Testing & Conformance (SAP QM) Senior Lead

Job Overview

As we work to transform and optimise Mars, a new program has been mobilised by the Mars leadership team.  The program is focused on the design and implementation of SAP S/4HANA in Mars across Segments (Petcare, Corporate, Snacking & Food) with an initial focus on our Royal Canin Division. Much more than a simple “Lift and Shift,” this program will undertake a major process simplification and harmonisation scope as we digitally transform our business.

The program focuses on several key process areas including Finance, Source to Pay (procurement and vendor mgmt.), Plan to Fulfil (manufacturing and distribution), Lead to Cash (sales order processing and payment) as well as Quality & Food Safety.  This transformation requires thought leadership, quality decision making, deep technical know-how, and an ability to navigate complex business challenges.

The CoE Q&FS Testing & Conformance Senior Lead will report to the Digital Core DT Q&FS Director, based at MGS Slough (ISB)

This role is responsible for designing and building new capabilities based on SAP S/4 HANA and the SAP Business Technology Platform to enable Royal Canin's future processes for material testing and ensuring conformance to specification of our raw materials, packaging, semi-finished and finished goods.  It is also responsible for providing rollout support to regional deployment teams for those capabilities. Further, it will be necessary to ensure the design is compatible with the needs of other Mars divisions and segments, who are expected to share the same platform

Responsibilities

• Provide functional leadership to a team responsible for defining and implementing the S4/HANA SAP QM solution for Quality & Food Safety processes across Royal Canin’s factories (dry & wet), external manufacturing vendors and wider Mars locations.

• Deliver technical expertise on SAP Quality Management modules, including Quality Planning, Quality Inspection (incoming materials, in-process, and finished goods), Quality Notifications, Results Recording, Certificates of Analysis, Non-Conformance Management, Quality Usage Decision, and integration with Batch Management and Traceability.

• Partner closely with the Manufacturing and Inbound Logistics Senior Leads, reporting to the Make To Deliver Director, to ensure end-to-end quality and compliance across the supply chain.

• Drive the System Integrator to deliver the agreed SAP QM design, ensuring robust testing, conformance, and food safety controls are embedded in all relevant processes.

• Ensure high standards of knowledge management to secure the long-term value of Quality & Food Safety solutions, including documentation, training, and continuous improvement.

• Collaborate with CoE Process Owners and regional stakeholders to define scope, process design, user centricity, risk controls, segregation of duties, and role design specific to Quality & Food Safety.

• Lead solution design for SAP QM, partnering with architects and regional transformation leads to ensure a globally applicable, standardized solution that meets corporate and regulatory standards for food safety and quality.

• Work closely with master data teams to ensure accurate and compliant material, vendor, and inspection characteristic data for effective quality management.

• Align with Q&FS and & IT leads to integrate SAP QM with existing Quality related systems (e.g. QMS, LIMS, etc.).

• Collaborate with CoE R&D colleagues to ensure quality management processes align with product specifications, formulations, and bill of materials requirements.

• Engage with CoE Procure to Pay and Supplier Quality teams to ensure direct material procurement and delivery processes meet quality and food safety standards, including supplier qualification and performance monitoring.

• Guide regional deployment teams to successfully roll out SAP QM solutions, providing expertise on testing, validation, and change management.

• Identify opportunities to add value through digitalization, embedded analytics, automation, and supplier integration within Quality & Food Safety processes.

 What we are looing for

•  7+ years experience with SAP QM module in a manufacturing context.

• Experience with SAP PP / MM experience

• Experience with SAP global template development / deployment

• Strong knowledge of manufacturing and Quality & Food Safety practices.

• Successful project management of complex multinational solutions

• Good communications, especially in English

• Strong capability to deliver through others and to influence

• Curious to investigate business needs and learn new technology

• Experience working with System Integration vendors

 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.