Packaging Development Manager

Overview

The role is responsible for managing the entire packaging development process for a company, from initial concept to production. This involves managing the development and execution of innovative packaging solutions that align with market trends, consumer behavior, and the company's brand identity, managing budget, coordinating with cross-functional teams to align on packaging requirements and evaluating technical and financial feasibility of projects. Further, the role entails coordinating prototyping and industrialization processes of packaging materials, maintaining relationships with suppliers and partners, and managing packaging materials and processes optimization. Lastly, the role demands monitoring KPIs and metrics to evaluate packaging development activities performance, keeping abreast of industry trends and emerging technologies, and identifying areas for improvement or innovation.

MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES

• Manages the development and execution of packaging concepts for both new product launches and enhancements to existing packaging solutions, aligning with market trends, consumer behavior, and consistency with company brand identity
• Manages the allocated budget for packaging development projects, ensuring effective use of allocated resources and adherence to budget constraints
• Coordinates with cross-functional teams (e.g., Marketing, Production) to ensure alignment on packaging requirements and evaluate technical and financial feasibility of proposed packaging solutions
• Manages the development of packaging prototypes, including the creation and assessment of physical prototypes to ensure they meet quality standards, requirements and effectiveness in preserving product integrity and appeal, providing adjustments as needed
• Manages the industrialization process for packaging materials, including the translation of packaging concepts into technical specifications, and providing a feasible and scalable production process that meets quality and efficiency targets
• Manages and strengthens relationships with packaging partners and suppliers, negotiating contracts and ensuring adherence to terms and conditions throughout the relationship, addressing potential issues, and improving performance
• Manages initiatives aimed at enhancing packaging materials (e.g., grammage, structure, etc.) and production processes (e.g., reducing scrap, increasing production speed, reducing sealing temperature), coordinating with relevant cross-functional teams (e.g., Production, Engineering) to identify and resolving inefficiencies
• Ensures packaging development activities and initiatives comply with relevant industry laws, regulations, and standards
• Monitors KPIs and metrics to evaluate packaging development activities performance, identifying areas for improvement and providing reports with recommendations to senior management
• Monitors industry trends, best practices, and emerging technologies, identifying opportunities for improvement or innovation on packaging solutions and providing recommendations to senior management

GENERAL SKILLS

• Communication & Impact
• Problem Solving & Decision Making
• Leading People
• Planning & Managing Priorities
• Customer Orientation

TECHNICAL COMPETENCIES

• Coffee Science & Technology - Intermediate Knowledge & Application
• Cross-disciplinary Food Science - Foundational Knowledge
• Food Shelf Life Assessment - Full Knowledge & Application
• Food Packaging Science & Design - Full Knowledge & Application
• Packaging Material Laboratory Testing - Intermediate Knowledge & Application
• Packaging Graphic Design - Foundational Knowledge
• Food, Pack & Machines Regulatory Compliance - Intermediate Knowledge & Application
• Food Contact Material Safety - Intermediate Knowledge & Application
• R&D Partnership Development - Intermediate Knowledge & Application
• R&D Metrics & Analytics - Full Knowledge & Application

BUDGET / PEOPLE RESONSIBILITIES

PEOPLE RESPONSIBILITY

Job Segment: Food Science, Graphic Design, Marketing Manager, Compliance, Laboratory, Creative, Science, Marketing, Legal