Product Stewardship Associate

Product Stewardship Associate

Job Description

Position Description:

The incumbent Product Stewardship Associate is responsible for supporting regional compliance, hazard communication, chemical reporting, raw materials data collection, assessment and other regulatory, internal and customer requirements related to the ingredients and chemical composition of products in support of the chemical management, safety assessment, stewardship, sustainability reporting and product compliance through all phases of development, commercialization and post-market life cycle management. This position is located in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Additional key responsibilities include database management, evaluating data integrity and completeness, summation of raw material and ingredient properties, composition, and other quality and compliance information, supporting requests for information, and interaction with staff toxicologists and chemical compliance professionals to support various product safety, stewardship and compliance assessments and programs.

The incumbent is expected to apply specialized scientific knowledge, be self-motivated and be able to work independently on assigned projects. The incumbent is expected to develop and maintain a deep knowledge of K-C products, raw materials, differentiate credible data from questionable data when reviewing supplier documentation and will be expected to identify, develop and implement strategies to address data gaps.

Principal Responsibilities:

• Engage K-C suppliers in order to obtain material disclosures, required compliance information, compositional information and additional test data for raw material and chemical level ingredients for safety evaluation, regulatory registration or notification programs such as European or Korean REACH, EU RoHS, US TSCA, China New Chemical Substances regulation, etc. Manage and maintain key stewardship contacts for suppliers.

• Follow standardized strategy for record creation and document review of supplier data and declarations for quality and completion. Ensure data entered into SAP EHS for raw materials, ingredients, and finished products is maintained with high quality standards in accordance with data models developed to support product safety, product stewardship, and chemical regulation compliance. Summarize ingredient and material properties and compliance data, create output reports. and complete chemical compliance assessments for raw materials. 
• Enter product Bill of Materials in SAP EHS database, manage chemical and ingredient regulatory compliance data and SAP reporting activities, and collaborate with team members to ensure ongoing compliance through change management, new product development and market expansion. Ensure data entered into SAP EHS for products and their materials is maintained with high quality standards in accordance with data models developed to support product safety, stewardship, and chemical regulation compliance.

• Perform technical compliance evaluations/assessment of products and their ingredients/raw materials sold in region to enable compliance to applicable standards and regulations. Communicate and support compliance actions. Identify and escalate as appropriate technical or chemical compliance issues or material changes that may impact K-C products or business sectors. 

• Conduct product and substance hazard classification, author and provide for hazard communication (Safety Data Sheets, Precautionary Labelling, relevant reporting, etc.) based on the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS) and local country requirements.

• Facilitate programs to ensure supplier compliance to restricted substances, residuals management and initiatives to proactively eliminate, reduce or replace chemical constituents within the supply chain.

• Initiate business workflows and provide data inputs and/or other required information to process material supplier agreements (e.g., confidentiality disclosures, supplier quality agreements, etc.), SAP Purchase Order requisitions, Supplier Quality Management scorecards, and SAP supplier and chemical management data analyses.

• Prepare chemical reporting data, ingredient listings and technical chemical compliance assessments for sustainability reporting, customer requirements and Regulatory Affairs in order meet regulatory obligations and product compliance determinations.

• Evaluate, appropriately process and respond to incoming internal requests for technical, chemical compliance, product safety support assistance or external customer inquirers. Identify, and escalate as appropriate potential problems or issues, technical or chemical compliance issues or material changes that may impact Kimberly-Clark products or business sectors globally.

• Provide input to innovative approaches and continuous improvements to the entry and management of chemical, ingredient and raw material chemical information.

• Develop and maintain strong knowledge and understanding of K-C raw materials, supply chain and products, and technical and professional skills through continuing education.

Basic Qualifications:

Bachelor’s/Masters degree in a scientific or technical field with 3-5 relevant prior experience preferred.

Strong IT literacy and familiarity with organizing large sets of chemical safety and regulatory data, research/product safety testing report information and the entering of these data into SAP EHS or similar type databases.

Knowledge of chemical safety regulations globally, product stewardship, and the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS) standards.

Attention to detail with an ability to understand the interconnectivity of data.

Ability to independently prioritize work tasks and adjust quickly to changing project priorities.

Ability to establish and maintain good customer rapport while driving solutions to meet business needs, identify and escalate as appropriate potential problems or issues.

Strong interpersonal communication and technical writing skills with demonstrated proficiency in working effectively in a multidisciplinary team.

Ability to communicate fluently (speak, read, write) in English.

Preferred Qualifications:

Demonstrated proficiency in working within SAP database environments and Microsoft programs (Outlook, Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Visio, Project, etc.).

Ability to travel up to 10% (domestic and international).

Primary LocationSao Paulo Office

Additional Locations

Worker TypeEmployee

Worker Sub-TypeFixed Term (Fixed Term)

Time TypeFull time