consumer tests, sensory profiling, and market benchmarking.
• Analytical capability to interpret data and translate insights into product implications.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Excel, PowerPoint, Word) and consumer data visualization tools.
• Fluent in English and Vietnamese for cross-functional communication and report presentation.

Soft Skills:

• Strategic & consumer-centric mindset with ability to link data to business opportunities.
• Excellent presentation, collaboration, and influencing skills.
• Curious, hands-on, and comfortable working in consumer fieldwork environments.
• Innovative thinker with a proactive approach to problem-solving.

Core Competencies

• Consumer Centricity & Empathy
• Analytical & Insightful Thinking
• Innovation & Technical Curiosity
• Cross-functional Collaboration
• Planning & Execution Excellence
• Ownership & Continuous Improvement

• Attractive salary package
• 13th fixed months of salary
• Full participation in social insurance, health insurance, holidays, Tet, bonuses according to the law
• High promotion opportunities
• Young, dynamic, comfortable working environment