Packaging Development Manager

External • Bakersfield, CA

10h • Onsite

About The Position

This role provides technical direction, vision, guidance and people leadership to the packaging development team. Manage and prioritize the packaging team’s resources to deliver on the assigned packaging project list. Contributes to the creation of a packaging improvement, sourcing and sustainability strategy for the ice cream business to drive incremental operational performance, improved profitability while reducing the environmental impacts of DGIC packaging. Works closely with the Marketing and Operations teams to ensure that packaging designs work for the factory, customers and consumers. Works closely with the factories and the packaging equipment vendors to ensure the optimum packaging designs to guarantee high equipment performance.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in packaging technology or engineering
• 8+ years in packaging development (3+ in leadership) in CPG or food and beverage industry
• Experience with sustainable packaging materials and compliance with FDA/USDA or international food safety standards
• Strong leadership and team development skills
• Creative and analytical mindset—able to merge strategy with flawless execution.
• Excellent communication, collaboration, and project management skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop the Packaging team, support the packaging development strategy and the annual new product development plan.
• Ensure that all people management activities and requirements are covered effectively, efficiently and on time.
• Work hand in hand with the Quality and Operational teams to identify and prevent packaging defects.
• Work directly with packaging vendors to resolve quality defects.
• Work with operations and engineering to optimize the packaging performance on packaging equipment.
• Manages and supports the packaging development function from ideation through to Industrialization.
• Identifies the optimal packaging material and die-lines for new ice cream products.
• Works with vendors to ensure correct specifications are captured and agreed upon and that all materials comply with food safety and internal company quality standards.
• Perform basic packaging quality checks to ensure the structural integrity of our packages and that they comply with the agreed specifications.
• Ensuring that any new packaging is tested and trialed on the factory and palletization equipment in the development stage and that Operations and Marketing have signed off on the final design.
• Design palletization patterns to optimize the transportation costs while ensuring pallet stability and quality.
• Perform and document the results of pallet transportation tests.
• Ensure that the artwork development process has the right quality of technical information (eg. technical packaging drawings, placement of 2D codes and “Best Before” date boxes, orientation, no-print areas etc.) to allow the creative services team to develop the graphics.
• Ensure that technical packaging data inputs are provided in a timely manner to avoid delays in the development timeline.
• Contribute to developing the Market Packaging sourcing and ESG strategy translating it into a local packaging project pipeline.
• Obtain a good understanding of DGIC manufacturing capabilities and packaging equipment.
• Develop strategic relationships with key packaging suppliers to define with Procurement the optimal sourcing strategy and to partner with companies offering innovations on new and relevant sustainable packaging materials.
• Ensure project management tools are used for managing timelines, project teams and key stakeholders to ensure that all key activities are managed appropriately.
• Ensure that all technical packaging documentation (eg. specifications, die-lines, pallet patterns, etc.) is organized, maintained and accessible.

Benefits

• The pay scale for this role considers the wide range of factors that contribute to making compensation decisions, including but not limited to: skill set, experience and training, licensure and certifications, and other business and organizational experiences.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager