Director Regulatory Affairs

Rosemont, Illinois, United States (in-office Tuesday through Thursday; visa sponsorship and relocation are not available for this position)

People. Planet. Community.

Dairy’s journey starts on the farm, and the road we travel demonstrates our unwavering commitment to sustainable nutrition, as our farmers provide lasting and meaningful nourishment to people, the planet and our communities, both urban and rural.

We are a nonprofit organization located in the greater Chicagoland area and we're always looking for talented people to join our team who share the passion and motivation to promote the goodness of dairy.

Position Overview

Dairy Management Inc. (DMI) is seeking a dynamic and experienced professional to serve as Director, Regulatory Affairs. This position will report to the Vice President, Regulatory & Scientific Affairs and play a critical role in advancing DMI’s regulatory strategy and technical leadership across claims substantiation, labeling and regulatory engagement – with just enough curiosity and creativity to keep things interesting.

The Director will lead day-to-day regulatory affairs activities, working cross-functionally with regulatory, scientific, nutrition and sustainability affairs, marketing and communications, global and domestic partnerships, product research and development and nutrition research teams to ensure that dairy foods are accurately, credibly and compellingly represented in the health and wellness marketplace. This role will serve as a trusted internal expert on food labeling and regulatory requirements, guiding compliant product messaging, developing and maintaining scientific substantiation for claims and translating complex regulatory developments into clear, actionable insights for internal stakeholders. 

Additionally, the Director will support DMI’s engagement with the broader regulatory community by monitoring policy developments, contributing technical expertise to industry discussions and collaborating with leading organizations to help ensure dairy is appropriately represented within evolving food and nutrition and regulatory frameworks. This role is critical to ensuring dairy messaging is scientifically credible, regulatory compliant and positioned for long-term relevance in health and wellness – while bringing an engaging, solutions-oriented mindset to the work every day. 

About Dairy Management Inc. and National Dairy Council

Dairy Management Inc .™ (DMI) is funded by nearly 26,000 U.S. dairy farmers and dairy importers, working to grow demand for dairy through research, education and innovation. DMI manages the National Dairy Council® (NDC), the American Dairy Association and founded the U.S. Dairy Export Council and the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy. DMI works with state and regional promotion organizations to implement these programs across the country.

National Dairy Council (NDC), the non-profit organization founded by dairy farmers and funded by the national dairy checkoff program, has been committed to research-based nutrition education and communications since its start in 1915. NDC is dedicated to bringing to life the dairy community’s shared vision of a healthy, happy, sustainable world – with science as its foundation. NDC’s staff of registered dietitians, researchers and nutrition educators communicate about dairy’s contributions to health and sustainable food systems.

DMI and its related organizations do not engage in policy or lobbying activities.

Key Responsibilities

Develop, maintain and continuously update internal substantiation to support marketing and labeling claims, with a focus on high-impact health and wellness platforms and bioactive components in dairy foods.

•  Lead the development and curation of evidence dossiers that substantiate priority health and wellness claims, synthesizing current scientific literature on dairy foods and nutrients and bioactive components found in dairy foods while aligning with USDA’s Guidelines for AMS Oversight of Commodity Research and Promotion Programs.

• Establish and maintain standardized processes and documentation to ensure claims are consistently supported, audit-ready and aligned with evolving regulatory and scientific guidance.

• Partner with internal teams (affairs, marketing and communications, nutrition research and product research and development) to translate emerging evidence into clear, defensible claim language and messaging for use across communications and labeling.

 Lead labeling and claims execution across internal and external initiatives

• Review and validate internally developed food and beverage label mockups (e.g., trade shows, industry events) to ensure accuracy, regulatory compliance and alignment with current labeling standards and guidance.
• Provide technical labeling expertise and clear, actionable guidance to external partners and industry stakeholders through the Innovation Center and other collaborations, supporting compliant and effective product messaging.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with Product Research & Development, Nutrition Research and Partnerships teams to ensure labeling strategies are scientifically substantiated, regulatory-compliant and aligned with broader organizational objectives.

Serve as an internal regulatory expert, enabling team effectiveness and translating requirements into actionable guidance

• Provide direct support to the Regulatory Affairs team and leadership, serving as a day-to-day resource on regulatory requirements, risk assessment and compliance considerations to ensure consistent and aligned execution of regulatory activities.
• Develop tools, templates and supporting materials to enable high-quality, consistent development of regulatory comments for USDA, FDA and NIH proposed rulemaking.
• Translate evolving regulatory and policy developments into strategic insights, equipping internal teams with clear, consistent guidance to inform business decisions.

  Participate in working groups with leading external regulatory organizations (e.g., FDLI, IFT, IFIC) to advance dairy’s visibility, credibility and representation within the broader regulatory and scientific landscape.

New Hire Salary Range -- $99,000-$120,000 annually. This is a salary range that DMI believes, at the time of this posting, that it might be willing to pay for the posted job in the location specified.

Requirements

Minimum Qualifications Education & Experience:

Skills & Competenc ies

• High proficiency in Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) regulations and familiarity with Federal Trade Commission (FTC) – international food regulation experience a plus.

• Knowledge of claims and common certifications in food marketing and product labeling

• Ability to translate complex science and regulation into clear business guidance

• Strong written and verbal communication skills

• Analytical and technical skills and attention to detail essential

• Experience in nutrition research and applications of outcomes for industry

• Experience working cross-functionally in matrixed environments

• Stakeholder engagement and influence skills

• Established industry network with a proactive, relationship-building approach; actively engages with peers and organizations to exchange insights and stay at forefront of regulatory developments

Education & Experience Qualifications

• 3-5 years of experience in food regulatory affairs or similar regulatory environment with advanced degree and relevant work experience

• Bachelor’s degree or higher in food science, chemistry, biology, nutrition or a related scientific field required.

Travel approximately 10% of time.

Benefits

We know that in order to meet our goal of growing dairy demand, we need the best people. We offer competitive compensation and generous benefits to help our employees balance their work and personal lives. Our office is conveniently located, taking less than 10 minutes to walk from CTA's Blue Line Rosemont station (or you can hop on the free, Riverway, shuttle). We offer regular and chocolate milk on tap.

Our comprehensive health and welfare plans offer medical, dental, vision, paid parental leave, life insurance, short-term and long-term disability and flexible spending accounts (health care, dependent care, transit and parking). Our 401k provides up to a 10% match and includes a Roth account. DMI reserves the right to change or end its benefits plans or programs at any time.

Dairy Management Inc.™ is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, ethnicity, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

We regret it is not possible to communicate with candidates except those who most closely match our requirements. Thank you.