Job Description:

Who are we?

Accelerator, a global Division of Mars Snacking, is on the front line of unlocking growth across high-potential categories and brands to fuel what’s next for Snacking. It’s home to both emerging and enduring brands, including KIND, TRÜ FRÜ, NATURE’S BAKERY, RXBAR, EGGO, POP-TARTS and RICE KRISPIES TREATS. Combining the scale of Mars with the agility of a start-up, our Division has the ambition to accelerate the future of snacking by delivering products consumers love today, discovering category-shaping innovations for tomorrow and developing entrepreneurial teams whose impact will last for generations. 

We’re looking for passionate talent who dare to dream big, agile collaborators who talk straight and decide fast, and driven performers with a growth mindset. We’re proudly part of Mars, while also building something boldly different. If this inspires and energizes you, you’ve found the right place where you can do cool things with fun people for one of the biggest snacking companies in the world!

What you’ll do 

Reporting to the Senior Director leading the Scientific and Regulatory Affairs (SRA) team for the Accelerator business—the division supporting KIND, Tru Fru, Nature's Bakery, and the newly acquired Kellanova brands.

The Sr. Specialist Food Contact Material Compliance is responsible for a variety of scientific and regulatory activities to ensure compliance for food contact materials and packaging in North America (US and Canada) in accordance with regulations, internal processes and policies, and partners cross-functionally with R&D, Packaging Engineering, Quality and Food Safety, Supply and Commercial to enable innovation. As the Accelerator division continues to evolve, this role will also work internally and externally to proactively monitor scientific and regulatory activities in North America related to food contact materials and lead portfolio impact assessments to support regulatory change management and technical advocacy, propose new opportunities, preserve freedom to operate and strengthen business preparedness.

Job Responsibilities

LEAD FOOD CONTACT MATERIAL COMPLIANCE

• Ensures the compliance of food contact materials for new, existing and revised packaging materials in partnership with Packaging Engineering, Quality and Food Safety, Supply and Commercial to support the business agenda.

• Deep understanding of business needs and external SRA environment to develop and serves as a strategic partner for regional business stakeholders on key technical topics on packaging.

• Accountable and responsible for ensuring that clear roles and responsibilities, standards, systems and processes are in place to ensure newly developed or revised packaging materials, supply chain resilience and seasonal promotions meet regulatory requirements so that they can be marketed in North America.

• Proactively monitors scientific and regulatory activities in North America in food contact materials legislation; determines current and expected regulatory status of new materials; researches interpretations regarding the safety and acceptability of products and ingredients, conducts risk and opportunity assessments, and proposes clear recommendations to the business.

• Works internally (including with cross-segment Mars partners) and externally to address and influence proposed regulations to propose new opportunities or preserve Mars’ freedom to operate.

SUPPORT PRODUCT REGULATORY COMPLIANCE ACTIVITIES

• Lead ingredient portfolio impact assessment in support of regulatory change management or technical advocacy
• Lead regulatory status evaluation for new ingredients (regulatory restrictions grid) to inform product compliance evaluations
• Support other aspects of product compliance as prioritized by the business

Qualifications

• A Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry, Nutrition, Food Science, Food Safety, or Food Process Engineering required. Preferred: MS in relevant science area (above) and additional training course work in regulatory science.
• 5+ years in regulatory affairs at a food, beverage, or consumer products company required and experience with North America regulations. Preferred: Experience with packaging regulations, snack bar product categories, and development and deployment of specification and product lifecycle management systems.

What can you expect from Mars?

• Work with diverse and talented Associates, all guided by the Five Principles.
• Join a purpose driven company, where we’re striving to build the world we want tomorrow, today.
• A strong focus on learning and development support from day one, including access to our in-house Mars University.
• An industry competitive salary and benefits package, including company bonus.

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The base pay range for this position at commencement of employment is between the range listed below, however, base pay offered may vary depending on multiple individualized factors, including but not limited to job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. The total compensation package for this position will include variable pay, medical and dental benefits, participation in 401k plan, and paid time off benefits. Details of participation in these benefit plans will be provided if an applicant receives an offer of employment.