Product Design Specialist, Utrecht, Utrecht

The Company
The client is a world leader in Essential dairy, plant-based product, early life nutrition and medical nutrition. By maintaining a clear and consistent brand value, their mission and products became popular enough to allow them to operate worldwide. Besides specializing in therapeutic food and infant formula, they collaborate in researching several diseases to make patient`s life easier with their products. 

Role Description 
We are seeking a Product Design Specialist who is passionate about transforming scientific and technological insights into innovative products for the Chinese market. In this role, you will work within cross-functional project teams, collaborating closely with China CBU and European factories. You will partner with teams across Shanghai, Wuxi, and Europe, including Product Development, Operations, Quality, Regulatory Affairs, Marketing, Medical & Science, User Experience, Specifications Management, Process Technology, Pilot Plant, and EU supply points. Your mission is to drive product development through cutting-edge processes and deliver superior solutions that meet market needs. 

Responsibilities

• Acting as a key partner to China CBUs,  collaborating with R&I, regulatory, marketing, operations, factories, and quality teams to deliver the Greater China innovation pipeline and ensure successful product registration.
• Leading the technical stages of formulation design and development, from concept through commercialization, ensuring compliance with internal guidelines and Chinese legislation.
• Designing and developing innovative nutritional infant formulas and FSMP products that meet regulatory, nutritional, and quality standards while remaining cost-effective.
• Ensuring robust formulation principles, risk mitigation strategies, and adherence to governance processes throughout development.
• Coordinating trials and aligning results with stakeholders in supply points, pilot plants, and advanced teams.
• Supporting technical execution of innovation projects, including dossier preparation and timely delivery of high-standard technical documentation for China registration.
• Implementing compliant, high-quality products in European factories and ensure smooth registration and commercial launch.
• Anticipating risks and proactively propose solutions to overcome challenges.
• Building and maintaining expertise in product category, including technical knowledge, quality in design, consumer experience, and competitive landscape.
• Continuously evaluating and improving product development processes, challenging the status quo and capturing knowledge for future projects.
• Fostering team expertise and collaboration, contributing to a strong and sustainable team culture. 

Requirements

• Proven experience in product design and development, ideally within the nutrition or food industry.
• Strong technical knowledge of formulation design, innovation processes, and regulatory compliance for the Chinese market.
• Ability to manage complex, cross-functional projects and collaborate effectively with global teams.
• Skilled in risk assessment, problem-solving, and delivering high-quality technical documentation.
• Familiarity with governance processes and quality standards in product development.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Ability to work in a dynamic environment, challenge existing processes, and drive continuous improvement.
• Knowledge of Chinese legislation related to nutritional products is highly desirable. 

Other information
Apply to our vacancy for more information. Looking forward to getting in touch!  

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