Global Packaging Regulatory Specialist

Location: Durban KwaZulu-Natal
Work model: Office-based (Durban) with flexibility where possible
Salary: Market-related (dependent on experience)

Why youd want to work here

• Global exposure: your work supports a product sold in markets worldwide

• High standards: a science-led R&D environment with real rigour

• Cross-functional collaboration: partner with Packaging Engineering Design and teams across SA

• Big impact: youll shape packaging compliance and sustainability outcomes end-to-end

About our client
Our client is a well-established research-led skincare company with a truly global footprint (present in 168 countries). Their flagship brand is a household name in personal care. Theyre looking for a senior Packaging Regulatory Specialist to join the R&D team in Durban and help ensure packaging meets worldwide regulatory and sustainability standards.

What the job involves

• Owning global packaging regulatory compliance across key markets (cosmetics/personal care)

• Interpreting and translating packaging legislation standards and guidelines into clear internal requirements

• Building and maintaining packaging compliance strategies frameworks and practical SOPs

• Conducting packaging risk assessments and recommending mitigation plans early in the development process

• Partnering closely with Packaging Engineering (factory-based) to ensure materials formats and suppliers meet requirements

• Supporting the Design team to ensure claims artwork labelling and pack information align with regulations

• Managing regulatory documentation evidence packs and audit-ready compliance records

• Keeping ahead of regulatory change: horizon scanning impact analysis stakeholder updates and implementation planning

• Driving sustainability-aligned compliance (e.g. recyclability local EPR considerations material restrictions) without compromising regulatory integrity

• Acting as the internal subject-matter expert and coaching stakeholders on best practice

• Identifying process gaps and leading continuous improvement initiatives across packaging compliance workflows

What you need to be considered

• A Bachelors degree (from a leading university)

• 10 years experience in Regulatory Affairs with strong packaging compliance focus (cosmetics pharmaceuticals or personal care)

• Deep knowledge of global packaging regulations and standards and confidence navigating multiple regions

• Proven experience building or running compliance programmes (not just supporting them)

• Strong stakeholder management skills you can influence Engineering Design and leadership with clarity and tact

• Excellent written and verbal communication (you make complex topics easy to act on)

• Strong problem-solving skills and a calm structured approach to risk

• Comfort working across multiple sites/functions (Durban Johannesburg Cape Town) and across time zones when needed

Bonus points if you

• Have worked with sustainability and circularity requirements alongside regulatory compliance

• Have experience with packaging labelling/artwork compliance sign-off processes

• Enjoy building tools templates and systems that make compliance simpler for everyone