Senior Packaging Technologist

We have an opportunity for an intellectually curious Senior Packaging Technologist with high energy and resilience to join one of Britain’s most loved brands.

The right candidate will be able to deliver value to the business and identify and implement safe, legal, consistently functional and innovative packaging solutions that deliver for our customers minimising our environmental impact. The role is essential to the company’s transformation and will have high levels of exposure to both internal and external stakeholders.

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:

• Degree or professional qualification, or equivalent experience in Packaging Technology
• Proven experience in several fields working for an FMCG brand, the food industry or a packaging manufacturer.
• Understanding of external regulatory framework and influential NGO targets: knowledge of UK and European packaging legislation and generating patents.
• 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.
• Knowledge of designing packaging that is suitable for different age groups
• 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