Key Skills

Job Description

Preferred Location Germany or the Netherlands Geographic responsibility Netherlands, Germany, Nordics, Poland, Austria, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, and Baltics. Overall objectives The Market Development Manager – Central & Northern Europe, Netherlands, Germany, Nordics, Poland, Austria, Czech Republic, Slovakia,Hungary and Baltics, strengthens FSSC's market position, stakeholder relationships and adoption across Central and Northern Europe. The role develops relationships across the food safety certification community, identifies growth opportunities, supports adoption of FSSC Schemes and Digital Solutions, and provides market intelligence and stakeholder feedback to the Foundation. The successful candidate is expected to bring substantial food safety certification experience and credibility within the European certification ecosystem. Key result areas Develop and execute Market Development plans for the assigned countries in alignment with FSSC's global strategy and priorities. Build and maintain senior relationships with Certification Bodies, Certified Organizations, major food & beverage enterprises, major retailers, associations and other key stakeholders. Identify and develop opportunities to grow adoption of FSSC Schemes and Digital Solutions across priority countries, sectors and food-chain categories. Lead market development of FSSC 22000 & FSSC 24000 across the region: identify priority sectors and prospective users, engage partners and drive adoption. Leverage an established professional network to open doors, strengthen FSSC's market position and develop strategic partnerships, enterprise relationships, pilots and early-adopter opportunities. Maintain strong market intelligence on certification trends, competitive developments and stakeholder needs, and translate insights into actionable recommendations for FSSC. Represent FSSC at relevant industry, Certification Body and association meetings, conferences, workshops and other external events, while providing structured market feedback internally. Key competences Strong credibility within the food safety certification ecosystem and ability to build trusted senior stakeholder relationships Strong market-development, stakeholder-management and influencing capabilities Structured, data-driven approach to regional market planning, opportunity assessment and decision-making Excellent communication, presentation and collaboration skills across cultures and markets Proactive, hands-on and independent working style, with strong ownership and attention to detail Ability to manage multiple countries, stakeholder groups and priorities simultaneously Ability and willingness to travel regularly within the assigned region. Knowledge, skills & experience Bachelor's or Master's degree in Food Science, Food Safety, Quality Management, Business Administration or another relevant discipline. Minimum 5 years of professional experience in food safety certification; Strong preference for experience gained within a Certification Body. Alternatively, substantial food safety compliance, assurance or certification experience within a major food & beverage enterprise or other large food-chain organization. Strong practical understanding of third-party food safety certification and the roles of Scheme Owners, Certification Bodies, Accreditation Bodies and Certified Organizations. Knowledge of FSSC 22000, other GFSI-recognized certification Programs and the wider European food safety certification landscape. An established and relevant professional network within the European food safety certification community is a significant advantage; existing relationships with Certification Bodies, food & beverage companies, associations and senior food safety professionals are highly valued. Experience in market development, business development, strategic account development or stakeholder development is preferred. Practical experience using CRM and strong proficiency in PowerPoint, Word, PowerBI and Excel. Professional proficiency in spoken and written German and English is required. Dutch is preferred; additional regional languages are an advantage. What FSSC offers Is a healthy work-life balance and flexible working in an international environment at the top of your wish list? Then, as a Market Development Manager, you’ll feel right at home at FSSC. You can also count on: An annual gross salary between €66.575 and €83.219. An 8% holiday allowance on top of the gross annual salary. Ample opportunities for personal development. An open culture within a flexible organization, where your future colleagues enjoy their work and are passionate about their company. vacancy @FSSC Foundation FSSC is a leading, non-profit, and independent Certification Scheme owner. More than 40,000 organizations worldwide, including premium A-brands, are certified to FSSC 22000 for Food Safety. In 2022, we expanded our scope to Social Sustainability with FSSC 24000. We support the consumer goods industry in implementing ISO-aligned management systems, achieving certification objectives and contributing to the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Core Responsibilities

Develop and execute regional market plans, build senior relationships with certification bodies and food-chain stakeholders, and grow adoption of FSSC schemes and digital solutions across Central and Northern Europe. Represent FSSC at industry events, monitor market and certification trends, and provide actionable stakeholder insights to the Foundation.

Requirements

Requires a relevant bachelor's or master's degree and at least five years of food safety certification experience, preferably with a Certification Body, plus practical knowledge of third-party certification, FSSC 22000, GFSI-recognized programs, and the European certification landscape. Professional spoken and written German and English, strong stakeholder and market-development capabilities, CRM and Microsoft Office proficiency, and willingness to travel regularly are required; Dutch and an established industry network are preferred.

Benefits

• Flexible Working
• Work-Life Balance
• Annual Gross Salary Of €66,575–€83,219
• 8% Holiday Allowance
• Personal Development Opportunities
• International Work Environment