Job Opportunity: Packaging Specialist (FTC)

Location: Boston

Why Greencore?

We’re a leading manufacturer of convenience food in the UK and our purpose is to make every day taste better.

We’re a vibrant, fast-paced leading food manufacturer. Employing around 13,600 colleagues across 16 manufacturing units and 17 distribution depots across the UK. We supply all the UK’s food retailers with everything from Sandwiches, soups and sushi to cooking sauces, pickles and ready meals, and in FY23, we generated revenues of £1.9bn.

Our vast direct-to-store (DTS) distribution network, comprising of 17 depots nationwide, enables us to make over 10,400 daily deliveries of our own chilled and frozen produce and that of third parties.

Role Purpose

To challenge and act as an authority on new packaging formats across all substrates and disciplines including the modification of existing constructions, incorporating the creation of graphical design. To play a key role in communicating customer and Greencore packaging sustainability strategy

Key Accountabilities

• Lead and cascade market awareness for contribution to creative brainstorming and ideation workshops, as part of the new product development innovation and strategic platform
• Build relationships with new and work with existing packaging suppliers, to explore and develop future horizons, sharing expertise in a trusted way, to drive a business category or customer vision
• Lead initial customer discussions and present new packaging concepts with supportive materials and graphical mock-ups, to build a new product development brief
• Support the PLM process to deliver customer briefs and present packaging concepts or specific requirements, at feasibility, to determine suitability for further development, ahead of first stage customer submissions
• Through the customer submission process, work with suppliers and internal colleagues, to manage expectations and deliver the most effective solution to an agreed critical path, in a robust, viable, manner
• Source off the shelf packaging stock items and associated costings, in line with Greencore specifications and quality standards to support the new product development agenda
• Consult/ support manufacturing factory trials and review the operational output to refine design, ensuring the pack remains fit for purpose, cost effective, efficient and within customer expectations
• Work alongside Purchasing and Technical to develop new packaging substrates or solutions as part of an MIT efficiency savings, global sustainability initiative or market demand
• Be the authority on sustainability in packaging and guide internal stakeholders and customers on that journey (short, medium, and long term), to deliver their CRS agenda in line with latest thinking
• As part of personal development and based on depth of knowledge and expertise, nurture, and support colleagues to strengthen and enhance capabilities within the team

You must be available at short notice to be considered for this role.

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

Candidates must have substantial experience in packaging design within the FMCG sector.  Knowledge of sustainability initiatives and operational manufacturing processes is essential along with:

• Experience in leading or working as a team, to deliver innovative, cost effective, packaging solutions, in a fast-paced environment
• Experience of successfully developing sustainable packaging concepts and producing high quality documentation with supporting materials, to presentation standard
• Relevant experience in manufacturing and working in a manufacturing environment
• Experience applying creativity, thinking forward and staying up to date with trends
• Experience managing challenge respectfully
• Analytical, resourceful and commercially minded, able to accurately cost and adapt to a changing brief and the challenges presented
• Has experience in and an interest in graphic design and proficient in the use of Adobe Suite, Photoshop, CAD, PowerPoint, Excel * Is an approachable, good communicator who is at ease with both suppliers and the customer, demonstrating knowledge and expertise
• Will work flexibly dependant on business need and is happy to travel when required