SQA NSQ & Category Expert Packaging (m/f/d)

Location: DEU-Lower Saxony-Verden

The role of SQA NSQ & Category Expert ensures that Packaging suppliers meet the company's quality, food safety, and sourcing standards by proactively assessing their capabilities, conducting new supplier qualification for packaging, and managing supplier related risks. It also ensures that as a Category Expert the role owner drives value to the business through leveraging technical expertise with the relevant supplier network, to identify and deploy technical solutions that deliver superior material performance

As part of the world class SQA and commercial organization, quality and food safety need to be embedded in our strategic category sourcing strategies. The Regional SQA NSQ & Category Expert will focus on deploying supplier development and continuous improvement initiatives to drive efficiency and quality outcomes within the packaging category.

What would be your key responsibilities?

Build knowledge and expertise in the assigned packaging material category as well as related industry.

Act as a consultant for R&D pack development team, for PRA and specification development across packaging categories.

Build and develop relevant Supplier Relationships and enhance supplier performance on a program/holistic level.

Provide input into the selection process for potential new suppliers for Mars Petcare and the verification of alternative materials and suppliers.

Feed into Packaging risk assessments for new supplier or material qualifications in the portfolio to ensure all food safety, quality and legal risks associated with materials, suppliers, their storage and transport are robustly managed and ensure all known supplier related risks are covered and up to date.

Apply the defined Standards, processes and procedures and fulfilling relevant KPIs like conducting supplier audits, and identifying continuous improvement actions within supplier portfolio with an aim to move them out of “in development” status after 6 months

Drive Best Practice within the New Supplier Qualification Process thereby engaging all other relevant functions

Context and Scope

1.Category Sourcing co-creation & deployment

Provide to the Regional Strategic Sourcing, Material Innovation and SQA NSQ teams the technical & SQA input into the category sourcing strategy (MSSM) for assigned categories

Highlight challenges or opportunities on current material PRA & Specifications

Understand Q&FS & Packaging Performance risks associated with the current supply base and anticipate potential future risks with new supplier qualifications.

Use appropriate digital tools to track and share information on packaging industry trends, new standards or technology developments

Flag potential technical issues / roadblocks related to the success of strategy deployment

Lead continuous improvement programs for your categories and ensure their embedding into the PNE business with relevant stakeholders (e.g pack mix up workstream)

Liaise with Global SQA and R&D teams to understand trends and deploy OE relevant programs for the category (PQM compliance)

• PRA and Spec standardization

• Partner/consult with Regional R&D, SQA CI to identify opportunities for value creation or risk mitigation through specification optimization
• Understand and anticipate supplier risks, control measures and mitigation actions, providing relevant inputs into packaging risk assessments for new supplier and/or material validations
• What are we looking for?
• Bachelor of Sciences Degree in Biology Chemistry, Food Science, Engineering or similar technical field
• Has satisfactorily completed an accredited Lead Auditor training course (or actively progressing towards this certification if a SQA auditor) to enable IRCA/RABQSA/or equivalent certification,
• Fluent in English. Fluent in another language is favorable but not mandatory
• 3+ years of experience in a technical area such as R&D product development, quality assurance, laboratory management, manufacturing, or food engineering, including 3+ years of experience in supplier quality management in the requested category
• Demonstrated ability to solve complex problems and evaluate quality risks.
• Proven ability to develop and influence quality standards and strategies.
• What can you expect from Mars?
• Work with over 140.000 diverse and talented Associates, all guided by the Five Principles.
• Join a purpose driven company, where we’re striving to build the world we want tomorrow, today.
• Best-in-class learning and development support from day one, including access to our in-house Mars University.
• An industry competitive salary and benefits package, including company bonus. Mars Leadership Competencies

Key Mars Leadership Competencies

Additional Locations: POL-Mazowieckie-Sochaczew, HUN-Csongrád-Csanád, GBR-Batley-West Yorkshire, LTU-Klaipeda-Gargzdai