Associate General Counsel -Regulatory Affairs, Food & Beverage

The Associate General Counsel of Regulatory Affairs for Food and Beverage for Danone, U.S. is responsible for ensuring compliance with U.S. food regulatory standards. This position provides counsel to ensure that teams adhere to Danone standards and local regulations through various methods, including auditing, monitoring, and regulatory approval processes. This role will proactively plan to identify and address immediate regulatory threats, compliance needs for changing regulations, and build long-term plans to address emerging regulatory measures in the food regulatory space. Key responsibilities include clear communication with U.S. leadership teams, cross-functional departments, regulatory government bodies, and trade associations. Additionally, the leader will drive transformation opportunities within the Regulatory team. This role is HYBRID and can be based in White Plains, NY OR Louisville, CO.

Accountabilities

Ensure regulatory compliance for all food and beverage products sold in the U.S, including overseeing preparation and compliance of all labels.
• Provide support and guidance to teams to resolve regulatory incidents and implement measures to prevent recurrence.
• Ensure seamless communication and alignment across functional departments on all regulatory matters.
• Leverage his/her deep understanding of the regulatory framework to influence the drafting and finalization of regulations, ensuring that the company's interests are represented, and compliance requirements are met.
• Participate fully in the PMO Regulatory process, anticipating regulatory issues and shortening timelines.

• Act as the main legal contact for the food and beverage technical service team and the food and beverage Food Safety and Quality teams.

• Lead legal stream on food and beverage quality-related crises and drive strategic direction for wider Quality initiatives.
• Lead the Regulatory team in proactive horizon scanning and heat mapping of topics and trends to identify and mitigate business-impacting issues. Anticipate, prepare & plan for emerging changes in the regulatory landscape. Lead cross functional efforts to mitigate risks and keep leadership apprised of all material developments.
• Connect with the global Regulatory team to stay updated on global regulatory topics and ensure consistent application of global policies in the U.S. when appropriate.

• Continuously assess internal regulatory processes and devise strategies for improvement that align with business strategies.

• Develop, retain, and attract talent, and devise strategies to strengthen the organization and provide sustainable, consistent regulatory programs. Optimize the Regulatory team for efficient review of packaging labels.
• Provide leadership externally with technical committees and regulatory bodies to shape legislation impacting Danone and ensure appropriate representation of our points of view.

The base compensation range for this position is $225,000-$260,000 commensurate with experience. Danone North America additionally offers a performance-based bonus and has a strong benefits package including Medical, Dental, Vision, Prescription Drug Coverage, 401k Plan, Wellness Program, Life Insurance, Tuition Reimbursement, Flexible Time Off, and Paid Parental Bonding Leave, among other benefit plan options. To give our employees flexibility, Danone is a hybrid work environment.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Regulatory Knowledge: In-depth understanding of food law and regulation, including food standards, labeling, additives, ingredients, claims, and contaminants.
• Analytical Skills: Strong analytical skills to assess regulatory information and data, identify trends, and make data-driven decisions. This competency drives proactive risk analysis and continuous improvement to ensure reliability across the business.
• Communication and Collaboration: Excellent communication skills to effectively convey regulatory topics to internal and external stakeholders. Strong collaboration skills are essential for working cross-functionally to achieve common objectives.
• Problem-Solving and Decision-Making: Exceptional problem-solving skills to address challenges promptly and effectively. Strong decision-making abilities to implement solutions that ensure compliance.

Experience & Education

• Education: Juris Doctorate Degree.
• Experience: Minimum of 10 years of progressive experience in food law and regulation within the food manufacturing or consumer packaged goods industry. At least 5 years of leadership experience, managing direct and cross-functional teams with a proven track record of collaboration to drive results and continuous improvement. A blend of Government, Law-Firm, & Corporate experience is preferred.

At Danone North America, you'll work with some of the best-known food and beverage brands in the world like Activia, Silk, Two Good, Oikos, evian, and Happy Family. You'll be part of one of the largest Certified B Corps in the world, working together to make sure our brands create real benefits for people, communities, and the planet. We have 6,000+ employees across the U.S. and Canada. Come join our movement for a healthier world: One Planet. One Health BY YOU.

Danone North America doesn't just welcome what makes you unique, we value it. We're proud to be an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer. All hires to our team are based on qualifications, merit and business needs. We recruit, employ, train and promote regardless of race, color, religion, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, veteran status, genetic characteristic or any other protected status. Faithful to our values of openness and humanism, all of our employees share in the commitment to engage one another with dignity and respect.

http://www.dol.gov/ofccp/regs/compliance/posters/pdf/eeopost.pdf

https://www.dol.gov/ofccp/regs/compliance/posters/pdf/OFCCP_EEO_Supplement_Final_JRF_QA_508c.pdf

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