Job Description

The Director of Smart Packaging & New Product Development is responsible for conceptualizing, designing and executing Smart Packaging market and business development activities for customers. In this role, the Director of Marketing and Smart Packaging will define the target segments with customers related to package products and market demands.

Qualifications

C-Suite Customer Presentation

• Represent the R&D department in C-suite customer presentations, providing insights into innovative packaging solutions and their strategic impact on clients' business objectives.
• Collaborate with the Sales and Marketing teams to tailor presentations that align with customer needs and expectations.

Strategic Leadership

• Provide strategic direction for the Research and Development department, aligning efforts with the company's overall business objectives.
• Collaborate with executive leadership to define and execute the R&D vision.

Innovation Management

• Lead the ideation, conceptualization, and development of innovative secondary packaging solutions.
• Stay abreast of industry trends, emerging technologies, and market demands to drive continuous innovation.

Cross-functional Collaboration

• Work closely with other departments, including Manufacturing, Sales, and Marketing, to ensure R&D efforts align with customer needs and production capabilities.
• Collaborate with external partners, vendors, and research institutions to enhance R&D capabilities.

Project Management

• Oversee the planning, execution, and completion of R&D projects within established timelines and budgets.
• Monitor project milestones and adjust strategies as needed to meet objectives.

Team Leadership

• Recruit, mentor, and lead a high-performing R&D team.
• Foster a culture of innovation, collaboration, and excellence within the department.

Cost Optimization

• Collaborate with the finance team to manage R&D budgets effectively.
• Identify opportunities for cost optimization without compromising on quality.

New Product Design

• Lead the conceptualization and design of new packaging products, ensuring they meet market demands and align with the company's overall product portfolio.
• Work closely with the design team to create prototypes, conduct feasibility studies, and oversee the development of new products from ideation to market launch.
• Collaborate with Sales and Marketing to develop go-to-market strategies for new products, ensuring successful product introductions.

1. Qualifications
   
   Education and/or Experience: Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing.

Skills/Aptitudes:

Supervising a production team

Leads a department in accomplishing its new product-related goals, ensuring that a product's development is punctual and efficient. Suggest changes to the initial product's design for cost, efficiency or production purposes.

Proposing products

Review past product solutions and current strategies that their team proposes, implement strategies as progress continues.

Collaborating with stakeholders

Communicate with members of a production team and stakeholders, as well. As a product changes during development, directors update stakeholders to keep them informed on its progress.

Managing a product's life cycle

Understands its entire life cycle and fosters its marketability through each phase.

Gathering feedback

Gather and consider implementing product feedback. Develop new features based on customer opinions and the optimal time to release a new edition of an existing product.

Strategizing

Understand how to create a product with successful marketing strategies that can sell effectively to their business's target audience.

Working Conditions/Environment:

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Office environment. The noise level in the work environment is usually quiet.

Physical Demands

The following physical qualifications must be met to perform the essential functions of this job:

Ability to stand, walk, sit, reach with hands and arms, talk, hear and lift at least 20 pounds unassisted is required. The ability to remain in a seated position for long periods of time is required. The ability to see, hear, read and follow verbal directives in English is required. This position would require the ability to lift files, open filing cabinets and bend or stand on a stool as necessary. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.