For more than 115 years, Ferrara has created sugar confections that enable moments of sweetness, celebration, and connection for candy lovers of all generations. Today, the company is the #1 sugar confectioner in the United States. Ferrara boasts a passionate team of nearly 9,000 employees creating and delivering hundreds of products sold under 20 popular brands like Brach’s, NERDS, SweeTARTS, Laffy Taffy, and Trolli to more than 66 million U.S. households annually and popular Dori snacking products under brands such as Dori, Gomets, Pettiz, and Yogurte 100 in Brazil. Additionally, Jelly Belly, known world-wide for its confections, was acquired in November of 2023.
Global Regulatory Manager
Job Location: Chicago
Hybrid
Want to make an impact?
The Global Regulatory Manager is the subject matter expert on global food and dietary supplement ingredient/additive, formula, labeling, claims, and 3rd party certification claims and audit (e.g. Organic, Kosher, Gluten Free Certified, Non-GMO project verified, etc.) requirements and regulations. This position leads the team responsible for managing global compliance for Ferrara and Jelly Belly confectionary and dietary supplement branded products. This role liaises with 3rd party distributors and internal global teams to ensure all global products (indirect and direct sale products) meet business requirements and are compliant in the country of sale for labeling, GMO, and formulation requirements. The Global Regulatory Manager must balance cross-functional priorities, build and maintain internal global regulatory programs, and educate cross-functional stakeholders on global regulatory compliance requirements. This position requires strong leadership, decision-making, communication, and project management skills, with a focus on developing team members and engaging with stakeholders.
Ways you will make a difference
Team Leadership and Management:
Lead, coach, and mentor a team of Global Regulatory Specialists and Senior Specialists, fostering a collaborative and high-performance culture.
Develop internal training programs and provide continuous feedback to support team growth.
Allocate resources and manage team assignments.
Develop and retain strong talent within the team, focusing on growing team members' skills and leadership capabilities.
Support and execute the continued development of the team’s 5-year plan (PS5).
Cross-Functional Coordination:
Support and collaborate with Global Product Development, Specifications, Marketing, Procurement, Project Management, Legal, and Quality teams.
Utilize internal and external tools and systems to evaluate regulatory risk and provide proactive, pragmatic, and risk-based recommendations to cross-functional partners.
Ensure accurate and timely global compliance data is available to the business.
Drive stakeholders to alignment on global regulatory compliance data, processes, and best practices.
Serve as the primary point of contact for all Global Regulatory related questions and queries.
Project and Program Management:
Manage competing priorities between product innovation and operational stability, while keeping the bar high on compliance.
Facilitate cross-functional meetings, analyze impacts, prioritize work needed based on company goals, and implement a balanced action plan.
Set clear objectives, resource allocation, and define project milestones to ensure timely and accurate regulatory deliverables.
Understand and manage the Global Compliance Module.
Identify and lead the development and continuous improvement of PLM/business processes to enable formula compliance, labeling, regulatory evaluations, and compliance to claims.
Report on Regulatory management metrics, including global product compliance and progress on strategic initiatives.
Culture and Policies
Understand and actively demonstrate Ferrara’s Core Values (empathy, empowering, agile, collaborative, and lead with integrity).
Perform other duties and special projects as assigned (special projects may require travel to the manufacturing sites).
Ensure adherence to all company policies and procedures.
Skills that will make you successful
Strong knowledge of global food law and regulatory framework and comfort with independent regulatory interpretation in Canada, Mexico, European Union, Asia Pacific (APAC), and Latin American (LATAM) markets.
Proven leadership experience with a demonstrated ability to mentor and develop a team.
Self-starter with a high level of capability to manage multiple projects and prioritize effectively in a dynamic environment.
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with experience engaging with upper management and cross-functional teams.
Strong problem-solving skills and a proactive approach to decision-making.
Strong drive for results and ability to bring projects to completion.
Experience in process improvement, change management, and direct management experience preferred.
Bilingual preferred.
Experiences that will support your success
B.S. in Food Science, Nutrition, Biology, Engineering or related field required, MS preferred.
10 years of experience working for a global food or dietary supplements manufacturer with minimally three years of experience in the application of government labeling regulations for a Consumer-Packaged Goods company.
Ferrara’s success in industry-leading innovation has been driven by deep consumer insights, strong retailer co-creation and partnerships, and a dedication to diversity of thought, experience, and people. A privately held company, Ferrara has its global headquarters in Chicago and an operational network of more than 27 locations in North America, Brazil, and China that includes manufacturing, distribution, sales, and R&D facilities. Ferrara is a privately held Ferrero related company. Learn more at or
EQUAL OPPORTUNITY
We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer. In order to provide equal employment and advancement opportunities to all qualified applicants and employees, employment decisions and opportunities at Ferrara will be based on merit, qualifications, and abilities, without regard to race, color, creed, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, marital or civil union status, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, age, military or veteran status, disability, handicap, genetic information, pregnancy (childbirth or related medical condition), or on any other basis prohibited by law. This policy governs all aspects of employment, including selection, job assignment, compensation, discipline, termination, and access to benefits and training.
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