Specification Manager – Macro Ingredients

Research & Innovation at Nutricia Research Centre for Specialized Nutrition

Nutricia Research Centre for Specialized Nutrition, located in the Utrecht Science Park in the Netherlands, is a state-of-the-art Life Science innovation center for the development of new product concepts for Specialized Nutrition. We create formulas that provide clinically substantiated health benefits to vulnerable consumers – infants, toddlers, elderly and patients.

For the Specialized Nutrition (SN) division, we are looking for a Specification Manager to join the Global Specification Management team.

Your main responsibilities

• Manage the specifications of the Macro ingredients portfolio (Carbohydrates, Fats & Oils) worldwide, including holding specific ingredient expertise and creating the specifications.
• Deliver specifications to maintain the portfolio and fulfill innovation/renovation and F4G projects, ensuring quality and compliance to strict SN needs.
• Maintain Macro Ingredients specifications from a dedicated portfolio efficiently, in line with technical, food safety, and regulatory requirements.
• Ensure new and existing ingredients comply with quality, functional, food safety, and regulatory compliance used in Danone Specialized Nutrition factories in the region, to ensure the highest standards of finished products for sensitive customers.
• Identify opportunities for specification improvement, efficiency, complexity reduction, security of supply, and translate those into concrete harmonization projects across factories and suppliers.
• Manage Specification deliverables linked to Innovation/F4G projects with new ingredients, and deliver specifications on time and with quality.
• Drive specification review process: functional specification, supplier specific (tolerances), new regulatory global requirements, safety risks anticipation.
• Develop Raw Materials expertise as defined by the team leader, linked to business/stakeholder needs (compliance, innovation, etc).

Build and maintain effective working relationships with internal (C&P, Project Leaders, Regulatory, R&I etc.) and external (ingredient suppliers) stakeholders.

About you

You are a team player who can easily connect with cross-functional departments and are strong in stakeholder management. You have strong communication skills to communicate with all levels and can easily build effective working relationships. For this role, it is important to have a proactive, result-driven attitude with a strong eye for detail.

In addition, you fit this role perfectly because you are/have:

• A Master’s degree or higher in Food Technology, Food or Quality.
• A minimum of 2 years of experience within Spec, R&I, Quality or a similar technical field.
• Fluent in English.
• Punctual, structured, agile, and proactive in work and communication.
• Strong in stakeholder management and comfortable working cross-functionally and in a highly international environment.
• A team player, pragmatic, critical thinker, and have a problem-solving mindset.
• Resilience and determination to make things happen.
• SN Category (R&I/ingredient) understanding.
• Professional regarding quality, data, compliance.

About Danone

Working here you’ll need to enjoy a fast pace, complexity and it can get a little challenging. But it’s packed with opportunities. You’ll work with some of the best-known brands in the world, such as Evian, Nutricia, Activia and Nutrilon and we absolutely guarantee that you can just be yourself. Be innovative and entrepreneurial and the impact you could make might just amaze you. Join our movement for a healthier world.

One Planet One Health

BY YOU.

We are proud to be an equal employer. We are convinced our differences make the difference and that an inclusive working environment will drive our growth as a business, as teams and as individuals. We will therefore consider all applicants for employment, fostering an inclusive working culture that is accessible for all.

Did you know that as a B-Corp certified company, Danone Benelux meets the highest verified standards of social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability?

We Offer

At Danone, we offer a complete package of benefits, with a competitive primary salary and yearly bonus, but also benefits like a premium free pension, 30 days annual leave and several discounts on a collective health insurance and even on some of our products.

Job details

Dedicated to bringing health through food to as many people as possible, we are a leading global food & beverage company built on four businesses: Essential Dairy and Plant-Based Products, Waters, Early Life Nutrition and Medical Nutrition.

Need more information? Please contact Joost Rijksen, Talent Manager via joost.rijksen@danone.com.

* all applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status.