R&D Specification Specialist, Wellbeing Collective

Job Title: R&D Specification Specialist, Wellbeing Collective
Location: Mumbai India
Function: R&D
Reports to: Senior Manager New Product Development Wellbeing Collective

WHO ARE WE?
We are the Global Health & Wellbeing (H&W) team at Unilever. We are a start-up (less than 3 years old), focused on one of Unilever’s largest growth opportunities – the €140bn Health & Wellbeing space defined by Vitamins, Minerals, and Supplements (VMS).
We work in an agile and entrepreneurial way, collaboratively within the team and with our Unilever colleagues around the world. We work in a project based networked way where everyone needs to be able to take a step back and think strategically as well as rolling up their sleeves and get their hands dirty, to be entrepreneurial and experiment as well as bringing in the best of Unilever and work the structures of a large company, to take charge and lead as well as follow and support others.

OUR BUSINESS
Unilever’s Health & Wellbeing Group holds the company’s functional dietary supplement brands and the portfolio of brands that includes Equilibra (Italy) and US acquired brands Olly, LiquidIV, SmartyPants, Welly, Onnit. Each brand is completely unique and focused on giving consumers superior experiences within their respective spaces and target segments. For the acquired businesses, we are committed to continue growing this strategic business for Unilever through international expansion of the acquired brands, utilizing Unilever’s scale and network in the markets.

JOB DESCRIPTION OVERVIEW
We are seeking a detail-oriented and globally minded Specification Specialist to lead the creation, maintenance, and review of bulk and finished product specifications for Liquid I.V. and Olly products across Canada, Brazil, Mexico, and the EU/UK. This role ensures regulatory compliance, technical accuracy, and cross-functional alignment throughout the product lifecycle.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES
• Specification Management
o Lead the end-to-end process for creating, updating, and maintaining bulk and finished product specifications for Liquid I.V. and Olly brands, ensuring alignment with regional (Canada, Brazil, Mexico, EU/UK) regulatory and formulation requirements.
o Ensure all specifications accurately capture ingredient details, formulation profiles, analytical methods, and release criteria, and are updated promptly in response to regulatory or formulation changes.
o Maintain a centralized, well-organized repository of specifications and related documentation on MS Teams, ensuring version control and audit readiness.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration
o Collaborate closely with R&D, Quality Assurance, Regulatory, Supply Chain, and Manufacturing teams to gather technical inputs, validate data, and ensure timely approval of specifications.
o Support new product development and international expansion projects by providing expertise on specification requirements and documentation.

• Regulatory & Compliance
o Monitor and interpret changes in global regulatory standards relevant to VMS (Vitamins, Minerals, Supplements), proactively updating specifications and communicating impacts to stakeholders.
o Support internal and external audits, providing documentation and expertise as required.
• Continuous Improvement & Knowledge Sharing
o Train the new joiners on specification management processes and tools.
o Identify and implement process improvements to enhance efficiency, accuracy, and compliance in specification management.
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KEY EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS
• Bachelor’s degree (required) in Food Science, Food Engineering, Chemistry, Biology, Nutrition Science, Pharmacy, or a closely related discipline.
• Minimum 5 years’ experience in specification management, product development, or quality assurance within the food, beverage, or VMS sector; experience with global brands or multi-region portfolios is highly desirable.
• Demonstrated expertise in interpreting and applying regional and international regulatory requirements for dietary supplements and functional foods.
• Proficiency in using Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) systems, SAP, and digital specification authoring tools is a plus; experience with MS Teams for document management.
• Exceptional analytical, organizational, and project management skills, with a proven ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with experience collaborating in cross-functional and multicultural teams.
• Detail-oriented mindset with a commitment to accuracy and compliance.
• Experience supporting audits and regulatory inspections is an advantage.

Additional info

• https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190418005592/en/Unilever-to-Acquire-OLLY-Nutrition
• https://www.nutritioninsight.com/news/merging-wellness-with-nutrition-unilever-expands-supplements-portfolio-with-smartypants-vitamins-acquisition.html

• https://www.adweek.com/brand-marketing/liquid-iv-expands-its-flagship-product-line-after-unilever-acquisition/•https://www.nutraingredients.com/Article/2021/04/27/Unilever-to-acquire-human-optimisation-brand-Onnit#

Our commitment to Equality, Diversity & Inclusion 

Unilever embraces diversity and encourages applicants from all walks of life! This means giving full and fair consideration to all applicants and continuing development of all employees regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, marriage and civil partnership, and pregnancy and maternity