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Global Laboratory Lead - Health & Wellness

New York, New York, United States

Who are we?

Since Day 1, KIND has had a vision for a kinder and healthier world. A world in which people never have to choose between what tastes good, feels good, and does good when it comes to their snacking.    

Our iconic KIND® bars – made with real, recognizable ingredients – sparked the growth of an entirely new healthy snacking category back in 2004. Now, KIND has a family of more than 80 snacks that offer solutions for a variety of occasions. All of KIND's products lead with a nutrient-dense first ingredient – like nuts or whole grains – and do not contain genetically engineered ingredients, sugar alcohols or artificial sweeteners.  

We’re looking for passionate collaborators to help us become the foremost leader in health & wellness and positively impact society along the way. If you’re looking to be a part of an inspiring, energetic and entrepreneurial environment, you’ve found the right place.

What you'll do

  • Qualification and governance of H&W laboratories.
  • Developing and deploying new testing capabilities aligned with H&W strategies, including method validation and verification.
  • Enrolling H&W laboratories in Mars Ring Trials and overseeing participation in open allergen proficiency testing schemes to strengthen the H&W laboratory network.
  • Representing the H&W Division in decisions related to MGS expectations for third-party laboratories and acting as a liaison between Mars internal teams and external H&W stakeholders.
  • Driving the development of new testing capabilities in alignment with H&W NPD and Q&FS strategies.
  • Tracking and analyzing testing results to optimize verification requirements for finished products, including parameters, limits, and methods.
  • Influencing GFSC and MGS programs to ensure future H&W food safety testing needs are addressed.
  • Supporting operational Q&FS teams within Business Units to resolve laboratory-related errors and testing delays.
  • Collaborating with MGS to utilize the services of MGS-approved laboratories effectively.

The Global H&W Laboratory Lead also provides laboratory expertise to support:

  • Risk prevention and management to support MQM/MRA processes
  • Incident management to define the lab capabilities and decide potential corrective actions
  • Business growth to optimize testing practices and unlock testing limitations

What you'll bring to KIND

The core accountability of the Global H&W Laboratory Lead is to define H&W requirements and deliver a comprehensive laboratory strategy. The job holder achieves this through close collaboration with the H&W platform, business units, external laboratory providers, MGS, and manufacturing sites across segments. The role ensures alignment of global and business strategies with operational needs and expectations.

Key responsibilities include:

  • Serve as the primary liaison between business units, manufacturing sites, and laboratories.
  • Build communication process that ensure effective level of communication between stakeholders for daily needs, notification of out of specification results, testing errors, result delays, etc.
  • Collaborate with Q&FS teams and Operations to support day-to-day testing needs, ensure testing is performed according to H&W procedures, investigate and address the cause of delayed results and laboratory errors, support investigation of reoccurring false results (e.g., false positive results).
  • Work with SQA to support ingredient risk assessments, enable inbound verification testing, and confirm supplier testing methods are fit for purpose.
  • Provide PRIMP support: manage escalated testing at laboratories, conduct lab investigations, etc.
  • Act as a business and operational partner, educating, consulting, influence to drive business units priorities and needs.
  • Partner with third-party laboratories and service providers to optimize testing practices, enhance result reliability, reduce costs, increase accuracy, and enable faster result delivery.
  • Leverage Mars internal and third-party ring trials to build confidence in H&W laboratory network
  • Establish and govern a reliable network of laboratories conveniently located near BU manufacturing sites to minimize time of sample transportation from manufacturing plant to a testing laboratory
  • Provide consultancy support with experiment design and data interpretation for Q&FS and NPD (example: CCP validation, sanitation validation)
  • Represent BU needs on processes and decisions related to the governance of Mars MGS shared laboratories
  •  Influence GFSC, MGS, and other Mars stakeholders to ensure current and future H&W testing needs are met effectively

 

You have..... 

  • Bachelor’s science-based degree (e.g., microbiology, biology, analytical chemistry, biochemistry)
  • 10+ years working experience in Q&FS or a laboratory role
  • 2+ years practical working experience in microbiological laboratory is required.
  • Auditing experience is advantageous
  • USA based candidates are preferred
  • Extensive knowledge and working experience with microbiological qualitative and quantitative methodologies
  • Knowledge of allergen test methods and kit providers
  • Experience in food industry and science is plus
  • Good understanding of process and procedures in 3rd party laboratories. Experience working in a 3rd party (commercial) laboratory is preferred.
  • Experience with test method validations, verifications, proficiency testing
  • Experience leading projects and managing diverse stakeholders
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills (English)
  • Ability to trave up 15-30% of the time, including international travel

Certain states and localities require employers to post a reasonable estimate of salary range. A reasonable estimate of the current base salary range for this position is $75,000 to $115,000. Actual salary will be based on a variety of factors, including location, experience, skill set, performance, licensure and certification, and business needs. The range for this position in other geographic locations may differ.

 

What KIND offers 

  • 401(K) or RRSP's with generous company match
  • Flexible Paid Time Off. Choose what works best for you, including summer hours. Paid parental leave. 
  • Excellent health, dental & vision insurance, with options to fit you & your family’s needs 
  • Company paid disability and life insurance to provide income protection 
  • Your health is important! Our wellness strategy focuses on mental and physical wellbeing via programs like Employee Assistance Program, a wellness subsidy, healthy food options and gym facility in HQ. 
  • Casual office dress code– feel free to wear your KIND gear 
  • Stock up on your favorite KIND bars to share with your family & friends, through a quarterly voucher 
  • Training & tuition reimbursement program, because continuing to learn matters and we support your development 
  • A dynamic, ambitious, fun and KIND work environment 
  • Charitable Donation Matching: KIND matches your charitable donations up to $1000 annually through our donation matching portal. 

 

EEO 

At KIND, we are committed to an inclusive workplace where diversity in all its forms is championed. KIND is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace, and we are an affirmative action employer. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity or Veteran status. We also consider qualified applicants with criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements. If you require special accommodation, please let us know. 

 

Privacy Policy

Mars and its family of brands is committed to transparency and responsibility in how we handle the personal data entrusted to us by our customers and consumers. To learn more about our privacy policy please follow this link.

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