Director, Packaging Development

Utz Quality Foods is seeking a Director of Packaging Development. The successful candidate will assume leadership responsibilities for the packaging department including departmental oversight, project work, direct management of junior packaging developers, and cross functional collaboration across all Utz Brands products. Ideal candidates for this role are ideally located within commuting distance to Hanover, PA for on site work, or are willing to relocate to the area.

Director of Packaging Development:

• Oversees packaging department operations.
• Manages direct reports to execute against project objectives in a timely and professional manner.
• Partners with cross functional departments such as Procurement, Manufacturing and Brand to advance initiatives.
• Tracks and reports progress against programs such as cost savings/value creation.
• Prioritizes resources and effectively allocates team against initiatives.
• Develops and implements best practices to enable effective packaging development.
• Owns and leads select projects/initiatives.
• Manages new item development to include packaging, vendor sourcing, and initial pricing.
• Develop physical pack outs, pack sizing, palletization reports, and finalized packaging specs.
• Generation of product + package assembly guides for external teams.
• Become a subject matter expert in the Utz packaging manufacturing capabilities and structures.
• Interpret test results to verify / approve packaging specifications, performance, and compliance.
• Investigate new packaging technologies, formats, materials, systems, etc. and recommend applications.
• Inputs to corporate Sustainability initiative.
• Collaborates with other R&D departments such as Product Development and Regulatory.
• Collaborate with packaging suppliers as needed to advance initiatives.

Requirements:

• Bachelor's Degree; Packaging Science or Materials/Design related degree is required
• 10-15 years' packaging development experience in consumer-packaged goods, preferably food and beverage industries
• Knowledgeable in a wide range of packaging forms, including corrugated, injection blow-molded PET, paperboard, flexible films.
• Demonstrated leadership and team building competencies.
• Ability to think critically and exercise complex problem-solving skills while also simplifying information to drive for decisions.
• Excellent verbal and written communication and interpersonal skills
• Able to be self-directed, forward thinking and make complex decisions that drive business innovation and performance.
• Comfort supporting recommendations and findings to manager and cross-functional teams.
• Excellent time and project management skills with proven ability to manage and prioritize multiple, concurrent projects.

Our External Recruitment Process

• Apply: Submit your resume and answer a few key questions to get started.
• Chat Interview (20-25 mins): Share your experiences in an online chat, highlighting how your values align with ours.
• Live Interview: Selected candidates will meet with the hiring manager to see how they fit into the team and wider business with Utz.

Continuously Pursuing Excellence!

Here at Utz, we have a passion for exciting and delighting consumers with delicious snack foods made from high quality ingredients. After over a century with a strong family heritage, our diverse portfolio of brands includes Utz, Zapp's, Boulder Canyon, and On the Border. Our associates are the reason for the success of this company, so it is important we provide a supportive, caring and inclusive environment that offers opportunities for career growth and advancement. We also help take care of our associates by providing benefits, resources, and programs that ensure they live their healthiest lives. Our benefit package includes medical, dental, and vision plans, an employer match 401k, profit sharing plan, employee stock purchase plan and much more. Join our world class team and help us become the fastest growing pure-play U.S. snacking company of scale!

Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, or protected veteran status and will not be discriminated against on the basis of disability.

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