Director Scientific and Regulatory Affairs Confectionery, North America

Mars•Chicago, IL

9d•$169,840 - $233,530

About The Position

The Director, Scientific and Regulatory Affairs (SRA) – Confectionery leads the regional SRA confectionery portfolio strategy and operations to ensure full regulatory compliance, scientific substantiation, and freedom to operate (FTO) across current products and new product innovations. This leader drives the execution of SRA strategic roadmaps aligned with Confectionery R&D and global SRA priorities. Acting as a key scientific and regulatory authority for the confectionery category, this role partners closely with Cross-Functional Leadership (R&D, Marketing, Legal, Corporate Affairs, Public Affairs and Supply Chain) and represents category interests across external trade associations and regulatory bodies. The role leads a dedicated team of SRA professionals, fostering functional capability, strategic regulatory intelligence, and talent development, with reporting lines into Regional SRA Leadership.

Requirements

Minimum of BSc in Food Science, Nutrition, Toxicology, Chemistry, Food Law, or a related technical discipline.
Minimum of 8 years of progressive scientific and regulatory affairs experience within food & beverage, confectionery, or FMCG/CPG.
Minimum of 5 years of direct people leadership experience with a proven track record of developing high-performing, agile technical teams.

Nice To Haves

MSc or PhD in disciplines preferred.
10+ years’ experience in scientific and regulatory affairs experience within food & beverage, confectionery, or FMCG/CPG with demonstrated track record of enabling innovation navigating complex regulatory frameworks.

Responsibilities

Accountable for end-to-end regulatory compliance of confectionery product formulations, raw materials, claims, and packaging to protect brand reputation and ensure freedom to operate.
Provide proactive, science-based regulatory guidance early in the NPD/NPI lifecycle to unlock novel ingredients, claims substantiation, packaging technologies, and renovation pipelines.
Systematically monitor emerging food policies, scientific literature, and legislative shifts (e.g., sugar/sweeteners, additives, front-of-pack labeling, extended producer responsibility); model potential business impacts and orchestrate proactive regulatory change management.
Represent category and business interests in key external trade associations, scientific bodies, and regulatory working groups to influence standard-setting and advocate for sound, science-based policies.
Serve as the primary SRA strategic partner to R&D, Brand Marketing, Legal, Corporate Affairs, and Commercial leadership to align regulatory strategies with commercial growth objectives.
Lead technical and regulatory risk management frameworks; proactively evaluate business opportunities, lead risk assessments, and establish robust escalation pathways for high-stakes regulatory decisions.
Establish clear functional priorities and resource allocation across the confectionery portfolio to ensure timely delivery of both business operational compliance and strategic innovation projects.
Drive continuous improvement and deployment of integrated SRA systems, digital tools, standard operating procedures, and Quality Management Processes (QMP) to streamline ways of working and enhance operational efficiency.
Build and maintain an agile, high-performing SRA team; drive comprehensive succession planning, individual development plans, and technical capability building across all career stages.
Establish structured onboarding pathways and mentorship programs to accelerate technical competencies in regulatory affairs, scientific substantiation, and project leadership.
Provide ongoing coaching, feedback, and career guidance to empower team members to handle complex regulatory challenges, make risk-based decisions, and elevate their functional leadership.
Lead organizational and functional change management initiatives, fostering an adaptable, growth-oriented mindset and aligning the team with a unified "One Mars" approach and global SRA best practices.