MCO Health BV, a leader in nutritional supplements and part of the Nestlé group, is dedicated to promoting optimal human health. Our team of 120 employees in Almere is passionate about nutrition and healthy lifestyles.

The Role

As an Ingredient Specialist, you will oversee the end-to-end management and qualification of ingredients within the VMS portfolio. This role ensures that both new and existing ingredients are compliant and suitable for manufacturing. You will support innovation, cost management, and compliance initiatives by leading ingredient qualification processes, managing specifications and documentation, and collaborating with QA, Procurement, Regulatory, and other teams. You will also serve as a key technical resource, assessing risks, resolving issues, and partnering with suppliers to ensure a reliable supply of high-quality ingredients.

Responsibilities

• Lead ingredient and vendor site qualification for renovation, maintenance, cost, and compliance projects.
• Manage ingredient portfolio projects and fulfill assigned RACI responsibilities.
• Develop and align raw material purchasing specifications (RMPS) and market requirements (MR) with vendors.
• Create and maintain SAP material numbers, specifications, and inspection plan inputs.
• Manage ingredient documentation, including collection, review, storage, and database maintenance.
• Define and execute qualification testing plans, coordinating samples, lab testing, and result approvals.
• Identify and resolve ingredient, vendor, and operational issues, including recurring specification concerns.
• Provide release support and recommend mitigation actions based on risk assessments.
• Support supplier monitoring plans and communicate risk assessments for HACCP inputs.
• Implement RMPS and assist with SAP integration activities.
• Manage mitigation and closure of conditional approvals and derogations.
• Develop and maintain SOPs and work instructions.
• Support ingredient lifecycle activities, including discontinuations and global initiatives.

Requirements

• Master’s degree or engineering degree in Food Sciences or a related field.
• At least 3 years of operational experience in production, QA, product development, or project management.
• Multilingual: English required, plus French, Spanish, or German.
• Proficiency in SAP, formulation/specification systems, and standard tools (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
• Strong analytical skills, pragmatic, autonomous, and proactive.
• Good communication skills with experience in coaching or teaching.
• Familiarity with continuous improvement methods.

You will report to the Application Group Lead for your category and be part of the Operations department at MCO Health BV.

What We Offer

• A position in an informal organization with enthusiastic colleagues.
• A role in a growing organization that encourages your initiative.
• A market-based salary.

At Nestlé, respect is central to our culture, and we value diversity among our employees and customers. We strive to create an inclusive environment where everyone feels welcome, regardless of gender, faith, cultural background, age, disability, or sexual orientation. We believe that diversity fosters creativity and innovation.

Questions? Our recruiters are available to assist you at alm.vacatures@nl.nestle.com.

Apply now! If your profile matches our requirements, we look forward to receiving your CV and motivation letter. Please note that we use an AI tool for scheduling interviews, so keep an eye on your email for an invitation. You may also receive WhatsApp messages if you consent to this during your application. Communication through our AI tool will be in English, but our recruiters are fluent in both English and Dutch.

Please note that interim CVs will not be processed.