Job Description:
Job Description
The Value Creation Team accelerates activities that support our Business Continuity Workstream. The Supplier Quality Assurance - Development Specialist is responsible for the development and optimization of raw material quality and guarantee the quality of the raw materials delivered to our factories in collaboration with the sourcing, Q&FS, formulation & regulatory teams.
The role operates in a pet friendly, open office environment supporting natural pet nutrition and making the world a better place for pets.
What are we looking for?- Bachelor of Science degree in Biology, Chemistry, Food Science, Engineering, or similar technical field
- Need to satisfactorily completed during the first year an accredited Lead Auditor training course (or actively progressing towards this certification if a SQA auditor) to enable IRCA/RABQSA/or equivalent certification
- Knowledge of food safety and raw materials requirements
- Knowledge of methods of analysis for raw materials, familiarity with respective laboratory equipment.
- Experience of monitoring projects at supplier sites
- Well-organized, disciplined, attentive to detail
- Persistent to achieve development goals, problem solving
- Good common sense, decision quality
- Influencing, communication and negotiation skills.
- Free to travel in and outside of North America up to 50% of their time.
- English: read, written, spoken. French is an advantage.
- Managing complex or business critical supplier qualifications
- Discovering opportunities to simplify formulas through ingredient elimination
- Reviewing and optimizing specification parameters where available
- Ensure FSMA Compliance of new sources of supply
- Supports Sourcing in Activity Management with key Supplier Developments
- Supports SQA with dedicated resources to rapidly advance key Supplier Developments
- Evaluate the supplier raw material policy, tool capability and management ability to deliver a consistent materials
- Manage sample analysis testing
- Manage the audits (plant, organization, tools, traceability…) of new suppliers following the Mars standards
- Write audit reports, corrective action plan and follow-up accordingly
- Communication of our Quality and Food Safety, and Sustainability policies to suppliers
- Survey and evaluate sanitary conditions and take preventive & corrective action accordingly
- Implement relevant quality focus at reception and follow up
- Propose and agree with supplier relevant continuous improvement plan and follow the effectiveness of the corrective and preventive actions.
- Guarantee the compliance with RC purchasing roles :
- Material Risk Assessment of raw material with collaboration among the MRA Team
- Manage the creation and update of raw material specifications as required
- Evaluate regulatory climate by monitoring and analyzing regulations (FDA,CFIA,…), guidelines and standards, assistance if required in FDA/USDA inspections
- Assist in all LRQA and internal audits, respecting the MQM and RC Commercial 10 roles
- Guarantee the knowledge management of the raw material quality and share this knowledge with the team
Education & Professional Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Quality Management, or a related field. Master’s degree is preferred.
- FSSC Lead Auditor Certified (required)
Knowledge / Experience
- 2+ years of experience in a quality assurance or food safety role, preferably within the agricultural or grain industry.
- Experience working with suppliers and managing quality documentation.
Preferred Qualifications
- Strong organizational and data management skills.
- Excellent attention to detail and ability to handle multiple tasks simultaneously.
- Effective communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to collaborate with cross-functional teams.
- Basic understanding of quality management systems, such as FSSC 22000 and HACCP, is preferred.
Work with over 140,000 diverse and talented Associates, all guided by the Five Principles.
Join a purpose driven company, where we’re striving to build the world we want tomorrow, today.
Best-in-class learning and development support from day one, including access to our in-house Mars University.
An industry competitive salary and benefits package, including company bonus.
#LI-JH1
#LI-Onsite
Skills Required
- Bachelor's degree in Biology, Chemistry, Food Science, Engineering, or similar technical field
- FSSC Lead Auditor Certified (required)
- Complete accredited Lead Auditor training (IRCA/RABQSA or equivalent) during first year or be progressing toward certification
- 2+ years experience in quality assurance or food safety role (preferably agricultural/grain industry)
- Experience working with suppliers and managing quality documentation
- Knowledge of food safety and raw materials requirements
- Knowledge of methods of analysis for raw materials and familiarity with laboratory equipment
- Experience monitoring projects at supplier sites and conducting supplier audits
- Ability to write audit reports, corrective action plans and follow-up
- Free to travel in and outside of North America up to 50% of the time
- English: read, written, spoken
- Master's degree (preferred)
- French language skills (advantage)
- Basic understanding of quality management systems such as FSSC 22000 and HACCP
- Strong organizational and data management skills; attention to detail
Mars Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Mars and has not been reviewed or approved by Mars.
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Healthcare Strength — The benefits package is positioned as comprehensive, with broad medical coverage and additional protections like life insurance and short- and long-term disability. Mental health support is emphasized, including free mental health services and wellbeing programming under initiatives such as Mars Be Well.
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Parental & Family Support — Paid parental leave is highlighted as market-leading in the U.S., with an example of 18 weeks fully paid for both parents. Additional family-related leave types such as sick time for caregiving and bereavement leave are also described as part of the overall package.
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Retirement Support — Retirement offerings are described as strong, including 401(k) matching (with a 6% match cited) and pension plans in some cases. The broader package also references retirement savings options and contributions aligned to local market practice, supporting long-term financial security.
Mars Insights
What We Do
For more than a century, Mars, Incorporated has been driven by the belief that the world we want tomorrow starts with how we do business today. This idea is at the center of who we have always been as a global, family-owned business. Today, Mars is transforming, innovating and evolving in ways that affirm our commitment to making a positive impact on the world around us. Across our diverse and expanding portfolio of confectionery, food, and petcare products and services, we employ 133,000 dedicated Associates who are all moving in the same direction: forward. With $40 billion in annual sales, we produce some of the world’s best-loved brands including DOVE®, EXTRA®, M&M’s®, MILKY WAY®, SNICKERS®, TWIX®, ORBIT®, PEDIGREE®, ROYAL CANIN®, SKITTLES®, WHISKAS®, COCOAVIA®, and 5™; and take care of half of the world’s pets through our pet health services AniCura, Banfield Pet Hospitals™, BluePearl®, Linnaeus, Pet Partners™, and VCA™. We know we can only be truly successful if our partners and the communities in which we operate prosper as well. The Mars Five Principles – Quality, Responsibility, Mutuality, Efficiency and Freedom – inspire our Associates to take action every day to help create a world tomorrow in which the planet, its people and pets can thrive.
