Demo

Head of Regulatory Affairs North America, Food and Beverage

Novonesis
Milwaukee, WI Full Time
POSTED ON 11/5/2026
AVAILABLE BEFORE 12/12/2026
Interested in a career that matters?

The Role and Your Impact:

Welcome to the role of Head of Regulatory Affairs, North America, Food and Beverage where you will lead a team in a people manager role, leading and developing regulatory professionals who help turn science and regulation into real-world impact. The team enables safe, compliant growth and innovation by translating evolving food regulations into clear, actionable guidance for commercial, technical, and operational teams across the US and Canada.

As the manager, you will provide direction, prioritization, coaching, and stakeholder alignment while ensuring strong execution on dossiers, customer questions, product launches, digitalization, change management, regulatory intelligence, and process improvement. The team works closely with other areas of the business.

We are strengthening regulatory intelligence capabilities, digitalizing and harmonizing ways of working, and building expertise in emerging ingredients, labeling/claims developments, and new regulatory pathways across North America.

Key Responsibilities in this role:

  • This position works with a high level of autonomy and is responsible for leading North America Regulatory Affairs activities and people priorities that enable compliant business growth, customer support, innovation, and operational excellence across the US and Canada.
  • Strategic people leadership by coaching, and developing direct reports, including setting priorities, clarifying expectations, supporting performance and development conversations, and building capabilities across US and Canada regulatory topics.
  • Provide strategic and operational regulatory leadership for relevant food ingredient and food segments in the US and Canada; monitor, interpret, and communicate regulatory changes and potential business impact to internal stakeholders.
  • Ensure timely, accurate regulatory guidance to internal stakeholders and customers regarding product and ingredient regulatory status, specifications, labeling/claims as applicable, and manufacturing/process considerations; support team escalation and decision-making on complex topics.
  • Oversee and support preparation of regulatory dossiers, notifications, submissions, and compliance documentation for the US and Canada in collaboration with Global Regulatory Affairs and local resources.

What You’ll Need to be Successful:

Required Qualifications:

  • BS degree; or master’s degree preferred in Engineering, Food Science, Pharmacy, Nutrition, Chemistry, Biology, or related Natural Sciences.
  • 10 years in Regulatory Affairs within the food industry or a related regulated industry
  • Experience supporting US and/or Canada regulatory deliverables such as enzymes, cultures, probiotics, ingredients, labeling/claims support, dossiers, notifications, and customer/regulatory documentation. People leadership experience is required, including coaching, prioritization, performance management, and development of regulatory professionals.

Core Competencies:

  • Strong regulatory judgment, stakeholder management, people leadership, project prioritization, and communication skills. Strong computer/IT skills, including working knowledge of Microsoft Office programs; experience with digital tools, reporting, dashboards, or workflow optimization is a plus.
  • English (read/write/speak). Spanish is a plus.
  • Cross cultural awareness and experience working in a global environment.

What We Offer

At Novonesis, you will join a purpose-driven organization where innovation and collaboration are at the heart of what we do. We offer opportunities to work on impactful projects, develop your expertise, and grow your career in a supportive team environment.

You will have the opportunity to:

  • Partner with business, technical, and innovation teams to define compliant regulatory pathways for new products, line extensions, and process changes, while ensuring regulatory deliverables are prioritized, resourced, tracked, and communicated.
  • Represent North America Regulatory Affairs in relevant industry or trade association activities, as needed, and build external regulatory insight to support business continuity and advocacy priorities.
  • Drive continuous improvement, digital transformation, harmonized ways of working, reporting, and internal training to improve transparency, efficiency, and quality of regulatory support.
  • Support procurement-related regulatory processes and supplier/customer documentation needs where regulatory input is required.

Ways of Working:

Hybrid: This role requires some office-based time in West Allis or Milwaukee, Wisconsin with increased flexibility to work from home

Travel: Approximately 30%, including team engagement, stakeholder meetings, customer or industry interactions, and site/business needs.

Compensation & Benefits:

  • Expected base salary range: $160,000 – $200,000 based on experience
  • 401(k) with up to a 9% company contribution
  • Minimum of 3 weeks of vacation plus 12 holidays and 2 weeks of Wellness Time 
  • Health, Dental, Vision & Life insurance  
  • Healthcare savings account option
  • Employee assistance program 
  • Parental leave
  • Tuition reimbursement 
  • All benefits begin on your first day

Relevant Information:

  • Application deadline: November 13, 2026

Our purpose guides the way

In Novonesis, we know that solutions rooted in biology can help solve humanity’s biggest challenges. Since we began more than a century ago, this has been our guide. It’s how we've gotten so far. And it’s how we'll impact the future. Now, more than ever, the world needs change. And with biosolutions, the possibilities for transformation are endless. If our purpose resonates with you, we encourage you to apply.

Opportunities for everyone

We are committed to an inclusive recruitment process and equal opportunity for all applicants. Therefore we ask you to apply without a cover letter or photo and instead include a few sentences in your CV explaining your motivation for applying.

We make all employment decisions based on business needs and welcome candidates with a wide range of backgrounds, including ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, or veteran status.

Explore Other Openings

If this position isn’t the right fit, you may still find other opportunities with us. You’re welcome to explore open roles or create a job agent to stay connected with future opportunities at novonesis.com/Career

Salary : $160,000 - $200,000

If your compensation planning software is too rigid to deploy winning incentive strategies, it’s time to find an adaptable solution. Compensation Planning
Enhance your organization's compensation strategy with salary data sets that HR and team managers can use to pay your staff right. Surveys & Data Sets

What is the career path for a Head of Regulatory Affairs North America, Food and Beverage?

Sign up to receive alerts about other jobs on the Head of Regulatory Affairs North America, Food and Beverage career path by checking the boxes next to the positions that interest you.
Income Estimation: 
$97,803 - $128,184
Income Estimation: 
$122,529 - $166,597
Income Estimation: 
$123,229 - $164,502
Income Estimation: 
$123,155 - $167,827
Income Estimation: 
$212,419 - $307,933
Income Estimation: 
$308,977 - $498,049
Income Estimation: 
$263,669 - $375,263
Employees: Get a Salary Increase
View Core, Job Family, and Industry Job Skills and Competency Data for more than 15,000 Job Titles Skills Library

Job openings at Novonesis

  • Novonesis Wausau, WI
  • Interested in a career that matters? Ready to put your mechanical skills to work in a hands-on manufacturing environment where safety, quality, and teamwor... more
  • 6 Days Ago

  • Novonesis New Berlin, WI
  • Interested in a career that matters? What We Offer 401(k) with up to a 9% company contribution. Minimum of 3 weeks’ vacation, 12 holidays, and 2 weeks of W... more
  • 7 Days Ago

  • Novonesis Blair, NE
  • Interested in a career that matters? Are you ready to use your production knowledge and technical expertise to help a manufacturing operation perform safel... more
  • 8 Days Ago

  • Novonesis Wausau, WI
  • Interested in a career that matters? Join us as our new Maintenance Mechanic The Maintenance Mechanic plays a critical role in ensuring the safe, reliable,... more
  • 8 Days Ago


Not the job you're looking for? Here are some other Head of Regulatory Affairs North America, Food and Beverage jobs in the Milwaukee, WI area that may be a better fit.

  • Gehl Food & Beverage Germantown, WI
  • Job Type Full-time Description Beverage Packaging Operator 3rd Shift Germantown: Main Germantown, WI Description Beverage Packaging Operator | 3rd Shift Ge... more
  • 20 Days Ago

  • thyssenkrupp Polysius North America, Inc. Milwaukee, WI
  • Company thyssenkrupp Polysius North America, Inc. specializes in the design and construction of turnkey cement plants. We support cement manufacturers arou... more
  • 6 Days Ago

AI Assistant is available now!

Feel free to start your new journey!