Packaging and Sustainability Manager

About the role

We are seeking a Packaging & Sustainability Manager to support the development of packaging across our portfolio. This role will be responsible for leading day-to-day packaging engineering activities while also owning packaging sustainability and ESG initiative tracking.

Responsibilities

• Lead packaging development and execution for assigned projects from initiation through launch, ensuring alignment with product, brand, regulatory, and sustainability objectives.
• Develop and maintain packaging specifications, drawings, BOMs, and technical documentation for primary, secondary, and tertiary packaging, including e-comm, retail-ready and club channel packaging formats.
• Support commercialization activities including qualification planning, line trials, scale-up, and first production runs at internal and external manufacturing sites.
• Develop and execute packaging test plans, including compatibility, functionality, and shelf-life testing, in partnership with external labs.
• Proactively identify, troubleshoot, and resolve packaging-related issues during development and commercial production.
• Partner with Supply Chain and suppliers to evaluate packaging components, materials, and cost-optimization opportunities.
• Own and maintain centralized trackers for all packaging material specifications, including material type, weights, recyclability status, PCR content, and supplier attributes.
• Ensure packaging data accuracy and readiness to support sustainability regulations, labeling requirements, and recyclability claims.
• Support packaging sustainability initiatives, including recyclability improvements, PCR material adoption, material reduction, and supplier engagement.
• Support setting packaging sustainability targets and tracking progress against goals.
• Absorb and support sustainability and ESG reporting activities (e.g., CDP Climate and Water disclosures, internal scorecards, supplier questionnaires).
• Collaborate cross-functionally with Project Management, R&D, Regulatory, Quality, Marketing, Creative, Supply Chain, Operations, and external partners.
• Ensure packaging solutions meet regulatory, quality, and safety requirements for applicable categories (cosmetics, OTC, etc.).

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Packaging Engineering or a related technical field.
• 3–5+ years of packaging engineering experience in a CPG, consumer health, beauty, OTC, or regulated products environment.
• Hands-on experience with primary and secondary packaging development and commercialization.
• Experience supporting retail-ready, shelf-ready, or club channel packaging designs a plus.
• Experience working with contract manufacturers, packaging suppliers, and external testing labs.
• Experience owning packaging material specifications, trackers, or sustainability datasets preferred.
• Experience supporting packaging sustainability initiatives, GHG calculations, or ESG/CDP reporting preferred.
• Strong technical problem-solving and organizational skills, with the ability to manage multiple projects in parallel.
• Excellent communication skills and ability to work effectively across technical and commercial teams.
• Detail-oriented, proactive, and comfortable operating in a fast-paced, cross-functional environment.
• Ability to travel up to 30% to Johnson City TN, Nashville TN, or to our CMOs.