Global R&D Packaging Senior Manager

For a multinational company operating in the food industry, we are looking for a new colleague to be part of the R&D Packaging team, who will work on:

• Lead global value Engineering ,procurement projects and strategy execution
• Integrate input from regional packaging leads & troubleshooter for regional leads
• Continue to develop value engineering pipeline to ensure target achievement year on year basis
• Lead for development and execution of a broad-based, company-wide packaging cost reduction strategy, sustainability material reduction strategy, integrating sustainability throughout the company
• Mentor and develop team members, fostering their growth and expertise in packaging material science

Activities & Responsibilities:

• Partnering with external stakeholders like packaging material suppliers located globally, Testing labs, 3rd party service providers;
  
• Provide strategic direction and leadership to the packaging leads, fostering a culture of innovation, collaboration, and excellence;
  
• Develop and implement company's packaging material category strategy for cost reduction, material reduction aligning it with procurement, brand, regulatory requirements;
  
• Handling challenges arises during material development and implementation phase including post launch, influencing internal and external partners to ensure execution happens timely;
  
• Direction setting post reviewing multiple stakeholders feedback and opinion, monitoring project timeline, ensure the process followed at each step to minimize losses;
  
• Significant input on packaging material cost reduction, year on year project pipeline to ensure targets are achieved. Integrate packaging requirements seamlessly into tender plan;
  
• Explore emerging trends and technologies in packaging materials, identifying opportunities for innovation and sustainability improvements;
  
• Formulation of a roadmap long-term packaging category strategy, sustainability vision & mission, Budgeting exercise and similar activities;
  
• Propose continuously new packaging concepts with a view on new materials, new technologies and new suppliers focused on cost optimization, performance characteristics;
  
• Technical document development support and approval including SOP, Test methods, packaging material development guidelines.

Requirements:

• Degree in Chemistry or Material Sciences, ideally with specialization in Packaging Technologies
• At least 12+ years of experience in Packaging Development, of which at least 8 years in Food Industry preferably handled packaging value engineering & sustainability portfolio
• Deep knowledge of chemistry and process technology of packaging materials
• Deep knowledge of food safety aspects of packaging materials and major legal frameworks
• Good ability to understand, appreciate and manage cultural diversity
• Team leadership and personal leadership and role modeling
• Inclined to changes and able to facilitate change in organizations
• Dynamic and flexible
• Systematic approach vs problems and based on methods and processes knowledge
• Good relationship capabilities focused to create permanent, collaborative and transparent relations with packaging and machine suppliers