Back to search
Job title: Packaging Development Manager
Function: R&D
Reporting to: Head of Packaging & Artwork
The position
Role Summary
The Packaging Manager leads the deployment of Flora Food Group’s global and regional
packaging strategy, driving innovation, sustainability, and excellence across multiple
markets. The role oversees major packaging development projects from concept to
commercialization. This role will also lead and develop a regional team of
packaging professionals. The role owns portfolio‑level packaging trade‑off decisions,
balancing sustainability, cost, performance and regulatory risk across markets and
categories.
Key Responsibilities
- Impact:
- Lead and inspire a high‑performing team of packaging developers,
fostering collaboration, accountability, and continuous improvement.
- Drive the execution of global and regional packaging strategies, ensuring
alignment with business growth priorities and sustainability goals and
regulations.
- Manage and deliver strategic packaging development and innovation
projects across multiple markets, ensuring on‑time, in‑full execution from
concept to commercialization.
- Support Flora Food Group’s Sustainability agenda by developing solutions
that reduce environmental impact and improve material efficiency.
- Own governance and prioritization of packaging initiatives across the region,
making final decisions on trade‑offs between cost, sustainability ambition, technical feasibility and time‑to‑market.
- Innovation:
- Identify, evaluate, and implement new materials, technologies, and
packaging formats that drive sustainability and performance improvements.
- Monitor global packaging trends, regulatory changes and sustainability developments, translating these into clear strategic direction, portfolio choices and innovation priorities for the packaging function.
- Strengthen relationships with design agencies, toolmakers, material suppliers, and technology partners to accelerate innovation.
- Communication:
- Partner effectively with cross‑functional stakeholders, including R&D,
Marketing, Sustainability, Procurement, Supply Chain, and Quality, ensuring seamless delivery of packaging solutions.
- Communicate across regions to ensure consistent alignment of
packaging strategy, priorities, and standards.
- Influence senior stakeholders by providing clear recommendations
balancing consumer needs, brand ambition, technical feasibility, and
commercial impact.
- Represent the Packaging function externally where required (e.g. key
suppliers, industry forums, sustainability or regulatory discussions),
acting as the senior authority for packaging strategy and standards.
Requirements
Experience / Competencies
- Functional/ technical competencies:
- 10+ years of experience in packaging R&D or packaging development
within FMCG.
- Expertise in sustainable packaging, materials science, structural
packaging development, and design‑to‑delivery processes.
- Proven ability to manage complex, cross‑regional packaging projects and
deliver innovative, commercially viable solutions.
- Strong understanding of consumer, brand, technical, and commercial
drivers in packaging design.
- Experience with 3PM projects.
- Behavioral/ leadership competencies:
- Strong leadership skills with experience managing and developing multicultural teams across multiple geographies
- Entrepreneurial mindset, ownership, adaptability, and a drive for results.
- Excellent communication, influencing, and stakeholder management capabilities.
Qualifications / Education
- Required: Bachelor’s degree in Packaging Engineering, Materials Science,
Mechanical Engineering, or related field.
- Preferred: Advanced degree in related field; training in sustainability, innovation
management, or project leadership.
Knowledge
- Advanced knowledge of packaging materials, technologies, and development
workflows.
- Strongexpertisein sustainable packaging principles, regulatory frameworks, and
emerging market trends.
- Deep understanding of FMCG manufacturing processes, supply chain constraints, and commercialization best practices.
- Experience leading regional development efforts andoperatingwithin a global R&D environment.
Travel Requirements
Approximately 20–30% travel across the region, depending on project needs, supplier collaboration, and cross‑regional team leadership requirements.
We understand your resume might not be up to date and recommend that you apply with what you have or your LinkedIn Profile. Flora Food Group is dedicated to building an inclusive and diverse workplace, we understand that you might not meet all the requirements stated in the description, but we encourage you to apply anyway. You might be the right candidate for this role or other roles.
Flora Food Group is an employer committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace and equal opportunities for all. We recruit based only on values, qualifications, performance, skills, behaviours, experience, and knowledge. We ensure job advertisements are free from unintentional bias.
No personal characteristics should be a barrier to joining Flora Food Group. We prohibit discrimination and harassment based on race, color, sex, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, or other personal characteristics.
Learn more about this Employer on their Career Site
