Director Regulatory Affairs US Americas

Job Location: Hershey, PA
Note: Preferred location is Hershey or east coast with travel to Hershey one week per month.

Overview

The Director of Regulatory Affairs for the Americas is responsible to assure compliance to global food regulatory standards for the Americas countries we market and distribute products to.   The focus being our core markets, and key markets. The position would assure that the teams on the ground are adhering to Hershey’s standards; as well as those mandated by local regulations and requirements through a variety of methods including but, not limited to auditing and monitoring, and regulatory approval processes.   The Director will proactively drive planning to address immediate regulatory threats, compliance needs for changing regulations, and build long-term plans to address emerging regulatory measures in the food regulatory space. The position also has key responsibilities to assure adequate and clear communications (both written and verbal) with regional leadership teams, and other cross-functional departments as required, and externally, with various regulatory government bodies, and representatives of trade associations that represent Hershey’s interests.

Accountabilities
Top Responsibilities / Outcomes Expected

1.    Lead regional teams to assure regulatory compliance with all products directly marketed and indirectly via distributor/ecommerce channels for all countries in the Americas. Provide support and guidance to teams to resolve regulatory incidents, and institute measures to prevent reoccurrence. Ensure seamless communication and alignment across functional departments.

2.    Lead Regulatory Center of Excellence team that supports regional teams and the global business with subject matter expertise and proactive horizon scanning and heat mapping of topics and trends to identify and mitigate issues impactful to the business.

3.    Lead the cross-functional Regulatory & Scientific Affairs team to continuously assess risks, and plan for compliance across short/longer-term regulatory measures through engagement with internal and external stakeholders. 

4.    Continuously assess our internal regulatory processes, and devise strategies for improvement in the short/longer term that coincide with the business strategies.

5.    Develop, retain and attract talent. Devise a strategy to strengthen the organization and provide sustainable, consistent regulatory programs that provide business supportability and continuously build inner bench strength.

6.    Provide leadership externally with technical committees (i.e. trade associations) and regulatory bodies in shaping legislation that directly impact Hershey’s, and ensuring our points of view are appropriately represented, and for resolving regulatory actions.

7.    Representative within QRC Leadership team. Active participation in driving strategic direction for wider QRC initiatives.

Qualifications 
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

⦁    Regulatory Knowledge: In-depth understanding of food law and regulation, including food standards, labeling, additives, ingredients, claims and contaminants. 
⦁    Analytical Skills: Strong analytical skills to assess regulatory information and data, identify trends, and make data-driven decisions. This competency drives proactive risk analysis and continuous improvement to ensure reliability across the business. 
⦁    Communication and Collaboration: Excellent communication skills to effectively convey regulatory topics to internal and external stakeholders. Strong collaboration skills are essential for working cross-functionally to achieve common objectives.
⦁    Problem-Solving and Decision-Making: Exceptional problem-solving skills to address challenges promptly and effectively. Strong decision-making abilities enable the Director to implement solutions that ensure compliance.

Experience & Education:

⦁    Education: Master’s or Doctorate degree preferred in Food Law & Regulation, Nutrition, Toxicology, Food Science, Microbiology, Chemistry, or a related field. 

⦁    Experience: Minimum of 10 years of progressive experience in food law and regulation within the food manufacturing or consumer packaged goods industry. At least 5 years of leadership experience, managing direct and cross-functional teams with proven track record of collaboration to drive results and continuous improvement.

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