Program Manager, Packaging Product Stewardship - Nutrition - Columbus, OH

Abbott • Columbus, OH

6d • $99,300 - $198,700 • Onsite

About The Position

Abbott Nutrition is seeking a Program Manager for its Global Analytical & Food Safety organization within Nutrition Research & Development in Columbus, Ohio. The role leads Abbott Nutrition’s Packaging Restricted Substance Management (RSM) Program and supports strategic product stewardship initiatives intended to ensure the safety, quality, regulatory compliance, and sustainability of packaging worldwide.

The Program Manager monitors emerging global regulations related to chemicals in packaging, packaging materials, and medical device components; assesses substance-related risks; and develops strategies to mitigate business impacts. The role partners with Packaging Engineering, Packaging R&D, Regulatory Affairs, Quality, Procurement, Supply Chain, Legal, Government Affairs, external suppliers, and other Abbott businesses to evaluate materials, support compliance programs, and guide risk-based decisions. This is an on-site role, not a remote role. Travel is 5% of the time.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Product Stewardship, Regulatory Affairs, Materials Science, Packaging Engineering, Environmental Science, Chemistry, or a related scientific discipline.
• At least 7 years of experience in product stewardship, regulatory affairs, material compliance, packaging compliance, environmental compliance, food safety, or a related technical field.
• Experience interpreting complex regulatory requirements and translating them into actionable business recommendations.
• Strong project management, leadership, communication, and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Experience working collaboratively across multiple functions and organizational levels.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and drive projects to successful completion.

Nice To Haves

• Advanced degree in a scientific, engineering, regulatory, or related discipline.
• Demonstrated knowledge of global chemical and product regulations, including REACH, RoHS, Conflict Minerals, Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), and other substance restriction requirements.
• Experience supporting food, nutrition, medical device, pharmaceutical, consumer product, or packaging industries.
• Experience with food contact materials, packaging materials, and global food contact regulatory compliance requirements.
• Knowledge of U.S. FDA food contact regulations, EU food contact legislation, and other international food contact material frameworks.
• Experience evaluating packaging components, supplier compliance documentation, migration data, and material risk assessments.
• Experience leading supplier compliance, material stewardship, or restricted substance management programs.
• Familiarity with sustainability, circular economy, packaging stewardship, and chemicals management initiatives.
• Experience with regulatory intelligence, emerging issue monitoring, and risk assessment methodologies.

Responsibilities

• Lead Abbott Nutrition’s Packaging Restricted Substance Management (RSM) Program and associated compliance activities.
• Monitor emerging chemical and product stewardship packaging requirements and evaluate their potential impacts on packaging and medical device components.
• Conduct risk assessments and recommend actions concerning restricted substances, substances of concern, and evolving regulatory packaging requirements.
• Manage packaging restricted substance and material compliance data in internal systems and databases.
• Lead annual packaging supplier surveillance and compliance verification programs.
• Evaluate new packaging materials, components, and supplier-submitted documentation against internal and global regulatory requirements.
• Support material assessments for packaging, medical device components, and other materials used in Abbott Nutrition packaging and operations.
• Maintain compliance programs related to REACH, RoHS, Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), Conflict Minerals, and other applicable global substance regulations.
• Collect, review, and assess supplier declarations, compliance certifications, technical dossiers, and supporting packaging documentation.
• Provide technical support for internal stakeholders, customer inquiries, commercial opportunities, audits, and government affairs requests related to restricted substances and material compliance.
• Collaborate across functions to identify, assess, and mitigate compliance and business continuity risks from emerging packaging regulatory requirements.
• Develop and communicate regulatory intelligence, risk assessments, and compliance strategies for business decision-making.
• Prepare management updates, compliance reports, presentations, and recommendations for leadership and stakeholders.
• Drive continuous improvement in product stewardship, restricted substance management, and material compliance processes.

Benefits

• Career development opportunities with an international company.
• Employees may qualify for free medical coverage in the Health Investment Plan (HIP) PPO medical plan in the next calendar year.
• Retirement savings plan with a high employer contribution.
• Tuition reimbursement.
• Freedom 2 Save student debt program.
• FreeU education benefit, offering an affordable and convenient path to a bachelor’s degree.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior