Director, Global Reg Strategy Leader

Requisition  ID : 498433

Job Description

IFF applies expert science to advance market-driven, healthy, and sustainable solutions for the food, beverage, home and personal care, dietary supplement, pharmaceutical and industrial markets. In the Global Regulatory Affairs (GRA) team, we have an opening for a Director, Regulatory Affairs DEB  to drive regulatory activities for our Designed Enzymatic Biomaterials (DEB) platform in compliance with Global Chemical Law regulatory requirements and related regulations to enable entry of IFF’s new sustainable products to the market and to maintain the right to operate with existing products. 

The GRA organization employs more than 320 highly specialized and committed colleagues worldwide and has a footprint in more than 20 countries. Our work environment is truly international, and we offer a dynamic working culture focused on partnership, cross-organizational collaboration, and individual development opportunities.

The DEB platform technology developed by IFF represents a breakthrough way to bio-manufacture materials at scale, combining the performance advantages of incumbent petrol-based synthetic polymers with the safety, sustainability and end-of-life benefits of bio-based processes and materials.

The Director, Regulatory Affairs DEB is accountable for delivering innovative regulatory strategies and filings as well as tactical expertise and execution for development, commercialization, and maintenance of IFF’s breakthrough DEB biotechnology innovations, enzyme, and polysaccharide products. This includes working closely with the GRA registrations and safety team supporting the DEB Innovation Platform and active involvement in evaluating safe use of and maintaining compliance of our enzyme and polysaccharide products worldwide. The position will function as a strategic partner for the DEB integrated business team including commercial and technical leaders in the R&D and Supply organizations for the DEB venture and those of other IFF businesses pursuing market channel access for DEB-based offerings (e.g., Home and Personal Care, Pharma Solutions, Scent).

The role reports to the Head of Scent, H&B HPC & DEB Regulatory Affairs and can be located preferably in Wilmington, DE US, but other locations in US and Europe can also be considered. Remote working is an option.

Responsibilities:

• Works with the GRA Chemical Substance Registration team and in close collaboration with R&D and innovation project teams, with responsibility for all aspects of obtaining and maintaining substance registrations and chemical inventory compliance, including data collection, analysis, preparation of documents, and submission of data and dossiers to regulatory agencies, relevant to IFF’s breakthrough DEB polymeric products, uses and markets (EPA PMN, Canada NSNR, TSCA CDR, emerging global microplastics regulations, etc.).
• Prepares and/or supports compilation, submission, and stewardship to approval of regulatory dossiers to North American, EU and global Food Contact authorities, in conjunction with global GRA staff and/or external regulatory consultants.
• Interfaces with Business leadership, R&D and Commercial/Marketing functions to develop, implement and lead regulatory strategies and define optimal regulatory pathways aligned with business strategy, development opportunities and R&D objectives.
• Interfaces with GRA team to provide global regulatory input during cross functional technical and business project meetings.
• Pro-actively tracks and assesses impact of global chemical inventory and relevant related regulations (e.g., Food Contact, Microplastics, Single Use Directives) with potential impact to the DEB product portfolio.

• Actively interfaces with competent authorities and trade associations (e.g., ACC, etc.) to understand regulatory issues of direct impact to the use of IFF’s DEB products.
• Provides tailored customer support to key third party and customer relationships and application opportunities regarding customer and application-specific regulatory requirements and inquiries.
• Provides issue management support for DEB products and activities across key external stakeholder groups.
• Develops an understanding of existing and emerging regulatory issues in North America and EU and their impact on IFF DEB and Enzymes businesses; monitors information resources and assesses impact on IFF; translates regulatory impacts into support strategies and assists in implementation.
• Supports and collaborates with Chemical Substance Registration and other GRA colleagues in the regional and global teams to meet local regulatory compliance requirements.

Qualifications:

• Fluency in English.
• > 10 years of experience from Regulatory Affairs in the Biotechnology or Chemical Industry.
• Related work experience supporting regulatory compliance for chemicals and polymers across regulatory frameworks for multiple regions and applications.
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with diverse and global teams.
• Demonstrated ability to develop regulatory strategies adapted to business objectives to optimize market access for innovative products.
• Demonstrated ability to work with flexibility in a dynamic environment. 
• Excellent skill set in IT applications and comfortable with learning new IT systems.
• Strong interpersonal skills, ability to navigate across organizations and influence others.
• Very good organizational and project management competences. 

Preferred Experience:

• MSc or higher degree in Biotechnology, Biology, Toxicology, Environmental Science, Chemistry or other comparable technical field or comparable experience.
• Experience in regulations (chemical or otherwise) and with the preparation of regulatory filings for TSCA, REACH, Food Contact.
• Knowledge of polymer science and polymer applications.
• Familiarity with the application of the tools of modern biotechnology to produce enzymes and the regulatory compliance requirements for their use in food applications. 
• Working familiarity with chemistry, manufacturing and/or quality processes is desired.   

Job requires the ability to function in a high-pressure commercial environment with regulatory deadlines; ability to prioritize own work and manage rapidly changing issues/work assignments; excellent verbal and written skills; attention to detail; strong motivation and initiative to solve problems using innovation and creativity; active participation on team assignments; and a “Can Do” Attitude. 

We are a global leader in taste, scent and nutrition, offering our customers a broader range of natural solutions and accelerating our growth strategy. At IFF, we believe that your uniqueness unleashes our potential. We value the diverse mosaic of the ethnicity, national origin, race, age, sex or veteran status. We strive for an inclusive workplace that allows each of our colleagues to bring their authentic self to work regardless of their religion, gender identity & expression, sexual orientation, or disability.

Visit IFF.com/careers/workplace-diversity-and-inclusion to learn more.