Regulatory Packaging Manager

Vandemoortele is looking for a Regulatory Packaging Manager to support different departments and group services cross functional and cross country, as a business partner on packaging & packaging waste.

As a Regulatory Packaging Manager, you will advise and support different departments and group services cross functional and cross country (R&D, Quality Assurance, Master data, procurement (packaging), marketing, sustainability, legal, tax, etc.) as a business partner on packaging & packaging waste. You will coordinate all packaging related aspects and put packaging legislation into action. You will be involved in many “ESG” packaging related projects in accomplishing the sustainability strategy and objectives, as well as the ESG/CSDDD obligations.

In this role you will be part of the central Legal & Regulatory department and will report to the Legal & Regulatory Affairs Manager.

Your key responsibilities:

• You actively follow-up on changes in legislation or new legislation related to packaging and are responsible to translate this legislation to the business.  
  • This includes national and European legislation in the field of packaging and packaging waste, contact materials, packaging and packaging waste, extended producer responsibility (EPR), single use plastics, sorting instruction, packaging taxes, green packaging related claims, reusable and recyclable packaging, packaging material indication, LCA & PEFCR lifecycle environmental assessment methodologies, packaging contaminants and dangerous substances (REACH), etc. 
• You provide accurate advice on all packaging related aspects to the business to ensure that packaging aspects have been taken into account and check compliance of the packaging with the existing and upcoming national and/or European legislation.
• You function as a central point of expertise with respect to packaging and packaging waste questions for internal customers of different departments and cooperate in the day-to day activities of the Legal & Regulatory department.
• You support the business in the realization of projects (for example new product development, product innovation) by dealing with all regulatory and technical aspects relating to packaging and packaging waste, while also keeping the business needs in mind.
• You coordinate the execution of the EPR obligations in the different countries in order to comply with the packaging waste information, take back and reduction obligation (e.g. packaging waste prevention plans, pay financial contribution per type of packaging materials,  etc.) and align with and give support to the local internal contact person.
• You draw up the (group & country) General Prevention Plan(s) (compliance with legal obligation to reduce packaging waste), together with R&D. You keep track of all R&D projects, calculating what the reductions are, actions around design, LCA, PEFCR and then translate this into a prevention plan per country and for the entire group.
• You give support in ESG, sustainability reporting on the packaging aspects, provide training on sustainable packaging and will be part of the Sustainable Development working group.
• You represent Vandemoortele externally (with public authorities and professional national and European food associations) on packaging and packaging waste in packaging related work groups and expert teams ( IMACE, FEVIA, FGBB, FDE, AIBI, etc.).
• You cooperate via packaging steerco/working team and align with the R&D packaging technologists, the packaging buyers and the food law & regulatory experts.
• You assist the procurement department with packaging tenders and the selection of packaging material suppliers (based on innovation capabilities and regulatory compliance).
• You contribute to the standardization of packaging related documentation (general packaging terms and conditions, packaging requirements, declarations of conformity, packaging related policies etc.); and cooperate with IT to set up a system to centralize, automate and improve access to the information necessary for the packaging waste declarations.
• You cooperate with other departments in product lifecycle projects (LCA, PEFCR) and product lifecycle management (QA PLM).
• You develop the “packaging reflex” of the business, by setting up a.o. training about packaging legislation & providing tools with respect to packaging and packaging waste in order to help the business partners to work autonomously.

• You obtained a Master degree in law (with specialization in packaging related legislation, environmental legislation, European law) or sustainability/packaging/bio engineer and have a solid regulatory background of the applicable national (a.o. EU countries) and European legislation in the field of packaging and packaging waste, contact materials, extended producer responsibility (EPR) etc.
• You have around 5  years of experience as a regulatory packaging expert/advisor/consultant, sustainability manager/consultant, … in a multinational group (preferably in FMCG or in an international consultancy company) and can rely on solid technical expertise with respect to all packaging relation aspects.
• You have strong coordination, facilitator and project management skills. 
• You are a smooth communicator who is able to collaborate cross-functionally and across regions. This allows you to effectively discuss with and advise senior management regarding complex legal matters and challenging situations.
• Experience in dealing with complex matters and multiple stakeholder management is a plus. 
• You have strong analytical skills, combined with a positive, pro-active, hands-on, pragmatic, initiative–taker and solution oriented mindset.
• You like to manage and build long-term and strong relationships with internal colleagues (cross country and cross functional) customers, packaging suppliers, management etc.
• You have a high degree of professional ethics, discipline, integrity, quality and precision. 
• You are able to work in a very autonomous way.
• Languages: you are fluent in English and Dutch. Knowledge of French and other languages is a plus.

• An exciting position in a dynamic international oriented food group with focus on growth.
• Principal place of work at the VDM Headquarters in Ghent (Food Experience Center), Belgium. You will have flexible working hours and the opportunity to work from home 50% of the time.
• A lot of autonomy and the possibility to grow and develop in a newly created function.
• An open and people oriented company culture.
• An attractive salary plus relevant fringe benefits.