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.

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.

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.

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…