Senior Manager, Packaging Innovation

Champion Petfoods is expanding! We are excited to announce we are looking for a Senior Manager, Packaging Innovation to join our rapidly growing company.

Champion Petfoods is an award-winning pet food maker with a reputation of trust spanning 35+ years. Founded in a small town in Alberta, Canada, Champion – with its ORIJEN® and ACANA® brands – is a key player in the global premium pet food industry across three major geographic regions.

We would love to hear from you if you are passionate about personal and professional growth and see yourself as a key player contributing to our continued success as an award-winning company.

The Senior Manager, Packaging Innovation is responsible for the technical leadership of the packaging innovation program at Champion Petfoods. This role reports to the Global Director, Technical Innovation and Development and works cross-functionally with Research & Innovation (R&I), Marketing and Operations to ensure all packaging objectives are achieved.

As the departmental subject matter expert for packaging innovation and capability, the Senior Manager Packaging Innovation provides technical leadership, guidance, and expertise across product development and operational teams. The Senior Manager Packaging Innovation plays a key role in the investigation and advancement of packaging initiatives by bringing insights and trends into packaging strategy including relevant consumer trends, materials and technologies.

Success in this role is measured by meeting or exceeding packaging performance targets, delivering projects on established timelines, and generating actionable learnings that support scale-up and commercialization of products.

This position provides both oversight and hands-on technical leadership across multiple aspects of packaging innovation, including operational improvements, process optimization, and new packaging evaluation. The Senior Manager Packaging Innovation can be based out of the Acheson, Alberta or Nashville, Tennessee and works closely with internal teams and third-party packaging suppliers.

• Drive an innovative mindset across all packaging functions, while working with key internal business partners in marketing, and operations to ensure innovative concepts are delivered to market.
• Support the development and delivery of the packaging innovation pipeline
• Help to build and maintain external relationships to support and deliver packaging innovations with 3rd party packaging suppliers, external co-manufacturers and other packaging organizations as needed.
• Develop packaging risk assessments and lead identification of risks/hazards for each packaging type
• Responsible for packaging specification development and execution across Champion’s product portfolio
• Manage and execute compliance testing, regulations and documentation for all packaging projects
• Aid Supply Team in packaging supplier validation and quality management
• Standardize and integrate critical packaging process, including but not limited to sequence for development, technical packaging approval process and implementation.
• Data entry as required.
• Accurate & efficient planning and management of resources to meet schedules and coordinate departmental functions in the absence of the Managers.
• Demonstration of knowledge of the Company’s policies and practices regarding health, safety, and the environment, including commitment to personal compliance with same.
• Perform other tasks as required or assigned.
• Occasional travel required.

• Minimum of Bachelor of Science Degree in related field (Packaging, Engineering, Chemistry, etc.). Advanced degree preferred.
• Minimum of 8 years’ experience working on packaging projects, materials, and manufacturing.
• Knowledge of food packaging fundamentals and application to the product development and food processing.
• Technical leadership and strong Project Management, proven for complex initiatives and
• Ability to understand the business strategy and work within sometimes ambiguous
• Experience in interacting with other individuals always demonstrating diplomacy and professionalism.
• Proven ability to drive…