This position works within Danone’s Quality & Food Safety Department and cross functionally within the Danone Organization. The primary responsibility is to ensure the Quality and Food Safety of product being produced at Co-manufacturing locations (including non-controlled JV’s and licensees). This position must ensure that all Co-manufacturing locations produce safe products of the highest and most consistent quality by assuring compliance with Danone standards and operating protocols. This role will also lead the management of ongoing performance improvement, compliance to standards and adherence to specifications.

Leadership & Strategic Governance
• Lead a team of professionals who qualify and oversee the region’s Co-manufacturing network.
• Participate as a member of the functional leadership team, supporting strategy development and driving implementation in line with Danone and QFS priorities.
• Lead as the key regional point of contact to local and global QFS and cross-functional teams relative to QFS issues in the Co-manufacturing network.
• Participate in the global Co-manufacturing Network, delivering reporting requirements and best-practice sharing. Strengthen Coman QFS capabilities in APAC.
• All other duties as assigned.

Quality, Food Safety Compliance and Risk Management
• Deliver Danone Quality & Food Safety compliance and improvement, ensuring audit follow-up and gap closure across the regional network.
• Ensure implementation of a robust QFS management system across the Co-manufacturing network.
• Stay current with all regulatory and certifying agency guidelines and Danone Standards; manage regulatory issues across the network.
• Stay current with emerging risks and ensure plans are in place to anticipate and mitigate those risks.
• Contribut to business initiatives and innovation targets without compromising Quality & Food Safety.

Operational Excellence & Continuous Improvement
• Develop and manage key performance metrics that can detect weak signals, driving appropriate action plans.
• Partner cross-functionally to ensure manufacturing and raw material specifications exist, are current, and are enforced.
• Troubleshoot production problems across facilities; ensure root-cause analysis and corrective actions are fully implemented.
• Ensure installation of appropriate controls, sampling plans, hold/release systems, code rotation, batching and processing controls to reduce variability and improve product consistency.
• Collaborate with internal functions including Procurement, R&I, EHS, Sustainability, Regulatory, Food Safety, Project Management, Operations, and Engineering to deliver products that meet Danone standards.

To be successful in this role, you will need…

The following technical skills and experience:
• Bachelor’s degree in Science/Food Science/Technology or similar major
• Minimum 10 years of combined experience including 5–6 years of Co-manufacturing management, with strong expertise in food, ingredients quality, and manufacturing operations.
• Advanced understanding of QFS Management Systems, Pre-requisite programs, Food Safety principles, Hygienic Design and Food Production processes
• Prior responsibility as QA Manager/Engineer for a food manufacturing facility.
• Experienced level of knowledge in region and category specific regulations.
• Experience managing external suppliers/Co-manufacturers
• Experience in problem solving and driving conflict resolution
• Trained in SQF or FSSC (GFSI) auditing schemes is preferred
• Prior experience with Consumer Affairs and/or Customer Service in CPG company is preferred
• Working knowledge of SAP and/or similar ERP databases is preferred
• Previous experience in Food or Food Packaging Research and Innovation is preferred
• Fluent in English and comfortable with frequent business travel across APAC.

These soft skills
• Ability to work under deadlines, with multiple priorities
• Ability to work cross-functionally within organization
• Must be adaptable and flexible
• Self-driven, results oriented, able to work independently
• Ability to work with confidential materials
• Excellent communication / presentation skills
• Excellent record keeping / documentation skills
• Detail oriented.
• Able to quickly learn new systems, tools, and programs

Focus on development – your way
With a suite of learning opportunities and a strong focus on in-role development, your line manager will work closely with you to help unlock your career ambitions within Danone. Working here you will enjoy a fast-paced, complex environment, which is packed with opportunities for the entrepreneurial spirit. You’ll work with some of the best-known brands in the world, such as evian, Dumex and Aptamil, and we absolutely guarantee that you can just be yourself.

Our values
We live by our core ‘HOPE’ values – H is for Humanism, as people are at the heart of everything we do. O is for Openness, welcoming new ideas from the world we live in. P is for Proximity, as we believe that building close relationships leads to better understanding and trust. E is for Enthusiasm, for those who are as passionate as we are about bringing health through food to as many people as possible.

Diversity and Inclusion is deeply embedded in Danone's DNA, representing our core values and beliefs. We embrace diversity as a driving force for positive change, nurturing an inclusive workplace where every individual is valued.

Join our movement for a healthier world. One Planet One Health BY YOU. For more information about Danone, our divisions and culture, please visit careers.danone.com.

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