Principle R&D Packaging Insights Manager; FTC

Contract Type

12-month fixed-term

Part-time (4 days per week)

Hybrid 2 days per week on-site at Weybridge Surrey (UK)

We have a strong innovation growth plan coupled with ambitious sustainability goals for 2030 including a commitment to making healthcare more accessible to more consumers every day. Packaging innovation is instrumental to delivering all three of these and as such is a highly strategic capability for our R&D function and the long-term health of the business.

In R&D Packaging (rdpk) at Haleon our mission is innovating the future of packaging to deliver everyday better health. Our function has three priorities : to deliver and strengthen the innovation pipeline to lead the transformation on sustainable packaging and to anticipate the development of emerging packaging technologies & solutions. Underpinning this is an appetite for building a world class-leading rdpk development capability and a sustained focus on looking after each other and nurturing our talent.

We believe that great packaging innovation can deliver the sweet spot between being responsibly designed and unlocking new improved more inclusive user experiences. We are seeking a Principle Scientist who shares the passion for the impact packaging can have on consumers lives on business results and on society.

As Principle R&D Packaging & Insights Manager you will lead complex packaging development projects from early idea identification through to launch. The position reports to the R&D Packaging Lead for Oral Health supporting the Oral Health category and is based in Weybridge UK.

• Manage and lead multiple Oral Health packaging development projects with varied levels of complexity and confidently represent R&D packaging in key internal and external meetings to provide subject matter expertise for decision making.
• Collaborate with external partners (suppliers, academia) to develop best in class innovation for the brands and drive awareness of competitor packaging activities to identify improvements and innovation opportunities.
• Lead consumer first Packaging Strategy work across the Oral Healthcare category to develop a packaging pipeline connected to the brand strategies translating consumer insights and unmet needs into concrete solutions.
• Work with peers and leaders in the packaging organisation to drive platform projects on sustainability and pioneer implementation of new solutions.
• Demonstrate technical expertise and leadership in the selection, development and validation of the optimal packaging system for new and existing products considering inclusive design, consumer delight, packaging sustainability goals, product / packaging interaction and overall feasibility.
• Continually develop knowledge in new areas of packaging (such as smart packaging and digital tools) and look for innovative and better ways of working by eliminating non-value-added activities and improve efficiency.
• Continually develop and leverage knowledge in packaging sustainability trends, recycling technologies and local / national / regional recyclability regulations.
• Be brand savvy and consumer obsessed in leveraging new packaging technologies to elevate user experience through innovative and sustainable packaging solutions.

• Bachelors or Masters degree in engineering (Packaging Chemical or Mechanical) Industrial Design or Science (Material Science Polymer Chemistry or related fields).
• 10-15 years of relevant experience in packaging within R&D / packaging innovation within FMCG / consumer products with some management experience.
• Good understanding of research methodologies to determine consumer insights. Experienced in managing / leading complex projects from End-to-End solving technical and operational problems with solid scientific approach.
• Strong Technical Understanding of the requirements to deliver innovation to the marketplace along with a good grasp of the associated challenges in order to anticipate and resolve issues, mitigate risks and make sound business decisions.
• Experienced in collaborating with partner functions in R&D Marketing and Supply Chain on the…