Packaging Category Specialist

Location: Toronto, ON
Department: Procurement / Strategic Sourcing

Mandatory 3 days in office

Auxly is an international cannabis company dedicated to bringing innovative, effective, and high-quality cannabis products to the medical, wellness, and adult-use markets. Auxly’s experienced team of industry first-movers and enterprising visionaries has built strong scientific, operational, and product development capabilities to create trusted brands in a rapidly evolving global market.

Auxly is seeking an experienced, strategic, and results-driven Packaging Category Specialist to join our Procurement & Strategic Sourcing team.

This role is responsible for supporting packaging ideation, development, and commercialization for new product launches and packaging changes. The Packaging Category Specialist works cross-functionally with Commercial, Product Development, Operations, Quality, Regulatory, and external suppliers to ensure packaging solutions are innovative, feasible, compliant, cost-effective, and scalable.

The role supports early creative and concept development before projects enter formal PMO execution and remains a key contributor once initiatives transition into PMO-led delivery.

• Own assigned packaging categories across primary, secondary, and tertiary formats.
• Maintain deep understanding of supplier capabilities, materials, lead times, MOQs, cost drivers, and market trends.
• Proactively identify and introduce packaging innovations, sustainability opportunities, and efficiency improvements.

• Partner with Commercial and Product Development teams during early ideation and creative stages.
• Translate brand and market requirements into feasible packaging concepts and technical direction.
• Engage suppliers early to validate feasibility, timelines, and risks before concepts are finalized.
• Support commercial teams by bringing real, market-available packaging options into the creative process.

• Lead the development of packaging concepts into detailed specifications, including materials, dimensions, tolerances, and performance requirements.
• Manage sampling, prototyping, testing, and refinement of packaging solutions.
• Ensure packaging designs align with operational capabilities and regulatory requirements.
• Act as the primary technical interface with packaging suppliers.
• Support RFIs, RFPs, supplier evaluations, and sourcing decisions by providing packaging and technical expertise.
• Collaborate with Strategic Sourcing and Buyers to transition approved packaging solutions into supply execution.
• Support cost reduction, process improvement, and supplier optimization initiatives.
• Serve as a core team member on PMO-led projects once initiatives move into formal execution.
• Own packaging-specific deliverables within PMO projects while PMO manages overall coordination.
• Support production trials, line testing, and validation to ensure packaging readiness for launch.
• Identify and resolve packaging-related risks that may impact timelines, quality, or cost.

• Identify opportunities to improve packaging efficiency, reduce waste, and support automation or semi-automation initiatives.
• Collaborate with Operations, Engineering, Quality, and Regulatory teams to ensure compliance with all applicable standards.
• Support change control, documentation, and regulatory approvals related to packaging.
• Lead or support remediation and continuous improvement initiatives related to packaging performance.

• Minimum 5 years of experience in packaging development, packaging engineering, product development, or a related role within a regulated manufacturing environment (cannabis, CPG, pharma, food, cosmetics, or similar).
• Strong understanding of packaging materials, formats, and manufacturing processes.
• Hands-on experience working with suppliers, samples, trials, and production validation.
• Proven ability to collaborate cross-functionally with Commercial, R&D, Procurement, Operations, Quality, and Regulatory teams.
• Strong project management, organizational, and communication skills.

• Bachelor’s degree in Packaging Engineering or a related field.
• Experience supporting packaging sourcing or category management.
• Familiarity with packaging automation and production-line integration.
• Experience working within a PMO or stage-gate project environment.
  
  Ability to communicate in Mandarin and/or Cantonese is an asset.
• Strategic and analytical mindset with strong problem-solving skills
• Ability to translate creative ideas into technical and operational solutions
• Strong stakeholder management and communication abilities
• Results-oriented, proactive, and comfortable working in fast-paced environments
• Entrepreneurial and continuous-improvement focused

• Normal office environment with occasional travel as required.
• Competitive salary and…