Packaging Technologist Clothing & Home

Job description

Job Description:

·  About the role:
·  Deliver the BU’s packaging innovation strategy, driving commercial customer focussed benefit in line with business unit priorities and legal requirements whilst developing a robust structural packaging policy
·  Deliver structural packaging solutions which embody our Brand strategy, develop a sustainable packaging policy and put M&S in a leadership position in key areas of material development and the circular economy
·  Support the packaging optimisation programme and any similar other projects in all channels and manage structural development for relevant International business packaging requirements
·  Keep up to date with the latest packaging industries trends in materials, components, print and packaging formats and feed these into new packaging development.
·  Develop a strategy that responds to the C&H vision and consumer feedback and continuously improve the kit of parts to ensure a consistent application of brand guidelines
·  Support management of & delivery of margin improvement to meet the needs of each BU.
·  Work with buying team to ensure all suppliers have full understanding of briefs. Delivering clear specifications on packaging briefs, formats and testing requirement, Plan A, legal policies and M&S best practices.
·  Develop and approve fit for purpose packaging formats ensuring quality and innovation is embedded into the packaging as well as legal and Plan A compliance.
·  Administration of testing regimes for printed packaging to ensure due diligence & child safety legislation
·  Benchmark M&S packaging against high street competitors ensuring a market leading position and feeding into our packaging development strategy.
·  Manage adherence to packaging safety, compliance and ethical standards in line with legislation and corporate policy.
·  Monitor the voice of our customer around Quality packaging and build into ongoing packaging development strategy.
·  Approve packaging white samples ensuring quality and consistency is achieved in line with standards. Manage an effective SQM (structural quality management) library for each season.
·  Carry out ongoing cost engineering at development stage to ensure all packaging is optimised commercially whilst still meeting M&S quality standards and legal compliance.
·  In the event of Quality failure, work alongside the technical teams to collate data, approve and implement course of action.
·  Maintaining up to date standards on internal systems by using in depth industry knowledge, to protect the M&S brand and values
·  Act as ambassador, promoting packaging innovation and quality internally to customers and within the industry.

About you

·  Proven track record in related structural packaging and print technologies with a global view on brand management and good commercial awareness
·  Experience with customer facing carton construction, decoration and sourcing.
·  Ability to work independently across multiple projects simultaneous
·  Multi tasked orientated working to tight deadlines while maintaining entrepreneurialism
·  Excellent communication skills across functions, internally and externally.
·  Capable of interpreting customer data to shape future packaging development strategy.
·  Experience of briefing and specifying NPD projects with Buying to create packaging briefs
·  Ability to work across varied supply base harnessing strengths and weakness of individual vendors/factories and embrace and work within a multi-cultural environment