Senior Manager Packaging Innovation

As a Fortune 500 company, Packaging Corporation of America (PCA) is an ideas and solutions company. Our corrugated packaging business seeks to be the leader in helping our customers — large and small — package, transport and display products of all kinds. Our white paper business delivers Paper With Purpose by providing the highest level of customer service and operational excellence. We have approximately 15,000 team members in more than 100 locations in the United States that strive to meet the local needs of our customers. Our mission is to serve the needs of our customers, today and tomorrow, with products and services that exceed expectations for performance and environmental responsibility.

About the Role

Manager, Packaging Development will drive the creation and implementation of innovative packaging solutions using a rigorous, data-driven approach for both direct and indirect customers. This leader is expected to be results-oriented, setting high expectations and guiding teams (both direct and indirect) to achieve measurable results. The role requires a strong foundation in corrugated materials (corrugated structures, board and paper properties) and a focus on providing strategic solutions through design concepts, advanced data analysis, and actionable insights to mitigate risk and guide customers or PCA forward. This individual must have extensive problem-solving skills to tackle new challenges impacting customers or the business, including developing new fiber-based products and becoming a subject matter expert in emerging trends.

The role requires exceptional communication and collaboration skills at manufacturing, technical, and executive levels. By leveraging expertise and support, this manager will maintain and advance a culture of excellence, ensuring PCA remains the supplier of choice through proactive problem-solving and customer-focused innovation.

Responsibilities

• Lead customer interaction and collaboration at high levels to understand needs and provide value-added analysis for customer-focused projects, clearly connecting problem statements and resolutions through written and oral presentations to executive levels.
• Guide customers toward future-proof packaging approaches by understanding industry trends.
• Create, communicate, and execute systematic methodologies with internal and external stakeholders to drive efficient problem resolution.
• Lead and promote package development best practices across PCA’s design teams.
• Explore new product innovation centered around fiber-based materials with potential for wide-scale usage, identifying market trends and gaps in PCA’s or the market’s fiber-based products.
• Leverage data from multiple sites to identify broadly applicable operational improvements, with experience in design of experiments and statistical analysis.
• Work safely on-site and off, collaborating with all site employees to ensure safe operation of lab equipment and supporting site safety goals.
• Adhere to company policies and procedures, sharing information to benefit team members and improve service delivery to customers.
• Support PCA’s Commitment to Service by doing what’s right for customers, focusing on value-added strategies, and keeping promises.
• Make independent, timely, and considered decisions regarding problem-solving approaches, solution robustness, and implementation.
• Drive design and innovation at a national level across multiple manufacturing sites and multi-site customers, developing new product offerings or information leveraged by the broader team.
• Provide added value through analytical reporting and presentation of complex results distilled for broad consumption.
• Foster collaboration internally and externally to meet customer satisfaction goals, simplifying and explaining complex test methodologies both orally and in writing.

Requirements

• BS in packaging, science, or engineering with a minimum of 10 years of experience, with a significant portion in the paper/packaging field, or demonstrable equivalent.
• Demonstrable history of leadership, creativity/innovation, analytical thinking, and professional presentation.
• Primarily onsite role with up to 25% travel.
• Capable of safely handling packages up to 50 lbs. (or 100 lbs. with assistance) as needed for the position.
• Commitment to developing and fostering strong working relationships.

Benefits

• Paid holidays.
• Eligibility to enroll in medical, dental, and vision coverage within the first 30 days of employment (employee and dependents).
• Automatic enrollment in life, AD&D, and disability coverages upon hire.
• Automatic enrollment in the 401k plan with pre-tax and Roth contribution options, plus employer-provided matching contributions.

Pay

Starting salary range: $110,000–$165,000.