Director, Product & Regulatory Compliance

Simmons Foods • Siloam Springs, AR

112d

About The Position

The Director of Product and Regulatory Compliance is a strategic and operational leader responsible for ensuring integrity, accuracy, and regulatory compliance of product specification and label related data across Simmons Foods' systems and business units. This role leads cross-functional teams that manage product specifications, supplier regulatory onboarding, PLM/NPD workflow governance, and label compliance across pet food, poultry, and other business segments. The Director will drive excellence in regulatory systems, cross-functional collaboration, and external partnerships to support innovation, speed-to-market, and enterprise compliance.

Requirements

• 10+ years of experience in regulatory compliance, product data management, or technical services in the food or pet food industry.
• Deep knowledge of regulatory frameworks including AAFCO, FDA, USDA, and international standards.
• Proven leadership experience managing cross-functional teams and complex systems (e.g., PLM, ERP).
• Strong project management, communication, and strategic planning skills.

Nice To Haves

• Experience in both pet food and poultry industries is highly desirable.
• Master's Degree in Food Science, Animal Science, Regulatory Affairs, or related field.

Responsibilities

• Lead teams responsible for building and maintaining all product, raw material, ingredient, and packaging specifications within Simmons' Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) systems.
• Ensure data accuracy, version control, and alignment with business and regulatory requirements.
• Oversee the regulatory onboarding of all new raw material, ingredient, and packaging suppliers, ensuring timely and complete documentation.
• Manage the intake, validation, and maintenance of supplier-provided regulatory and specification data within Simmons' systems.
• Own and manage PLM and New Product Development (NPD) project workflows on behalf of the business.
• Partner with IT, R&D, and business units to optimize system functionality, including workflow process optimization and data reporting effectiveness.
• Lead the review, approval, and modification of product labels to ensure compliance with AAFCO, FDA, USDA, and other applicable regulatory bodies.
• Proactively provide regulatory guidance across multiple business units, staying on top of evolving regulatory landscapes and expected business impacts.
• Manage state level label registrations and tonnage fee processing on behalf of the pet food business.
• Develop and manage departmental budgets, performance metrics, and long-term planning milestones.
• Align functional goals with enterprise and business unit strategies to support growth and compliance.
• Build and maintain strong partnerships with internal stakeholders including R&D, Quality, Procurement, Marketing, Legal, and Operations.
• Establish and nurture external relationships with suppliers, regulatory consultants, and system vendors.

Benefits

• Equal Opportunity Employer
• Valued military experience and welcome veterans to join our team.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Industry: Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods
• Education Level: Bachelor's degree