Senior Regulatory Specialist, Foods

IRCA is a leading international provider of semi-finished ingredients for the bakery, pastry and gelato markets, serving independent producers as well as large food manufacturers (e.g. CPG). Core products include chocolate, chocolate decorations, creams, pastry mixes, gelato ingredients, and other bakery / pastry ingredients.

The Company, established in 1919, and headquartered in Italy, was acquired by Advent International, the global Private Equity firm, in July 2022, and has a strong track record of growth over the last decade. Irca has made several acquisitions recently in the areas of candied fruits (Cesarin), pistachio ingredients (Anastasi) and Sweet ingredients in US and Europe, as well as expansion and growth of US facilities.

The business focuses on high value and specialty ingredients for the Food Manufacturers segment, with a portfolio that incorporates a range of products including sweet particulates, chocolate confections, baked inclusions, variegates and fruit purées. Irca has 22 production facilities in Europe, US and Vietnam, with over 2400 employees serving 100+ countries.

Position Summary

The primary role of Senior Regulatory Specialist is to work in partnership with the Irca Regulatory team to support regulatory work which includes but not limited to queries from internal and external stakeholders. As a Sr Regulatory Specialist, you would be expected to build and support existing relationships with key customers, maintain clear and timely communication, and assist with a variety of regulatory tasks across technologies, involving both domestic and international food compliance.

This is a hybrid position and can be based at one of the following IRCA Group production facility locations: Duluth, GA; Elk Grove Village, IL; or Affton, MO.

Responsibilities

• Responsible for supporting the execution and operation of various Regulatory processes and procedures in an efficient and timely manner.
• Conducts administrative duties within defined guidelines.
• Manage technical and customer documentation and data accurately and to tight time scales. Executes using conventional/ established processes and structures.
• Create and maintain Technical and Food Safety documentation. Respond to internal & external stakeholders by providing technical guidance, determinations, and documentation.
• Liaise with RD&A, QA, & Operations for technical documentation review/management control.
• Develop effective working relationships with internal and external customers, contributing to overall department Key Performance Indicators.
• Remain fully flexible to meet business requirements as assigned.

Education / Experience

• Degree or local equivalence of same in Chemistry, Biology, Biotechnology, Food Science or related discipline
• Minimum of 7+ years experience of related experience in food industry in Regulatory, Food Safety, Quality Assurance or RD&A
• Food regulatory & legislative knowledge, both domestic and international
• Food Safety and HACCP knowledge is preferred
• Knowledge of ingredient functionality is preferred
• Experience with large retailers or consumer packaged goods manufacturers is preferred

Skills & Competencies

• Work accurately and quickly in a fast-moving environment
• Take initiative; translate direction into a clear plan and perform work accordingly and independently
• Manage multiple projects/activities at once and adapt to changing timelines or priorities
• Execute using established processes and structures as well as optimize procedures
• Collaborate effectively across functions
• Strong communication skills, with ability to interface with customers, auditors, and leadership
• Strong commitment to service for business partners and customers
• Highly organized, detail oriented
• Analytical and solution driven
• Resilient under pressure
• Flexible and supportive team player
• Able to interpret technical, regulatory, and scientific information
• Capable of presenting information clearly to stakeholders at multiple levels
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office is required; proficiency in product lifecycle management systems and tools is preferred (e.g., Intelex, Optiva, ERP systems).
• Fluency in English is required. Fluency in one or more additional languages is preferred.