Food Labeling & Regulatory Compliance Specialist

Job Description

Job Description

Food Labeling & Regulatory Compliance Specialist

Who We Are At JonnyPops, our team is empowered to make an impact at work every day — from producing high-quality, innovative frozen novelties to spreading kindness one pop at a time. Founded in 2012 and headquartered in Elk River, MN, JonnyPops has grown into one of the fastest-growing brands in frozen novelties, now the #1 Frozen Novelties brand in the Natural Channel and a top-5 brand for household penetration growth. We manufacture in-house at our SQF Certified, peanut-free Elk River facility using simple ingredients with no artificial dyes, and every stick carries a kind deed — over 1 billion shared to date. We look for bright, ambitious people who thrive in fast-paced, high-growth environments, align with our core values (Integrity, Masterful Growth, Excellence, Team Work, Fact-Based Decisions, Alignment, and Service and Contribution), and want to help us build “A Better Pop for a Better World!”

Job Summary

The Food Labeling & Regulatory Compliance Specialist is accountable for day-to-day execution of labeling, claims, specifications, and ingredient compliance across the product lifecycle. This role makes sure every label, claim, and specification on the shelf is accurate, substantiated, and compliant before it ships.
Reporting into Food Safety, Quality & Regulatory (FSQR), you will partner closely with R&D, Marketing, Sales, Procurement, and Plant FSQA. Your work directly supports this quarter’s Quality priority to ensure regulatory and compliance continuity, keeping JonnyPops’ labeling, claims, and specification obligations fully covered as the team grows, and it supports the work to establish master data and formula governance so every function is working from the same current information.

Cross-Functional Partners

R&D (including the R&D Manager), Marketing, Sales, Procurement, Plant FSQA, and customer and retailer technical contacts.

What Success Looks Like

• Every label, claim, and specification is accurate, substantiated, and approved before launch or change, with no labeling-driven holds, relabels, or recalls.
• Formula-to-label verification is completed on time for every new and changed SKU, so commercialization runs are never delayed by open compliance questions.
• Regulatory and compliance task coverage stays uninterrupted this quarter, with label control, specification revision control, and ingredient approval records current and audit-ready.
• Specifications and product master data are clean, version-controlled, and consistent across systems, supporting the Master Data & Formula Governance priority and right-first-time production.
• Marketing, R&D, Sales, and Procurement know the labeling and claims process and get clear, timely answers from you.

Key Responsibilities

Labeling & Claims

• Own the label approval process and perform formula-to-label verification for every SKU prior to launch or change.
• Verify Nutrition Facts, ingredient statements, and allergen declarations against current formulas and regulatory requirements.
• Substantiate and review marketing and nutrient-content claims, including “Natural,” Organic, and Non-GMO claims, in partnership with Marketing and R&D.
• Review customer label requirements and packaging artwork for regulatory accuracy prior to approval.
• Maintain label control, label version management, and multilingual label reviews across the portfolio.
• Support regulatory review of new claims and monitor emerging labeling requirements.

Specifications & Master Data Governance

• Maintain finished product, ingredient, packaging, and process specifications in the specification system of record.
• Manage product standards, specification revision control, and master data governance for assigned SKUs.
• Support customer specification submissions and retail customer portal requirements.
• Maintain product attribute management, quality attribute standards, and product code setup and maintenance.
• Support commercialization handoff documentation for new and changing products.

Ingredient Compliance & Technical Review

• Lead the ingredient approval process, including regulatory status verification and ingredient statement reviews.
• Conduct ingredient risk assessments, supplier ingredient reviews, and allergen risk reviews for new and existing ingredients.
• Evaluate novel ingredients and processing aids for regulatory and technical compliance.
• Maintain ingredient country-of-origin compliance and technical ingredient documentation.
• Support innovation projects with formula compliance reviews and nutritional compliance assessments.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner with the Sr. Manager, FSQR on regulatory risk, technical governance, and escalation of unresolved compliance questions.
• Partner with R&D, including the R&D Manager, on formula, labeling, and specification alignment for innovation and renovation projects.
• Coordinate with Marketing, Sales, and Procurement on label, claims, and specification changes.
• Complete additional projects and duties as assigned.
• Conduct yourself in a manner consistent with JonnyPops’ mission, values, and code of ethics.

Food Safety Responsibilities

• Treat label accuracy as a food-safety control: verify that allergen declarations, ingredient statements, and claims match the approved formula for every SKU, since undeclared allergens and mislabeling are leading causes of recalls.
• Immediately escalate any suspected labeling error, formula-to-label mismatch, or allergen discrepancy to the Sr. Manager, FSQR and Plant FSQA so hold, release, and recall decisions can be made quickly.
• Keep label control, specification revision control, and ingredient approval records accurate and audit-ready, supporting SQF/GFSI and customer audit readiness at any time.
• Understand this role’s responsibilities during an SQF audit and be prepared to explain label, specification, and ingredient approval processes to auditors, customers, and regulators.
• Follow plant GMP, PPE, and cold-environment requirements whenever visiting production, warehouse, or laboratory areas, and complete required GMP and food-safety training on schedule.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Nutrition, Regulatory Affairs, or a related field.
• 2–4 years of experience in food labeling, specifications, or regulatory compliance in a food manufacturing or CPG environment.
• Working knowledge of FDA food labeling regulations, allergens, claims, and Nutrition Facts requirements.
• Strong attention to detail, organization, and written communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple SKU-level projects and deadlines simultaneously.
• Naturally curious, comfortable with ambiguity, and committed to continuous improvement and proactive risk identification.
• Alignment with the JonnyPops mission and kindness-based culture, and the ability to demonstrate our core values, especially Integrity, Excellence, and Fact-Based Decisions.
• Ability to travel between company locations and to suppliers, customers, laboratories, or regulatory meetings as business needs require.
• Flexibility to support urgent food safety, regulatory, customer, recall, or crisis events outside normal business hours when needed.
• Ability to work in both office and food-manufacturing environments, including periods of standing, walking, sitting, and computer work, while following GMP, PPE, and cold-environment requirements. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with labeling/nutrition software and specification management systems, such as TraceGains.
• PCQI certification or a similar food safety or regulatory credential.

Why This Role Matters

Every JonnyPops pop that reaches a shelf carries a promise on its label. This role makes sure that promise is accurate, substantiated, and safe for every shopper, and keeps our fast-growing portfolio, innovation pipeline, and retail customers on solid regulatory ground.

Benefits

JonnyPops offers a competitive benefits package, including:

• Medical/Health Insurance, Dental Insurance, Vision Insurance, HSA, FSA, DCFSA
• Life & AD&D Insurance, Short & Long Term Disability
• FTO/PTO, Paid Holidays, Sick & Safe Leave
• EAP Programs, Employee Referral Program, 401k

Pay Range: $80,000-$120,000
Employees are eligible for additional incentives.

JonnyPops offers a competitive benefits package which includes the following:

• Medical/Health Insurance
• Dental Insurance
• Vision Insurance
• HSA
• FSA
• DCFSA
• Life & AD&D Insurance
• Short & Long Term Disability
• FTO/PTO
• EAP Programs
• Paid Holidays
• Employee Referral Program
• Sick & Safe Leave
• 401k
• Company Sponsored Meal Plan

* Hired candidates may be eligible to receive additional compensation in the form of bonuses and/or commissions.

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