R&D Manager (Packaging)

JOB OBJECTIVES:

• Drive Innovation:  Lead the development and implementation of innovative, sustainable, and cost-effective packaging solutions to meet stakeholder’s requirements, aligned with the company vision.

• Manage Projects: Oversee the entire lifecycle of handled R&D projects, develop developmental design strategies in accordance to the defined goals and measures, ensuring projects are completed on time, within budget, and meet quality standards.

• Team Leadership: Support a high-performing team through special project leadership or central function management, fostering a collaborative and productive work environment.

• Cross-Functional Integration:  Collaborate with R&D professionals and various departments to ensure packaging development solutions align with packaging requirements and overall company strategy.

• Ensure Compliance: Guarantee all packaging complies with relevant regulatory standards and fulfill the requirements of the Food Safety Management System.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

A. Communication

• Collaborate with business partners, internal and external, in understanding and addressing packaging development needs.

• Coordinates and communicates technical information, including project updates, challenges and successes to stakeholders.

• Reporting and Documentation

  • Maintain detailed records of packaging development activities, including design specifications, testing results, and project documentation.

  • Prepare reports and presentations on project status, innovation initiatives, and team performance for senior management.
     

B. Accountabilities

• Develops long-term plans/roadmaps and technical strategies, and provides input to the business strategy of the R&D group.

• Creates innovation plans and technical strategies for its own function by recommending and creating policies/procedures, programs and resource requirements.

• Prepares detailed project plans for his/her own projects, budget and resource requirements for the product category assigned, documents all technical requirements related to product manual, product registration and other regulatory requirements and guides and coaches his/her team in project planning and execution.

• Applies the basic and specialized tests required in the conduct of product, package and/or process development and gathers all pertinent information, analyzes and interprets data required in setting-up packaging specifications and as basis for continuous improvement of the projects of the group.

• Leads packaging assessment/reviews as against government regulations and corporate standards for product, package, process, product safety and quality

• Evaluates emerging technologies and market-based trends in his/her function and assesses implications and applies to current portfolio in the area of new product and brand value optimization

• Leads technical reviews with R&D/QA and Manufacturing, conducts risk assessments and implement corrective actions as needed, and ensures proper hand over of projects of the group being managed, ready for commercialization.

• Maintain detailed records of packaging development activities, including design specifications, testing results, and project documentation and prepare reports and presentations on project status, innovation initiatives, and team performance for R&D Group Head and Group Leadership Team.

• Manages a high performing team of skilled professionals and monitors the accomplishments of the deliverables of his/her group and his/her own projects from concept development to final production normalization.

  • Recruit, train and develop a team of competent developers and designers and provide coaching and professional development opportunities to team members.

  • Allocates and delegates work as a team leader, responsible for the completion and quality of output of the total group being managed

  • Contributes to technical direction of the projects and coordinates work as a team leader and responsible for the completion and quality of output. 

C. Authority

• Technical authority on projects being handled related to packaging development requirements.

• Co-approves with R&D Group Head on the material and third party manufacturer qualification restricted to its function.

• Co-approves with R&D Group Manager - Product and R&D Group Head on the disposition of trial run output based on the set standards.

FUNCTIONAL KNOWLEDGE/ SKILL REQUIREMENTS:
A. Education:
   a. Degree in BS Food Technology, Chemistry, Chemical Engineering or related courses, Materials Science /Materials Science and Engineering, Packaging Engineering

B. Experience / Expertise:
   a. Minimum of eight (8) years related work experience in a manufacturing organization
   b. Minimum six (6) years work experience in food manufacturing industry, with hands-on experience in product, package and/or process development.
c. Minimum four (4) years in managerial role.

C. Skills / Competencies:
   a. Proficient in the use of the basic MS Office Application
   b. Broad and comprehensive understanding of technologies, concepts and principles within own discipline and knowledge of these elements in other disciplines.
   c. In-depth knowledge of how own function integrates with the business unit and of the industry/direct competitors.
   d. In-depth understanding and ability to analyze financials of the category and the total business.

INTERFACE / INTERACTION:
Internal Relations
• Collaborates and works with other functions such as QA/TQM, Manufacturing, Marketing, CPG, Market Research, CBD and Finance in the development and commercialization phase of projects.
• Provides technical leadership to cross functional teams

External Relations
• Interface with the following external groups: material suppliers, third party manufacturers, testing laboratories, industry organizations, technology and equipment suppliers, government and research institutes, consumer research agencies and food/packaging application consultants.

MANAGING PEOPLE / LEADERSHIP:
• Full management responsibilities – leadership of people in all work activities, which includes contributing to the motivation/development of the team.
• With management responsibility for multiple teams.
• Mentors and coach junior members of the team within his/her scope of work.
ANALYSIS AND PROBLEM SOLVING:
• Requires innovative thinking (i.e. extensive research and consolidation of information) to customize or create solutions.
• Requires complex judgment based on advance analytical thought.

IMPACT ON BUSINESS OPERATIONS:
• Thorough operational responsibility for volume, quality, timeliness of end results, planning, finances/budget, setting policies and strategies for the category.
• Contributes to the professional/technical direction and strategy restricted to its own functions/business group.
• Handles product/packaging/process development requirements and all confidential information and documents in relation to his/her group.