Packaging Development Manager

Solent Group Christchurch, United Kingdom Technical Hybrid

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Solent Group work with a diverse portfolio of Retailers and supply bespoke products within various categories, including Health & Beauty, Household Impulse Snacking and Reusable Bags. We are proud to be best-in-class when it comes to own-label product innovation. Our Categories are fast-paced with ever-evolving trends and a host of ground-breaking products coming to market on a regular basis – we add value to retailers by leading and owning each category.

Here at Solent we want people to be extraordinary. We pride ourselves on creating and producing amazing products and brands for our Global Customers. You will be joining a company with offices globally across South Africa, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Vietnam, and the UK.

POSITION: Packaging Development Manager

DIVISION/DEPT: Technical Department

REPORT TO: Senior Technical Manager

LOCATION: Hybrid

TRAVEL: Travel may be required to manufacturing sites in UK/EU and Far East

The successful candidate will have overall responsibility for the developing and optimizing packaging solutions that protect products, comply with regulations, and meet consumer expectations, either by Solent’s retail partners or by Solent brands; ensuring all key technical elements of a project are diligently completed and communicated on time.

The role will also involve travel to various locations around the world to attend factory trials, factory gap analysis, pre-production, and product launches and to meet with customers.

Key Responsibilities:

• Designing and Testing Packaging: Collaborate with designers, suppliers and production developers to create packaging that ensures product safety and quality, but also meets our sustainable needs. This involves producing sample packaging to test different materials and designs.
• Ensuring Compliance and Quality: Verify that packaging meets quality standards and complies with legal and environmental regulations. write technical reports and maintaining documentation related to packaging specifications and compliance.
• Researching and drive Sustainable Solutions
  :
  Investigate ways to make packaging more environmentally friendly by reducing material usage, promoting recyclability or re-use, and minimizing waste and costs attached to it.
• Collaborating Across Departments
  :
  Working closely with various teams such as product development, quality control, marketing, Supply chain and buying is essential to ensure that packaging meets customer needs and aligns with the company’s objectives.
• Managing Packaging Projects: Oversee the development and implementation of packaging projects across the group, ensuring that objectives are met within set timelines and budgets. This involves sourcing and sampling new packaging options or improving existing packaging to meet customer needs and drive sustainable solutions.
• Work collaboratively with technical teams in UK and Asia to ensure all technical aspects of packaging are completed in a timely manner, for example, production approval, accurate information for specifications & compliance.
• Packaging waste management and reporting
  , ensuring all necessary packaging information is collated accurately and on time. Pro‑active management to reduce our packaging waste charge (EPR) or EUDR by driving innovative and sustainable solutions for both Solent and its customers.
• Work closely with the internal product and commercial teams to ensure all packaging requirements are applied during the NPD process and new launches.
• Travel to various locations attending printers initial visits, development trials and pre‑production approvals.
• Work with the quality team to investigate, report and reduce customer complaints and non‑conformances.
• Attend conferences, exhibitions, and trade shows to keep on top of innovations, legislation and opportunities with new materials, production techniques or packaging solutions.
• Prioritise and champion Solent’s Policies on Sustainability, Innovation and Ethical manufacturing.
• Global Harmonization Initiatives: Active participation in global harmonization initiatives to create consistent…