Perdue Foods has a goal of becoming the most trusted name in premium proteins by creating products for consumers and for retail and foodservice customers around the globe while changing the way animals are raised for food. It is part of Perdue Farms, a fourth-generation, family-owned food and agricultural business deeply rooted in tradition yet with a forward-thinking mindset. We believe that success starts with our people, and our culture is built on a foundation of teamwork, integrity, and respect, where every voice matters and everyone is encouraged to contribute to our shared goals. We are dedicated to creating a supportive, inclusive environment where associates feel valued and inspired to make an impact, both within the company and in the communities we serve. From promoting growth and development to prioritizing work-life balance, we’re committed to helping our team members thrive. That's Perdue.

Summary

Lead the future of shopper strategy and influence how our brands win in the marketplace. As the Director of Shopper Insights, you will build and lead a best-in-class insights function that transforms shopper behavior, data, and market intelligence into powerful, actionable strategies that drive growth across channels. You will partner closely with Marketing, Sales, Product Development, Category Management, RGM, and Consumer Insights, as well as external research partners, to shape innovation, strengthen our competitive position, and elevate our voice within the industry. This role is ideal for a strategic, forward-thinking leader who excels at turning complex insights into clear business actions and is passionate about delivering shopper focused solutions that make a measurable impact.

Principal Essential Duties & Responsibilities

• Lead the Shopper Insights function, setting the vision, strategy, and execution plans to influence business decisions across marketing, sales, and product development teams.
• Drive the development and execution of research programs to better understand shopper behavior, purchase motivations, and decision-making drivers across key categories sales channels (grocery, e-commerce, foodservice, etc.), and specific retailers.
• Utilize data analytics, syndicated data, and proprietary research (e.g., shopper panels, loyalty programs, in-store/shopper behavior data) to provide actionable insights that inform Perdue’s marketing, sales, and product innovation strategies (product assortment, pricing, promotional strategies, in-store experiences, and omni-channel retail strategies, etc.).
• Partner with key stakeholders in Marketing, Sales, Category Management, and Innovation teams to ensure shopper insights are incorporated into product development, go-to-market strategies, and promotional planning.
• Provide shopper-driven insights to influence product innovation, packaging, pricing strategies, and consumer communications.
• Champion a consumer-first mindset within the organization.
• Stay ahead of shopper and market trends, identifying shifts in shopper behavior and emerging opportunities within the food and protein categories.
• Deliver insights on competitive landscape and category dynamics.
• Foster a culture of continuous learning, collaboration, and innovation within the team.
• Develop and present insights-driven recommendations to senior leadership and other key stakeholders, delivering compelling, actionable stories that drive business impact.
• Oversee relationships with external research agencies and vendors, managing large-scale insights projects and ensuring the quality and relevance of research efforts.
• Develop and refine shopper segmentation models to identify key target segments, guiding marketing and promotional activities that resonate with specific shopper groups.
• Define and track key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure the effectiveness of shopper insights and the impact of strategies on sales, brand health, and consumer loyalty.

Minimum Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing, Business, Economics, Psychology, or a related field.
• 10+ years of experience in shopper insights, market research, or analytics, with at least 5 years in a leadership role. Experience in consumer goods, food & beverage, or CPG sectors is highly preferred, with a strong understanding of the grocery and/or poultry industries.
• Proven history of leading and developing high-performing teams.
• Ability to inspire and lead through change, driving results while fostering a collaborative and inclusive team culture.
• Expertise in data analysis, statistical tools, and consumer insights platforms (e.g., Numerator, syndicated data, InVision, Placer.ai, Alteryx, PowerBI, Qualtics).
• Strong ability to synthesize complex data into clear, actionable insights.
• Strong strategic thinking capabilities, with the ability to connect shopper insights to broader business goals and deliver results that drive growth.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to present insights and recommendations to senior leadership and influence key stakeholders across the organization and customers.
• Excellent project management skills, with experience leading large-scale research initiatives and managing cross-functional teams to execute insights-driven strategies.
• Deep understanding of consumer and shopper behavior, with a passion for translating insights into business-building strategies that resonate with today’s evolving shopper.

Preferred Education and Experience

• Master’s Degree or MBA is highly preferred.

Physical Requirements and Environmental Factors

• Position is mostly sedentary but may require occasional moving to other offices or buildings.
• May need to move light equipment or supplies from one place to another.
• May need to access files, supplies and equipment.
• Work activity is in an office, open-partitioned, cubicle environment.

Perdue Farms Inc. is an Equal Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or protected veteran status.