Full-Time

Director – Regulatory Compliance and Quality Assurance

Posted on 7/3/2024

Apeel Sciences

Apeel Sciences

201-500 employees

Extends shelf life of fresh produce

Food & Agriculture

Compensation Overview

$160k - $185kAnnually

Senior

Goleta, CA, USA + 1 more

More locations: Santa Barbara, CA, USA

Onsite role based out of Headquarters in Goleta, CA.

Category
Risk & Compliance
QA & Testing
Legal & Compliance
Quality Assurance
Requirements
  • Bachelor's degree in a STEM or regulatory field (Chemistry, Biology, Biochemistry, Materials Science, Food Science, Process Engineering, etc.) required.
  • Advanced degree in a STEM field or direct production/manufacturing/operations or process engineering experience preferred.
  • 8+ years of experience working in a heavily regulated environment, preferably in the food, food additives/flavorings, or agricultural inputs industries, with 4+ years of leadership and management experience.
  • Experience in a high-growth or turnaround business setting is preferred.
  • Extensive knowledge of and experience implementing and ensuring compliance with a variety of relevant regulated and third-party certified Quality schemes is required (e.g., GMP, GAP (Good Agricultural Practices), other GxP, FSMA, ISO, etc.).
  • Demonstrated experience building and leading global Regulatory Compliance and Quality functions (including Quality Assurance and Quality Control) across a wide breadth of operations 'from the ground–up' -- tailoring, implementing, evolving, and scaling Quality best practices and processes to the market, size, and stage of the business.
  • Prudent in judging and managing risk, taking a data-based approach.
  • Experience with recall and crisis management.
  • Proven experience developing and leading a high-performance team.
  • Member of an active, reliable, and robust network of global regulatory compliance and quality contacts and resources to support changing business needs, and a strong, external-facing representative of the organization.
  • Collaborative leadership style and strong interpersonal skills, bringing together internal (our commercial, technical, regulatory, and operational teams) and external partners to achieve shared goals.
  • Strong technology and software proficiency and acumen, including ERP and other Quality data management systems.
  • Excellent verbal and written communication and presentation skills, attention to detail, organizational skills, and enthusiasm for process improvement and optimization.
  • English proficiency is required; Spanish language skills are a major asset.
Responsibilities
  • Provide leadership and strategic direction to the following global operations to drive the achievement of business goals: Product manufacturing (including handling and storage facilities and Contract Manufacturing Organizations) and product quality control, Equipment manufacturing, Product application.
  • Instill and inspire a culture of quality and continuous improvement across the organization.
  • Build and lead a high-performing team across all Regulatory Compliance and Quality functions that can scale with our rapidly growing business.
  • Ensure close collaboration between the Quality function with R&D, Regulatory Affairs, Engineering, Manufacturing and Supply Chain, Sales, Field Operations, Marketing, and other cross-functional teams to drive new product launches and maintain current freedom to operate.
  • Develop and implement 'lean' and effective enterprise quality policies, practices, procedures, and technologies across the organization that ensure the integrity, compliance, and traceability of our product and services while allowing the organization to respond with agility, velocity, and scale to evolving business needs and opportunities.
  • Collaborate with internal teams and external partners to ensure that quality standards and GxP (especially GMP) (and other agency or third party) compliance requirements are met and maintained at Apeel and third-party locations.
  • Establish and improve formal risk assessment processes to identify compliance and quality risks and appropriate mitigation strategies.
  • Oversee the investigation of quality incidents, deviations, and complaints, ensuring timely resolution and corrective actions.
  • Maintain existing product-related registrations and permits.
  • Support global trade compliance needs.
  • Develop and monitor appropriate metrics to track performance and improvements.
  • Ensure the Company is kept up-to-date with all new compliance- and quality-related regulatory requirements and trends, and provide guidance to senior management on the implications of any new or updated requirements.
  • Provide subject matter expertise and recommendations for the resolution of Quality-related matters.
  • Direct internal auditing, inspection, and recall readiness activities, coordinate activities, and lead interactions during regulatory agency or third-party inspections.
  • Build strong relationships with regulatory agencies, auditors, and customers.
  • Travel domestically and internationally to visit Apeel sites, customer sites, CMO sites, and vendors.

Apeel Sciences focuses on extending the shelf life of fresh produce to combat food waste. The company uses natural materials from the peels, seeds, and pulp of fruits and vegetables to create a plant-based protective layer that slows spoilage due to water loss and oxidation. This layer helps keep produce fresh for twice as long, benefiting farmers, suppliers, and retailers by delivering longer-lasting fruits and vegetables. Unlike competitors, Apeel emphasizes sustainability and efficiency, reducing the economic and environmental costs of food waste. Their goal is to transform the food supply chain by providing solutions that enhance the freshness of produce and support a more sustainable food system.

Company Stage

Debt Financing

Total Funding

$622.7M

Headquarters

Goleta, California

Founded

2012

Growth & Insights
Headcount

6 month growth

-6%

1 year growth

-11%

2 year growth

-31%
Simplify Jobs

Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • Growing demand for sustainable products aligns with Apeel's mission to reduce food waste.
  • The global market for shelf-life extension technologies is projected to reach $1.5 billion by 2025.
  • Retailers seek partnerships with innovative companies like Apeel to reduce food waste.

What critics are saying

  • Increased competition from similar food technology companies could impact Apeel's market share.
  • Consumer skepticism about food coatings may affect Apeel's product adoption rates.
  • Regulatory scrutiny on food additives could lead to stricter compliance requirements for Apeel.

What makes Apeel Sciences unique

  • Apeel Sciences uses plant-based technology to extend produce shelf life, reducing waste.
  • Their invisible protective layer is derived from natural fruit and vegetable materials.
  • Apeel collaborates globally, enhancing the freshness of organic and conventional produce.

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Benefits

Healthcare, vision, & dental

Open PTO policy

401k

Relocation assistance

Well-being perks

Remote work

Educational stipend

Learning & development

INACTIVE