Packaging Development Manager

About the roleWaitrose & Partners prides itself on being different. Our intention is to combine the convenience of a supermarket with the expertise and service of a specialist food shop. Add this to our unswerving dedication to our customers and the highest respect for our suppliers (the provenance and traceability of our food is vital) and, of course, the environment and you can start to see we’re a bit more than ‘just’ a supermarket.

To enable us to continue our amazing growth on Own Brand at Waitrose, we are expanding our Packaging team with an exciting opportunity to join the Waitrose Own Brand team as a Packaging Development Manager. We are seeking a talented individual to help design and deliver innovative, safe, sustainable and differentiated packaging.

At a Glance

• Salary - £57,000-£81,100

• Contract type - This is a permanent position. 

• Working pattern/flexible working - The Partnership has adopted a hybrid working approach, meaning you'll be able to work a mixture between the office and home based upon your personal needs whilst balancing the needs of the business. The team aim for around 2-3 days a week in the office to connect and on a more ad-hoc basis to attend key meetings. 

• Location - This role is based at our Bracknell Head Office. 

• Interviews will be held w/c 10th March. 

What will you be doing?

Our PackagingDevelopment  Managers have responsibility for NPD and EPD packaging deliverables across our multiple categories. Ensure all packaging projects meet brand vision, specifications, and quality in a timely manner, and continue to improve on packaging processes for the business via a combination of relationships with packaging suppliers, our product suppliers and cross functional teams. 

Focussed on harnessing and managing, product, technical and packaging research, development and innovation capability to develop a best in class product plan To extend our differentiated market position and is aligned to our overall customer proposition. Designs and delivers innovative, safe, sustainable and differentiated packaging and delivers efficient and cost effective artwork for Own Brand products. To define and enable delivery against advanced packaging targets.

A key part of this role will be working within the packaging team to identify, develop and implement own label packaging and material opportunities that add value and deliver effective and innovative packaging, meeting the packaging targets and delivering our environmental commitments to support the Ethics and Sustainability strategy.  You will ensure conformance with Partnership and regulatory policies and procedures at all times and deliver safe and sustainable packaging solutions.

Essential skills/experience you’ll need

• Experienced in packaging development, particularly within FMCG

• Extensive knowledge of packaging development across all/most media i.e. board, flexible film, adhesive labels, fluted board etc.

• Ability to react and adapt in a fast-moving environment with a high degree of change & pace

• Strong and effective resource and stakeholder management, ability to explain technical details to non-technical colleagues.

• Forward thinking & innovative, an independent self-starter who can both improve and deliver.

• Compliance (GSCOP, Competitive Law etc.)

• Ability to demonstrate a genuine interest and enthusiasm in product/packaging trends and innovation

• Communicating and collaboration at all levels of the business with strong presentation and influencing skills

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About The Partnership

We’re the largest employee owned business in the UK and home of our cherished brands, John Lewis and Waitrose. We’re not just employees, we’re Partners, driven by our purpose to build a happier world. As we look to our future, there’s never been a more exciting time to join us.

We’re ruthlessly focused on being brilliant at retail. We continue to innovate, adapt and diversify. Never Knowingly Undersold on price, quality and service in John Lewis and passionately serving food-lovers in Waitrose.

As Partners we all share the responsibility of ownership and in its rewards. We use our voices to contribute to our success, working together through the good and challenging times, holding true to our behaviours and treating everyone with kindness and respect.

We all own making the Partnership somewhere we belong. Embracing our differences and creating an environment where we’re free to be ourselves and can THRIVE. Growing ourselves individually, and as a collective.

As Partners, we make all the difference. And, we all own it.

Important points to note:

It’s important to note that some of our roles are subject to pre-employment vetting. If required, you’ll find out more about vetting throughout the recruitment process and we encourage you to complete any vetting documents quickly to avoid delays.

We also recommend that you apply as soon as possible as vacancies can close early if we see a high number of applicants.

We want all of our Partners to have a good work-life balance and we support flexible working. This might mean flexible or compressed hours, job sharing or shorter hour contracts, where possible. Please discuss this further with the hiring manager during your interview.