Associate Director Formulation - Mars Petcare

US Relocation Support considered

The Associate Director for Formulation has leadership responsibility for the North American Formulation Team with oversite for ensuring that all products are formulated to meet their design criteria, including product performance attributes, nutritional targets, and food safety standards.

The role is critical in leading the team in their development by providing cutting edge thinking to drive new ways of working, enhance overall efficiency and capability, and promote intellectual curiosity. The Associate Director is also responsible for the oversite of the North America formulation climate agenda, enabling business continuity, and leading the formulation value leadership which includes strong collaboration with Commercial, Supply, broader R&D and other key stakeholders.

What are we looking for?

• Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent in Science -Food/Animal Science or related subject area Advanced degree preferred.
• Experience in single source nutrition and/or complete and balanced foods is preferred.
• High interpersonal skills: conflict management, influencing, collaborative work experience within R&D is preferred.
• Minimum of 7 years R&D experience in a business environment with established technical leadership driving projects and recipes design deployment within R&D.
• Experience in people leadership/management
• Product formulation/design understanding and experience that encompass using protein sources, grain/carbohydrates, mineral/vitamins, animal fats and oils to drive design of a nutritional product. A deep level understanding of chemistry of ingredient interactions and their functionality

What will be your key responsibilities?

• Develop and implement new recipe design with systems experts to leverage raw material data , manage and provide technical leadership for business continuity streams in times where raw material shortages are experienced.
• Work to implement global policy guidelines pertaining to nutrition, as well align with global food safety, toxicology, mold & mycotoxin guidelines to ensure products compliance for the wet formulations.
• Provide technical leadership for leading innovation, product maintenance support, productivity initiatives with respect to respect to recipe, design and deployment.
• Influences and/or develops technical strategies and best practices. The role will be responsible for the mentoring and development of technical skills within the R&D organization.
• Draft brand specific policy/POV documents when it comes to functional ingredients used in different brand techs in the wet network.
• Work on horizon scanning of nutrition and formulation market trends engaging in reverse engineering working process and product development experts.
• Define and leverage new ways of working within R&D functions product, process and quality to ensure smooth product handover from concept to launch. Drive clarity of thought through cross functional engagement with external partners like supply and commercial
• Provide people leadership through development, performance and results.

What can you expect from Mars?

• Work with over 130,000 diverse and talented Associates, all guided by The Five Principles.
• Join a purpose driven company, where we’re striving to build the world we want tomorrow, today.
• An industry competitive salary and benefits package, including company bonus.
• Best-in-class learning and development support from day one, including access to our in-house Mars University.

Find out more about what Mars can offer you by visiting our Global Careers site.