Contaminants Manager

Manager Contaminants
Our story goes back more than 150 years, to the chilly southern coast of Scandinavia. From our early success in Sweden and Denmark, we’ve grown into the world’s leading specialist producer of plant-based oils, employing more than 4,000 people all across the globe.

We work with our customers to make the products you love even better. The oils we produce go into making your chocolate extra-creamy or putting the crunch into your croissant. And it’s not just food — we work across industries to make products that are higher quality, healthier and better for the planet.

Everything we do is about Making Better Happen™.

AAK Location
For this position we prefer a candidate based near one of our Oils & Fats plants in Europe. Ideal locations include Aarhus (Denmark), Karlshamn (Sweden), Zaandijk or Rotterdam (Netherlands), or Hull (UK).

#LI-Hybrid

About the role
“Are you passionate about making a real impact in the food industry through data analytics, cross-functional collaboration, and ensuring compliance with rigorous standards?” We are looking for a Contaminants Manager to play a key role in ensuring AAK Europe’s adherence to contaminant legislation and customer specifications. In this impactful position, you’ll be responsible for managing the process of modeling expected results, guiding oils, components, and products to their optimal locations, and addressing both immediate and long-term contaminant-related challenges.

As the Contaminants Manager, you will:

• Ensure Compliance: Lead the effort to ensure AAK Europe’s full compliance with all relevant contaminant legislation and customer requirements.
• Drive Contaminant Control: Take ownership of both short-term and long-term contaminant challenges, working to optimize processes and materials routing across our sites.
• Centralize Material Management: Centralize the management of relevant materials, improving supply chain efficiency and enhancing predictability for our customers.
• Champion Best Practices: Play a pivotal role in consolidating best practices and supporting AAK Europe’s ambition to become a leader in contaminant control.

This is an exciting opportunity for someone with a strong technical background, excellent problem-solving skills, and a collaborative mindset. You will be instrumental in advancing our mission to provide safe, high-quality products to our customers while driving sustainability and operational excellence across the business.

Responsibilities
As Manager Contaminants, you will play a pivotal role in AAK Europe's contaminant management efforts, ensuring compliance, optimizing operations, and driving innovation across the supply chain. Your main tasks and responsibilities will include:

• Database Management: Collect and organize results of relevant incoming materials into a centralized database, ensuring accurate and up-to-date tracking of contaminant data across all suppliers and shipments.

• Legislation and Customer Commitments: Stay informed about the latest contaminant legislation by country and ensure that all customer specifications and commitments are clearly understood and integrated into our processes.
• Predictive Modelling: Lead the development and application of a predictive model that uses contaminant data and process insights to generate calculated risk assessments and outcomes for all finished products. This will be key in improving product safety and process efficiency.
• Pre-Arrival Shipment Planning: Oversee the pre-arrival adjustment of shipments, ensuring that materials are directed to the most optimal sites for processing. Your efforts will help streamline material flows and improve overall planning across the business.
• Stakeholder Coordination: Act as the key liaison between internal teams, and stakeholders, ensuring all parties are informed in advance of any potential issues or risks related to contaminants. Clear communication is crucial to maintaining strong relationships and meeting customer expectations and ensure prompt resolution of issues.
• Contaminant-Related Cost Management: Keep detailed records of contaminant-related costs, including downgrades, additional shipping costs, and customer fines. Your insights will drive cost-saving strategies and help identify opportunities for process improvement.
• Insights and Continuous Improvement: Provide actionable, data-driven insights that support AAK's leadership in contaminant control. Advise on material sourcing and compliance strategies, while driving continuous improvement initiatives and sharing best practices across teams to ensure we remain at the forefront of the industry.

About you
We are seeking a driven, results-oriented professional with a solid foundation in food safety, contaminant management, and cross-functional collaboration. In this role, you’ll have the opportunity to apply your technical expertise to ensure the highest standards of safety, quality, and efficiency across the supply chain. Your ability to manage complex projects, build predictive models, and engage stakeholders will be key to your success.

• Qualifications & Experience: Educational Backgroud: A Bachelor's or Master's Degree in Process Technology, Food Science and Technology, Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Biochemistry, or a related field.
• Key Experience: Industrie Experience: 2-5 years of experience in the food, beverage, or related industry, focusing on contaminant management and compliance’.

• Predictive Modelling: Strong skills in constructing and applying predictive models to anticipate potential risks and optimize processes. Your ability to analyze trends and data will help informed decision-making and improve overall product quality.
• Stakeholder Management: Proven experience in stakeholder management, working effectively with cross-functional teams to implement solutions and ensure project success. Your ability to communicate complex issues and collaborate with various teams is essential to driving results.
• Core Skills:
  Supply Chain & Process Understanding: A foundational understanding of the food production and supply chain processes, from sourcing raw materials to delivering finished products. Your focus will be on ensuring compliance and efficiency across all stages of the supply chain.
• Project Management: Experience managing cross-functional projects that involve complex problem-solving, contaminant control, and process improvements.
  ERP Systems: Proficiency in using ERP systems to manage and streamline supply chain and quality processes.
• Analytical & Collaborative Mindset:
  Analytical Skills: Strong ability to analyze complex data, identify root causes, and take proactive measures to address challenges.
• Collaboration: A team player who thrives in a collaborative environment, bridging gaps between departments and driving alignment to achieve common objectives.
  

In return AAK offer
Join a pioneering company in specialty oils and fats, driving innovation and sustainability.
In AAK you can work across 25+ countries, gaining international exposure and collaborating with a diverse team.
AAK invests in your development with training, mentorship, and clear career paths.
You will contribute to a greener world with AAK's sustainability-focused approach.
Join a diverse and inclusive workplace that values every individual's perspective and talents.

Contact and information
Please apply through our career portal. For further information about the position, please contact the Senior Talent Acquisition Specialist, Joyce van der Burg on phone: +31 627963726 or [email protected].

About AAKEverything AAK does is about Making Better Happen™. We specialize in plant-based oils that are the value-adding ingredients in many of the products people love to consume. We make these products better tasting, healthier, and more sustainable. At the heart of AAK’s offer is Customer Co-Development, combining our desire to understand what better means for each customer, with the unique flexibility of our production assets, and a deep knowledge of many products and industries, including Chocolate & Confectionery, Bakery, Dairy, Plant-based Foods, Special Nutrition, Foodservice and Personal Care. Our 4,000 employees support our close collaboration with customers through 25 regional sales offices, 15 dedicated Customer Innovation Centers, and with the support of more than 20 production facilities. Listed on Nasdaq Stockholm and with our headquarters in Malmö, Sweden, AAK has been Making Better Happen™ for more than 150 years.

AAK prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, age, national origin, physical or mental disability, religion, veteran status, and any other class of individuals protected from discrimination under state or federal law in any aspect of the access to, admission, or treatment of students in its programs and activities, or in employment and application for employment.
Location:
Netherlands