Job Description:

Location: Aimargues

Segment: Royal Canin

Contract duration: one-year contract

Shape the Future of Pet Nutrition with Science, Precision, and Passion

At Royal Canin, we believe that every pet is unique—and so is their nutritional journey. Our centralized formulation model empowers us to deliver consistent, tailored nutrition across the globe, blending scientific expertise with locally sourced raw materials. Every recipe is a testament to our commitment: the synthesis of knowledge in science, process, and nutrition.

Your Mission

As a Formula Portfolio Specialist, you will be the guardian of nutritional excellence for two standard-size factories, overseeing a portfolio of approximately 100 formulas per site. You will drive the deployment of global formulas, ensuring innovation and consistency in every market. Your role is pivotal in bridging R&D and Value Chain Operations, collaborating daily with global and regional teams to deliver continuous improvement and nutritional precision.

What will be your key responsibilities?

• Deliver Innovation: Ensure timely and complete delivery of innovative and renovated recipes, as well as recipes for supply destressing.
• Feasibility Assessment: Provide expert feasibility assessments for global formula development, highlighting key deployment challenges.
• Optimize Formulas: Define optimal deployment formulas, balancing local raw materials, factory capabilities, and regulatory requirements.
• Performance Correction: Address and correct pet product performance deviations, maintaining nutritional targets.
• Legal Reference: Deliver reference formulas for legal text creation.
• Strategic Formulation: Co-construct local and regional formulation strategies with Commercial teams.
• Raw Material Expertise: Lead formulation studies for new raw material deployment and support supplier development processes.
• Portfolio Management: Identify and build the ideal raw material portfolio for new sites, maximizing opportunities and minimizing risks.
• Forecasting: Provide cost and volume forecasts to Commercial teams, aligned with reformulation roadmaps.
• Nutritional Precision: Ensure full nutritional profile accuracy and update nutrient matrices for reformulation.
• Risk Management: Perform risk assessments for raw material shortages or deviations, activating reformulations to safeguard business continuity.
• Continuous Improvement: Deploy global improvement actions, optimize formulas for cost and GHG, and lead action plans for consumer complaints.
• Collaboration & Training: Train factory teams, collaborate with regional formulators, and represent interests in regional projects.
• Knowledge Sharing: Contribute to internal knowledge management, integrating new insights and practices.

What are we looking for?

We are looking for a highly skilled professional with a strong scientific background and a passion for pet nutrition.

• Holds an MSc degree in Food, Feed, Nutrition, Chemistry, or Veterinary Science with a specialization in nutrition.

• Has at least 10 years of experience in a technical R&D role, such as Formulator, Product Designer, or Nutritionist.

• Has previous experience in the feed or petfood industry, which is considered a strong advantage.

• Is fluent in English and able to collaborate effectively across international teams.

• Demonstrates high learning agility, with the ability to quickly understand and adapt to new people, results, and mental challenges.

• Possesses excellent people skills, including conflict management and the ability to influence stakeholders across functions such as Commercial, Supply, Manufacturing, R&D, and Marketing.

• Can work effectively with remote teams and navigate complex, cross-functional interfaces with professionalism and diplomacy.

What can you expect from Mars?

• Work with 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.

• A strong focus on 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.

If you are ready to contribute to the nutritional future of pets worldwide and enjoy working in a science-driven, international setting, we would love to hear from you.