Senior Manager, Microbiology, GDI

Our EMEA Innovation Center sits at the heart of The Coca-Cola Company’s next chapter of growth. We are committed to transforming and evolving our organization and ambitions — bringing our people closer to the consumer, continuously raising the bar, and embracing digitalization to enable sustainable growth. 
 
We are looking for an established and technically strong leader to build, inspire, and empower high-performing teams that fuel the innovation pipeline with bold ideas and turn them into real-world impact. This role is not about maintaining the status quo; it is about setting direction, unlocking opportunity, and driving valuable breakthrough innovation at scale. 
 
You will lead diverse teams with deep Microbiology expertise to deliver a strong and balanced portfolio of meaningful innovation — accelerating growth and shaping the future of the organization. 

Job Purpose Summary 

As a Senior Manager, Microbiology, you will lead a team responsible for microbiology assessments that ensure product quality and superiority across markets. You will partner closely with product developers and the pilot plant to proactively assess and mitigate risk throughout the development process. Leveraging deep technical expertise and digital solutions, you will provide clear, actionable recommendations to ensure products meet quality expectations across development, consumer testing, and commercialization - while enabling speed to market. 

What You’ll Do:

• Provide technical leadership in the creation and modification of Quality, Safety and Environmental requirements related to micro risk assessment. 

• Leadership on developing academic and external network, managing key expert contacts and representations in scientific organizations, official bodies, professional associations 

• Strategy planning to deliver long-term capabilities 

• Ensure all relevant policies and requirements related to micro are followed during the development process 

• Manage the end-to-end micro risk assessments for innovation and business continuity projects.  This includes: 

• Ingredient risk assessments 

• Planning and execution of challenge studies during development phase 

• Review, categorize and sign-off of Micro Risk Assessment 

• Creation of micro testing protocol, management of micro testing and establishment of release criteria for consumer study 

• Provide SME support for the development of manufacturing process requirements 

• Develop protocols for food service equipment validation 

• Manage relationships and prioritize work with 3rd party micro labs and Process Authority 

• Design and optimize micro testing processes including potential automation 

• Train, coach and mentor junior microbiologists 

• Conduct microbiological analysis and testing as needed 

What You’ll Need:

• Bachelor’s/ M.Sc Degree in Microbiology 

• Experience in microbiology testing and coordination of laboratory activities 

• Advanced knowledge and experience in Food Microbiology > 8 years of experience 

• Experience in beverage or food industry preferred >5 years 

• Strong knowledge in formulation and processing factors influencing the microbial stability of beverages 

• Experience setting robust experiments; microbial challenge testing, validation of alternative methods 

• Knowledge and application of Good Laboratory Practices (e.g., handling of chemicals and glassware, preparation of standards and reagents, proper measuring techniques, data management, housekeeping) 

• Ability to:

• Think end-to-end across initiatives and influences priorities aligned with strategy.  

• Understand and apply the technical domain trends/ new technology at work. 

• Encourage creativity within the team and removes barriers to idea generation.  

• Leverage internal and external resources smartly.  

• Act as a subject-matter expert and sets technical direction or standards. 

• Solve complex, ambiguous problems and anticipates downstream impacts. 

• Coach and supports others within and outside of the team, sharing expertise and constructive feedback. Cross functional influence  

• Make timely decisions with incomplete information while managing risk.  

• Fluent in English; regional languages a plus. 

• Regional travel up to 10–15%.