Principle R&D Packaging Insights Manager (12 months FTC)

Hello. We’re Haleon. A new world-leading consumer health company. Shaped by all who join us. Together, we’re improving everyday health for billions of people. By growing and innovating our global portfolio of category-leading brands – including Sensodyne, Panadol, Advil, Voltaren, Theraflu, Otrivin, and Centrum – through a unique combination of deep human understanding and trusted science. What’s more, we’re achieving it in a company that we’re in control of. In an environment that we’re co-creating. And a culture that’s uniquely ours. Care to join us. It isn’t a question.

With category leading brands such as Sensodyne, Voltaren and Centrum, built on trusted science and human understanding, and combined with our passion, knowledge and expertise, we’re uniquely placed to do this and to grow a strong, successful business.

This is an exciting time to join us and help shape the future. It’s an opportunity to be part of something special.

• Contract Type: 12-month fixed-term
• Working Pattern: Part-time (4 days per week)
• Work Arrangement: Hybrid – 2 days per week on-site at Weybridge, Surrey (UK)

About The Role.

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.

Key Role Responsibilities

• 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.

Why You?

Basic Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s or Master’s 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 sounds business decisions
• Experienced in collaborating with partner functions in R&D, Marketing and Supply Chain on the requirements of packaging development and related processes
• Knowledge of emerging technologies and policies (environmental, safety and regulatory) related to packaging
• Skilled in building and maintaining strong external network with key business partners and industry associations. 

Preferred Qualifications And Skills:

• Knowledge in medical devices and/or regulated OTC packaging.
• Excellent team player, eager to contribute to the team agenda
• Some people management experience
• Packaging related software (Solidworks, Autocad, Illustrator, Tops, CapePack...)

Care to join us. Find out what life at Haleon is really like www.haleon.com/careers/

At Haleon we embrace our diverse workforce by creating an inclusive environment that celebrates our unique perspectives, generates curiosity to create unmatched understanding of each other, and promotes fair and equitable outcomes for everyone. We're striving to create a climate where we celebrate our diversity in all forms by treating each other with respect, listening to different viewpoints, supporting our communities, and creating a workplace where your authentic self belongs and thrives. We believe in an agile working culture for all our roles. If flexibility is important to you, we encourage you to explore with our hiring team what the opportunities are.

As you apply, we will ask you to share some personal information, which is entirely voluntary. We want to have an opportunity to consider a diverse pool of qualified candidates and this information will assist us in meeting that objective and in understanding how well we are doing against our inclusion and diversity ambitions. We would really appreciate it if you could take a few moments to complete it. Rest assured, Hiring Managers do not have access to this information and we will treat your information confidentially.

Haleon is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, pregnancy, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, age, disability, genetic information, military service, covered/protected veteran status or any other federal, state or local protected class.

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