This role is responsible for deploying and embedding Food Safety and Quality by Design (FSQR) across the regional cocoa, chocolate, compound, and chocolate alternatives portfolio. It ensures that all new product developments, product and process changes are designed, risk-assessed, validated, and implemented in line with global standards, regulatory requirements, and customer expectations.

Operating with high autonomy, the role translates global strategy into robust regional execution, ensuring FSQR principles are fully understood and applied by R&D, Commercial and Operations, while driving a strong First Time Right culture. The role is a key technical partner in NPI/stage-gate governance and change management, influencing decisions in a complex matrix environment

MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES & SCOPE

Strategy Deployment & Regional Leadership

Implement the global Food Safety and Quality by Design strategy within the region, ensuring alignment with regional business and customer needs.
Act as the regional FSQR by Design expert for cocoa/chocolate/compound categories, providing practical and technical guidance across projects.
Deploy Quality by Design tools, methodologies and frameworks consistently across the product lifecycle.
Drive First Time Right execution by embedding preventive, risk-based thinking into design and development
AMEA specific: Quality by design role to be back up for Customer Value and vice versa

New Product Development (NPD) & Stage-Gate Leadership

Represent FSQR as a core decision-maker in regional NPI and stage-gate meetings.
Ensure FSQR requirements (food safety, quality, regulatory, customer) are clearly defined, understood and embedded from the concept stage.
Challenge and guide R&D and Commercial teams to ensure feasible, compliant and customer-fit solutions.
Ensure all projects are supported by robust risk assessments, validation plans, and post-launch reviews.

Change Management Excellence

Lead FSQR input into product and process change management, ensuring structured Quality by design application.
Ensure all changes are assessed using a risk-based approach, with clear documentation, validation, and governance.
Drive cross-functional alignment to manage impacts on manufacturing, raw materials, customer specifications, and regulatory compliance.
Support high-impact or complex changes with clear risk mitigation and escalation where needed.

Stakeholder Management & Cross-Functional Influence

Strongly influence and align stakeholders across R&D, Commercial, Operations and FSQR.
Translate FSQR requirements into clear, actionable guidance for R&D and Commercial teams to enable effective decision-making.
Act as a bridge between technical and commercial functions, ensuring risks, constraints and trade-offs are well understood.
Build strong regional partnerships and ensure consistent communication across stakeholders.

Customer & Category Focus

Ensure a deep understanding of customer requirements, specifications and application needs.
Apply strong category expertise in cocoa, chocolate and compound to anticipate risks and ensure product performance.
Partner with Commercial teams to embed customer expectations into product design and decision-making.
Ensure consistent delivery of products that are safe, compliant and fit for purpose.

Governance, Compliance & Risk Management

Establish and execute regional FSQR design governance, including stage-gate reviews and decision protocols.
Ensure compliance with internal standards and applicable regulatory and food safety requirements.
Conduct and validate risk assessments, design reviews, and mitigation plans.
Maintain visibility of medium- and high-risk projects, enabling risk-based decision-making.
Ensure documentation supports robust and defensible outcomes.

Capability Building & Culture

Train and coach teams on FSQR by Design principles and practical application.
Build a strong understanding of FSQR across R&D, Commercial and Operations.
Promote a First Time Right and Proactive Risk Management Culture.
Drive continuous improvement in FSQR tools, processes and ways of working

Collaboration & Organizational Integration

Collaborate closely with global FSQR teams to align standards and share best practices.
Drive cross-regional consistency while adapting to local market needs.
(AMEA specific) Act as back-up for Customer Value role and vice versa.

EDUCATION, LANGUAGE, SKILLS

Bachelor's or master's degree in food science, Food Technology or equivalent
Strong technical expertise in cocoa, chocolate, compound and/or related categories
Proven experience in NPD, stage-gate processes and change management
Experience in FSQR, regulatory and risk assessment frameworks
Demonstrated ability to manage stakeholders and influence cross-functional teams
Experience in customer-facing or commercially linked roles is a strong advantage
Audit, certification and regulatory compliance experience preferred
Fluent English; additional languages are an asset
Willingness to travel

Regional Food Safety & Quality by Design Manager