CONTEXT

At Danone, we aim to “Excel in Quality everywhere, every day, to deliver our promise to consumers, customers and patients” making us Trusted, Preferred, Efficient and Proud of what we do.

In this context, the mission of Analytical Excellence team is to develop a highly responsive and reliable Quality and Food Safety laboratory network, gathering internal and external capabilities, to deal with all analytical related needs from emerging topics to regulatory requirements, to protect consumers and patients trusting our brands.

Within France Analytical Expertise Center, one of the 2 Global Danone labs, within Analytical Excellence, we are looking for our Chemistry Leader.

ABOUT THE JOB

Reporting to the France Analytical Expertise Center Director, also Analytical Director for the Waters & Beverages Category, you will be responsible for leading the analytical chemistry department, ensuring the operational management of the team, developing internal skills and capabilities, to meet business needs from Quality & Food Safety / Operations teams, R&D teams. You will secure the performance of the service and its compliance to the Quality Management System of the lab accredited according to NF EN ISO IEC 17025 standard, as well as continuous improvement. You will contribute to global Analytical Excellence structuring programs, such as Analytical Performance program for factory labs, and to transversal projects within Danone Global QFS.

You will have the following responsibilities:

• Manage the analytical chemistry department (chemical and sensory analyses) composed of 10 people (2 managers and 8 analysts), ensuring operational performance and development of new capabilities.
• Establish the roadmap to meet business needs, in line with the overall Analytical Excellence strategy.
• Ensure the implementation of analytical development projects, respecting method validation/verification protocols and Quality standards, and monitor project KPIs (budget, deadlines, etc.).
• Conduct scientific and technological monitoring on relevant topics and establish strong relationships with equipment suppliers or partner laboratories.
• Play a key role in the performance continuous improvement of factory labs through audits, analytical support, method standardization including support for method validation & verification.
• Interact with various functions (Quality, Operations, R&D) involved in projects and participate in cross-functional projects representing Analytical Excellence (Annual Monitoring Plan for the Waters & Beverages category).
• Assist central and local teams in incident management.
• Develop a strong analytical network internally and externally to strengthen Danone’s analytical expertise.

You will need to travel up to 10% of your time

• Master/PhD degree or equivalent with a specialization in Water and/or Food analytical chemistry
• At least 10 years of experience in lab related activities with at least 5 years under ISO 17025 accreditation (lab operational activities/management, QMS, audits)
• Knowledge expected: NF EN ISO IEC 17025 standard requirements and management of an accredited lab Quality Management System
• Proactive, with the ability to implement solutions and lead by example
• Agility to manage transversal projects and interact with stakeholders at different level
• Fluent in English

Being part of a dynamic environment connected with various internal stakeholders (Danone labs, Danone Quality & Food Safety, Research & Innovation, Operations teams) as well as external ones (contract labs, key suppliers, standardization bodies…).

Participate to the acceleration of Danone analytical transformation. #LI-FR