Product Operations Manager – Packaging

Burton•Burlington, VT

5d•Onsite

About The Position

The Product Operations team is the connective function of Burton's Product Development organization. We are responsible for the intake, resourcing, transparency, and execution tracking of the work that brings physical products to life across outerwear, apparel, accessories, boots, boards, bindings, and more. Reporting into the Director of Product Operations, the Product Operations Manager – Packaging is responsible for managing the intake and successful delivery, execution, and presentation of packaging across all Burton products. This role partners with internal stakeholders, external contractors, factories, and packaging suppliers to achieve functional packaging goals, meet corporate business goals, and continuously improve packaging processes and systems. The ideal candidate blends packaging expertise with creative problem-solving and strong project management skills, comfortable holding big-picture goals alongside detailed process work.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree or equivalent practical experience.
Relevant education, training, or experience in the packaging and print industry, as well as product manufacturing and commercialization.
Knowledge of packaging commercialization processes and calendars, dieline creation, file sharing, print production, and packaging materials.
Experience working with factories and packaging suppliers.
Demonstrated project management, stakeholder management, and cross-functional communication proficiency.
Effective communicator across formats — written, verbal, video, and in-person — including with partners in different time zones and with English as a second language.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, SharePoint, OneDrive) and Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator, InDesign, Photoshop), and a comfort in learning new tools and systems quickly.
Comfort working within ERP and supply chain management systems to track packaging materials, timelines, and inventory across suppliers and factories.
Curious and always seeking creative approaches to solving complex and nuanced problems.

Nice To Haves

You get satisfaction from seeing packaging go from concept to shelf-ready reality.
You're comfortable holding both long-term goals and detailed, hands-on process work.
You notice a packaging or process gap and want to be the one who fixes it.
You're energized by being the go-to resource other teams rely on for packaging expertise.
You care about sustainability and want your work to move Burton's packaging goals forward.
You want to understand the full picture of how a product gets made, from concept through the box it ships in.

Responsibilities

Manage the development, commercialization, implementation, and stabilization of packaging for all Burton, [ak], AG, and MINE77 retail packaging across our Softgoods, Hardgoods, and Anon product categories.
Partner with the Packaging Production Designer and contractors on the delivery of packaging dielines and mechanical files to suppliers and internal stakeholders.
Manage packaging-specific cross-functional calendars and stakeholder meetings in alignment with Product Operations and Marketing Operations milestones.
Manage brand presentation and execution of printed packaging in collaboration with Marketing, Brand, Retail, and Visual Merchandising teams.
Partner with Product Development Commercialization and Merchandising Strategy to execute costing and forecasting of packaging materials through direct, nominated, and factory-sourced partners.
Identify opportunities to improve packaging through design, sourcing, process, and materials, partnering with the Environmental Impact team on progress toward Burton's sustainability goals.
Serve as the organization's central point person for packaging creation, supporting Product, Supply Chain, Logistics, and Trade teams on packaging feasibility and constraints.
Collaborate with Legal, Trade, and Sustainability partners to help ensure packaging meets applicable regulatory and reporting requirements across the markets Burton serves.