Assistant R&D Packaging Manager - Deos at Unilever

MAIN JOB PURPOSE:

The Beauty and Well-Being category brings purpose, joy and delightful experiences to consumers and customers across Africa by delivering exciting and value product offerings.  Seeking a dynamic and flexible team player, the primary purpose of this role is to support packaging development projects.

• The incumbent must bring the necessary technical skill/expertise, passion for winning and project management rigor to deliver packaging innovation projects and related workstream activities in a dynamic environment and on time in full.
• Key packaging workstream activities include leading packaging development deliverables, partnering with cross functional teams and, leading packaging factory and supplier trials, laboratory testing and effective communication skills is key to this position. 
• To support the implementation of the Deodorants Category innovation program for volume growth through leadership of the packaging work stream and category growth projects.
• To support and lead Unilever’s sustainable growth agenda for the category through the implementation of projects delivering to the category goals (less plastic)
• To lead packaging technology enabled consumer engagement and product promotion as part of the categories brand activation plans.
• To lead and land margin improvement projects through (5S) smart packaging specification without impacting negatively on quality, brand, and superior consumer product experiences.
• To develop self through knowledge, skills, and experience to contribute to the building R&D Packaging capability and leadership.

JOB SUMMARY

• Lead the packaging development workstream for category design and deploy projects to deliver category growth goals. Projects include new innovations, cost saving/ complexity reduction, sustainability, quality, and supply chain support activities.
• Identify, develop, and maintain an ecosystem of packaging support service providers for the development of technical drawings, packaging prototypes, component testing and packaging trials.
• Lead packaging exploratory projects by identifying concepts, testing and iteration through prototype development, evaluation and testing of consumer appealing competitive & profitable packaging/ product mixes.
• Exploit emerging digital technologies for testing prototyping, modelling for sound decision making, and proving concepts for the effective collaboration with business partners and implementation of packaging change projects.
• Monitor Competitor activity and assess use of packaging technologies for competitive advantage in terms of consumer appeal, functionality, and cost.
• Be responsible for packaging testing and component approval & qualification to ensure components meet consumer expectations, functional requirements, customer needs, cost targets, manufacturing, and distribution demands.
• Collect and develop information and data to create technical packaging component specifications. Key deliverables are to ensure maintaining data integrity and comprehensive business reporting.
• Partner with suppliers and cross functionally to identify cost saving projects, evaluate feasibility, establish capability, and lead implementation to achieve savings targets.
• Lead risk identification, assessment and action planning for packaging change projects and contribute to risk assessments for innovation and cost savings projects.
• Provide leadership for packaging change projects through project management, including such activities as clarification of project goals & scope, collaborating to develop business cases, and preparing detailed project plans.
• Partner with supply chain, the R&D network, and suppliers to land onshoring projects.
• Collaborate with Market facing brand teams to deliver packaging concepts, designs, specifications, and technologies to maximise the impact of products in the category.
• Grow the R&D packaging talent pool through development of self and contributing to the development of others in terms of technical packaging knowledge, professional and general skills.
• Keep abreast of and evaluate emerging packaging technologies for opportunities to contribute to sustainable growth category goals.
• Lead packaging trials and lead cross functional teams to deliver trials on time and with rigour / integrity.

KEY REQUIREMENTS

• Degree in Physics, Chemistry, Material Science, Math or in an engineering discipline like Mechanical or Industrial engineering.
• At least 3 to 5 years’ experience in the packaging field, as a Packaging Technologist.
• Experience with regards to Rigid technology and Flexible film technology would be advantageous.
• Must demonstrate understanding of package development process and engineering principles.
• Must demonstrate ability to design and develop primary and secondary packaging components that meet consumer, Brand, customer, and manufacturing objectives.
• Must be able to demonstrate a general understanding of project management to realize the order, importance, and impact of appropriate project activities and maintain packaging commitments to project scheduling.
• Must understand consumer, business, and category needs and the relationship to packaging decisions & execution. An entrepreneurial mindset is beneficial.