Compliance Specialist

Description

Join Estée Lauder Companies at Whitman Laboratories, where a fifth of the company’s global sales output is manufactured. As a global leader in prestige beauty, we serve over half a billion consumers annually through renowned brands such as Estée Lauder, MAC, Jo Malone London, and Clinique, across more than 150 countries.

We are seeking a Compliance Specialist to lead site-level compliance initiatives. This key role ensures adherence to GMP regulations and corporate policies through robust documentation systems, audit readiness, complaint management, and effective training programmes.

Key Responsibilities

• Implement and uphold GMP-compliant policies, procedures, and standards across site operations.
• Conduct internal audits, document findings, and drive audit readiness across departments.
• Stay up to date with GMP regulations, industry standards, and relevant regulatory guidance.
• Manage the site’s complaints process, ensuring thorough investigations and escalation of trends.
• Oversee the Annual Product Review (APR) process by compiling, analysing and reporting data in line with agreed schedules.
• Coordinate the product stability programme and manage submissions to the QAS Laboratory.
• Act as site owner and subject matter expert for GMP documentation systems, including deviations, change control, CAPAs, and product recalls.
• Manage the full lifecycle of controlled documents: approval, distribution, filing, and archiving (batch records, SOPs, protocols, investigations, forms).
• Support dossier submissions and maintain Cosmetic Product Record requests in line with regulatory requirements.
• Develop and implement a standardised GMP training process in collaboration with functional leads, Corporate QA and the Quality Centre of Excellence (CoE).
• Define role-based curricula and manage training assignments aligned with regulatory expectations.
• Deliver onboarding and ongoing GMP training to staff, fostering a culture of quality and compliance.
  
  

Qualifications

Characteristics of a Successful Candidate

• Experience in a regulated industry essential; pharmaceutical or cosmetics preferred.
• Proven background in managing and enhancing Quality Systems, including authoring and maintaining controlled documentation.
• Understanding of UK and international compliance standards within GMP environments.
• Demonstrated ability to lead site-level compliance initiatives and contribute to regulatory and third-party inspection readiness.
• Familiar with complaint handling, document control, and product quality reviews.
• Strong awareness of quality standards, risk management, and continuous improvement methodologies.
• Confident in developing and delivering GMP-compliant training.
• Excellent written and verbal communication; able to clearly convey compliance expectations to a range of stakeholders.
• Capable of working independently while providing cross-functional support to QA and QC departments.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite, electronic Quality Management Systems (eQMS), e-learning platforms, and SAP (preferred).
• A creative problem-solver with strong attention to detail and a proactive approach to compliance challenges.