Packaging Lead

A leading food group is looking for a senior level Packaging Technologist to lead internal packaging projects within NPD/EPD, CI & Sustainability.  Working closely with all relevant functions within the business, your role will be to ensure customers and site expectations are met in full and ensuring compliance in terms of packaging quality, hygiene, safety and legality.

This is a fantastic opportunity for a Senior Packaging Technologist, with experience in the food and/or beverage industry, to join a company that believes in doing the right thing by its people, planet and partners. They do things in a responsible and sustainable manner that protects the industry and our environment.

The main responsibilities will be:

• Develop and deliver fit for purpose customer and commercial focused packaging solutions, innovation opportunities and business KPIs in line with the product and packaging strategy and corporate guidelines.
• Maintain and deliver robust and efficient packaging governance and compliance in line with legislation, corporate policy and external stakeholders including internal and external reporting on specific targets and KPIs
• Provide active support and inspiration including delivery of product and packaging pathway process, verification of packaging specifications, approval of samples, identification and timely resolution of packaging issues.
• Maintain up to date knowledge and good working relationships with a number of external influential stakeholders, NGOs and centres of excellence to anticipate future requirements, identify new opportunities and trends and influence the packaging and product improvement strategies to ensure we continue to meet the needs of the consumer whilst protecting the business and the brand.
• Benchmark products against competitors ensuring a market leading position, influencing product and packaging development strategy.
• Value optimisation to improve commercial opportunities whilst still meeting quality standards and legal compliance.
• Identify and deliver accurate and robust customer focused packaging messages and information in line with the product and packaging strategy

You will need:

• Proven experience working in a packaging technology role within the food and/or beverage industry
• Understanding of external regulatory framework and influential NGO targets: knowledge of UK packaging legislation.
• Flexible with ability to work independently across multiple projects, lead demanding timescales and challenging priorities in a fast-paced changing environment.
• Ability to creatively tackle problems, drive value and craft structural packaging concepts for product and transit.
• Capable of interpreting and transferring knowledge to shape future product development strategy.
• Excellent communication and influencing skills across internal and external stakeholders at multiple levels of the organisation with the ability to challenge.
• Enjoy collaborating with others and experience in successfully working globally with people from a variety of cultures and backgrounds in a sensitive and understanding manner to achieve results
• Experience of analysing quality complaint data and implementing improvement projects
• Experience of writing packaging quality management documents to maintain/improve quality standards eg. policies, guidelines and codes of practice.
• Relentless focus on details, accuracy, and quality.
• Detailed understanding of materials, costs and how to utilise to value engineer packaging formats