Description

Job Purpose and Impact

The Packaging Manufacturing Technology Lead will guide a regional team of manufacturing technology professionals supporting all Food EMEA businesses (Edible Oils, Sweeteners and Starches, Cocoa and Chocolate, Protein, META, Russia). This role provides hands-on deep subject matter expertise in packaging manufacturing technology (engineering), with a strong focus on operational excellence in filling, packing, and handling liquid and dry goods.

You will be responsible for building, improving and sustaining packaging manufacturing capabilities, ensuring PPWR compliance, enabling digital transformation, and driving innovation, productivity, and cost competitiveness across our manufacturing sites.

In addition to technical leadership, you will serve as a coach, supporting sites and team members in developing technical mastery, problem solving skills, and standardized ways of working.

Key Accountabilities

• Lead and manage the Packaging Manufacturing Technology Team, setting strategic and operational priorities aligned with MSC (Manufacturing and Supply Chain) and business needs. You will coach, mentor, and support the professional development of team members to build a high impact regional capability focused on packaging manufacturing excellence.
• Define and deploy the regional roadmap for packaging manufacturing technology, including innovation, industry trend monitoring, technology mastery, IP management, and governance of productivity improvement initiatives. Work closely with commercial and business leadership to align technologies with customer and market needs.
• Own 2-3 core packaging technology domains (e.g., liquids filling, rigid packaging, corrugated packaging, fat preparation) and provide hands on technical guidance and coaching in these areas (direct participation in capital projects and performance improvement initiatives).
• Represent packaging manufacturing technology in EMEA leadership forums, bringing operational insights and technical perspectives to strategic discussions.
• Collaborate with global packaging, R&D, regulatory, and commercial teams to ensure alignment and leverage best practices/standards.
• Provide direct technical support to manufacturing plants, acting as a coach and expert. Partner with local teams, SMEs, external specialists, and capital project teams to resolve issues, improve reliability, and optimize packaging lines for both liquid and dry goods.
• Support the deployment of standardized, safe, compliant, and scalable manufacturing technology solutions, ensuring consistency across the region.
• Ensure PPWR compliance and support digitalization initiatives that enhance packaging data transparency and regulatory reporting.
• Travel approximately 50% across Europe/EMEA.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in engineering, technical, or related field, or equivalent experience.
• Demonstrated, hands on experience in packaging manufacturing technology is required.
• Direct experience in bottling/liquids filling engineering and operations is mandatory.
• Experience working with manufacturing lines for packing liquid and/or dry goods.

Preferred Qualifications

• Expertise in specific packaging manufacturing technologies or production systems.
• Demonstrated supervisory and coaching experience.
• Experience with capital projects, process optimization, or regulatory compliance.

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