VP, Regulatory and Technical Affairs

Description
Position Overview:
The Vice President, Regulatory & Technical Affairs is a strong collaborator and responsible for providing strategic and tactical regulatory policy leadership on issues impacting the consumer packaged goods (CPG) industry, especially as it relates to engaging with U.S. regulatory agencies like the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Reporting to the COO & General Counsel, this role will proactively identify and drive the organization’s prioritization and response to emerging regulatory policy issues and opportunities that help to advance the CPG industry’s agenda and ability to meet the expectations of the American consumer.

Key Areas of Responsibility
Regulatory Policy
Work collaboratively to monitor the regulatory landscape, both with members of the organization and U.S. regulatory agencies.

Proactively identify priorities, issues and opportunities for the organization’s regulatory affairs advocacy program.

Partner with the COO & General Counsel to develop strategic regulatory policy positions and advocacy efforts.

Establish and maintain relationships with members, federal and state regulatory agencies, the research community, academic institutions, multilateral organizations and NGOs.

Inform, forecast and develop regulatory policy positions, priorities, member engagement opportunities and advocacy efforts.

Represent the organization at key regulatory meetings and industry events.

Issues Management
Develop and execute short- and long-term departmental strategies including the oversight and management of organizational workflows, outputs and processes.

Serve as an internal subject matter expert on both general regulatory and technical matters.

Lead regulatory affairs collaboration cross-functionally on key policy initiatives including product policy (e.g., ingredient safety and chemicals management), packaging sustainability and supply chain.

Partner with internal divisions to develop regulatory advocacy positions and champion uniform regulatory frameworks.

Lead and participate in discussions and consensus-building activities with member companies and stakeholders to inform positioning and advocacy on regulatory, technical and scientific issues.

In collaboration with association subject matter experts and outside counsel, advance industry positions and priorities before federal and state agencies including through direct advocacy, public hearing testimony, presentations and written comments, as well as before multilateral organizations.

Analyze and recommend association and industry responses to proposed regulations, guidance and other emerging issues as needed.

Collaborate across departments to develop key external messages to advance regulatory policy positions to public stakeholders.

Leadership
Support the COO & General Counsel in providing strategic leadership to the department, connecting the dots between the association’s advocacy priorities and issues management in regulatory and technical affairs.

Model collaboration across the association through partnership with and support of the public affairs department and Consumer Brands’ issue advocacy priorities.

Drive member engagement within regulatory affairs and lead the regulatory affairs council, the association’s touchpoint with regulatory leaders from member companies.

Able to articulate the strategy and advocacy priorities of the association internally and with external stakeholders; represent the department across the organization.

Manage a team of three regulatory professionals working on a variety of issues, ensuring quality outputs and accountability.

Experience & Education
A minimum of a BA/BS degree is required. An advanced degree such as an MS, JD or LL.M is a plus.

10–15 years of related employment in the food, beverage, home or personal care products required.

10–15 years of experience with HHS, FDA, USDA and/or EPA regulatory and policy issues required.

Extensive experience managing people, leading and managing committees and engaging with various stakeholders.

A track record of demonstrated results in government, association and/or political environments.

Skills
Comfort with ambiguity.

Excellent interpersonal and written communication skills.

Excellent analytical and decision-making skills.

Passion for collaboration and strong ability to work on cross-functional teams.

Public speaking skills, including the executive presence to represent the association at industry forums and events.

Passion for learning issues, building strategy and tactics, and executing against a plan.

Ability to persuasively communicate high-level issues to a technical audience and vice versa in concise messages.

Advanced proficiency in Office 365 Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

Excellent customer service skills and email etiquette.

Ability to manage multiple tasks and prioritize work.

Flexibility in learning new software and/or computer/technical applications.

A self-starter with the ability to work independently.

This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change or new ones may be assigned at any time with or without notice.

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