Mars
Global confectionery, food, and petcare company
Corporate Affairs Manager
Regular presence at the Hyderabad manufacturing site is required.
About the job
- A bachelor's degree from a recognised university is required.
- A minimum of 8–10 years of Corporate Affairs experience is required.
- Proven experience independently managing State Government relations, preferably in Telangana or another South Indian state.
- Mandatory experience supporting a manufacturing plant, factory or industrial site.
- Mandatory experience in Government Affairs, Public Affairs, Policy or related functions with direct state government engagement.
- Strong understanding of regulatory compliance, licences, approvals and manufacturing-related governance.
- Experience in internal and external corporate communications.
- Excellent English communication skills.
- Ability to work on-site in Hyderabad with regular presence at the manufacturing site.
- Develop and execute Mars Pet Nutrition's Telangana Government Affairs strategy aligned with business priorities.
- Build and independently maintain trusted relationships with senior officials across Telangana Government departments relevant to manufacturing operations.
- Represent Mars with local government bodies, regulatory agencies, district administration and industry associations.
- Lead proactive advocacy that supports business continuity, ease of doing business and long-term growth.
- Identify policy, regulatory and political developments impacting the business and recommend mitigation strategies.
- Partner with internal teams to resolve regulatory bottlenecks affecting the Hyderabad manufacturing site.
- Represent Mars during meetings, consultations, inspections and stakeholder forums.
- Serve as the Corporate Affairs partner for the Hyderabad manufacturing site.
- Work closely with Plant Leadership, Supply, Engineering, Legal, Quality, Safety and Finance teams.
- Support government visits, inspections, audits and regulatory engagements.
- Coordinate cross-functional compliance requirements involving government authorities.
- Support statutory licences, permits, approvals and regulatory documentation.
- Track compliance obligations and coordinate timely execution across teams.
- Support audit preparedness and regulatory inspections.
- Develop and execute integrated internal and external communication strategies supporting business priorities.
- Lead internal communications for the Hyderabad site and partner with the India Country Head and India Leadership Team on leadership communications.
- Develop communication plans, messaging, speeches, presentations, FAQs and leadership content.
- Plan and deliver associate engagement campaigns aligned with business priorities and purpose.
- Lead planning and execution of town halls, associate forums, site events and employee engagement initiatives.
- Manage internal communication tools and channels ensuring timely, consistent and engaging communication.
- Work closely with People & Organization and other functions on change management, organisational announcements and engagement initiatives.
- Support executive visibility, media engagement, reputation management and crisis communications.
- Build trusted relationships with Telangana Government departments, local authorities, regulatory agencies, industry associations and community stakeholders.
- Influence senior internal stakeholders including the India Country Head, India Leadership Team, Plant Leadership, Regional and Global Corporate Affairs teams.
- Act as a trusted advisor on government, policy and reputation matters.
- A postgraduate qualification in Public Policy, Political Science, Public Administration, Government Affairs, Corporate Communications, Journalism, Mass Communication or related disciplines is preferred.
- Hindi language skills are preferred.
- The ability to speak, read or understand Telugu is a significant advantage.
About the company
Mars, Incorporated makes and sells a wide range of food, confectionery, and petcare products worldwide, with brands like M&M’s, Snickers, Milky Way, Dove, Orbit, Skittles, Pedigree, and Royal Canin, and it also operates pet health services through networks such as AniCura, Banfield, BluePearl, and VCA. Its products come from integrated manufacturing and distribution systems, delivering everyday treats and meals as well as veterinary care through a global network of partners. Mars differentiates itself through its diversified portfolio, long family ownership, and the Mars Five Principles—Quality, Responsibility, Mutuality, Efficiency, and Freedom—that guide decisions and actions. The company aims to help communities prosper and improve social and environmental outcomes while growing its business and scale.
Company Size
10,001+
Company Stage
Debt Financing
Total Funding
$27B
Headquarters
McLean, Virginia
Founded
1911
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Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- Mars Impact Fund granted over $13 million in 2026 to resilience and animal wellbeing.
- Mars Snacking added 600 Chicago jobs and committed $100 million to headquarters expansion.
- Mars completed CA$180 million Ontario upgrades in 2026, lifting pet nutrition and snack capacity.
What critics are saying
- Nature's Bakery closes Hazelwood by September 2027, signaling integration waste and demand misreads.
- Mars Wrigley cut 307 Newark jobs and relocated headquarters, exposing ongoing restructuring pressure.
- A failed Kellanova integration would erase expected scale benefits and hand rivals PepsiCo share.
What makes Mars unique
- Mars runs pet care, snacking, and food with 2026 Google Cloud Gemini Enterprise rollout.
- Mars controls nine billion-dollar snacking brands after Kellanova approval on 2026-09-09.
- Mars owns VCA, Banfield, Royal Canin, and global pet distribution across 145 markets.
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Benefits
Professional Development Budget
Conference Attendance Budget
Performance Bonus
Growth & Insights and Company News
6 month growth
↑ 10%1 year growth
↑ 10%2 year growth
↑ 10%Mars Incorporated has awarded more than $13 million in grants through its Mars Impact Fund to six organisations across Côte d'Ivoire, India, the United States and Thailand. The multi-year partnerships with Elucid, Tanager, Pratham Education Foundation, People's Action for National Integration, National 4-H Council and Worldwide Veterinary Service focus on three priorities: strengthening resilience in Mars sourcing communities, developing future scientists and improving companion animal wellbeing. Key investments include $2.07 million to Elucid for healthcare access for cocoa-farming households in Côte d'Ivoire, $5.6 million for mint-farming communities in India and $3 million to National 4-H Council to engage 200,000 young people in food and agriculture careers. The fund also committed $3 million to Worldwide Veterinary Service for rabies elimination efforts in Thailand.
Mars has appointed Christina Ruggiero as Regional President of its Pet Nutrition Division for North America, effective 1 July. She will oversee brands including Pedigree, Iams, Sheba, Cesar, Greenies, Temptations and Nutro across the United States and Canada. Ruggiero joins from Coca-Cola, where she served as President of the Global Nutrition Category, leading a $9 billion portfolio that included Minute Maid, Simply and Fairlife. She previously spent nearly four years in India as CEO of Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages, where she doubled the company's net worth. In her new role, Ruggiero will focus on science-backed innovation, omnichannel growth and digital acceleration. Mars operates a $65 billion business with approximately 170,000 associates worldwide.
Mars Wrigley will lay off 307 workers and relocate its US headquarters from Newark, New Jersey, to Chicago by mid-October. The candymaker, which produces M&M's, Snickers, Twix and Skittles, filed a WARN notice with New Jersey signalling the job cuts will end the company's presence in Newark. The move follows a $100 million investment to expand Mars Wrigley's Chicago facilities, where its global headquarters is now based. The company will continue operating its manufacturing facility in Hackettstown, New Jersey. The New Jersey Business & Industry Association warned the departure signals the state needs to improve its business climate. New Jersey has lost over 9,700 jobs through WARN notices this year, with Samsung and ExxonMobil also announcing recent departures.
Mars-owned snacks brand Nature's Bakery is permanently closing its manufacturing plant in Hazelwood, Missouri. Production will shift to other facilities, with the site expected to remain operational until a full shutdown in September 2027. According to a local government filing, 130 employees will leave on 11 September, followed by 215 more in February 2027. All affected staff have been notified and can seek alternative positions within Nature's Bakery or Mars. In January 2024, Mars announced a $237m investment in a new Nature's Bakery factory in Salt Lake City, Utah. Mars acquired Nature's Bakery in 2020 through its Kind snacking business and recently completed a $35.9bn acquisition of Kellanova in December.
Mars, Incorporated is renewing its partnership with the Lindau Nobel Laureate Meetings through a three-year, €1.5 million grant from the Mars Impact Fund. The funding will support fellowships for 30 young scientists annually to attend the meetings, which bring together Nobel Laureates and emerging researchers. Mars has partnered with the Meetings since 2007, but this marks the first collaboration through its Impact Fund, launched in early 2026. The grant aims to strengthen access for scientists who otherwise couldn't participate and support programming that fosters dialogue and learning. The partnership was celebrated at the 75th annual Lindau Nobel Laureate Meetings in Germany, where Mars hosted events focused on interdisciplinary science. Michelle Grogg, Executive Director of the Mars Impact Fund, said the collaboration reflects the Fund's commitment to diversifying the global scientific pipeline.