Vice President, North America Packaging Development Head

About the Role

This is a hybrid-based position in our North America Corporate Headquarters in Parsippany, NJ. The North America (NAM) Packaging Development Head is responsible for leading a geographically dispersed and diverse organization delivering end-to-end packaging development, innovation, and execution across all brands and segments in the NAM region.

This role drives a regionally integrated packaging strategy aligned to global priorities, ensuring delivery of a consumer-centric, compliant, sustainable, and future-ready packaging pipeline that supports innovation, portfolio growth, cost optimization, and business continuity across multiple categories and channels. Working in close partnership with Regional Business Units, Global Packaging, Marketing, Design, R&D, Supply Chain, and Operations, this leader will orchestrate portfolio prioritization, capability development, and execution excellence, while embedding agile, digital-first, and scalable operating models.

The North America (NAM) Packaging Head is part of the Global Packaging Department and reports in a matrix to the Global Head of Packaging and to the NAM Head of Marketing.

Responsibilities

• Regional Strategy & Portfolio Leadership
  • Define and execute a holistic NAM Packaging strategy aligned with global packaging and business segment strategies across all brands and categories.
  • Build and manage a balanced, risk-based packaging pipeline, driving innovation, lifecycle management, business continuity, and regulatory and compliance readiness.
  • Ensure fit-for-purpose, channel-ready (including e-commerce), and consumer-relevant packaging solutions across diverse markets.
• End-to-End Delivery & Execution Excellence
  • Own E2E packaging delivery across innovation, renovation, cost optimization, and supply continuity initiatives.
  • Drive Right-First-Time execution, simplification, and speed-to-market through optimized governance and decision-making.
  • Partner with regional operations to ensure robust scale-up, technical transfer, and crisis management readiness.
• Cross-Segment & Global Integration
  • Lead as part of the ONE Global Packaging department, ensuring strong alignment with:
    • GPD central team
    • Packaging Operations, Supplier Excellence, Sustainability, and Innovation teams
  • Enable cross-segment leverage of platforms, technologies, and capabilities.
  • Facilitate knowledge sharing and standardization of best practices across regions and categories.
• Sustainability & Compliance Leadership
  • Ensure delivery of regional and global sustainability targets, including recyclability, material reduction, and carbon footprint improvements.
  • Embed regulatory compliance by design, addressing evolving requirements.
  • Champion sustainable innovation aligned with corporate ESG commitments.
• Financial & Business Stewardship
  • Accountable for delivering against financial targets, including cost optimization, value engineering, and investment prioritization.
  • Translate technical decisions into clear business impact, risks, and opportunities.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s preferred in Packaging Technology, Engineering, or related technical field.
• 15+ years of packaging R&D and innovation experience, across multiple categories (e.g., FMCG, consumer health, beauty).
• Demonstrated experience leading multi-segment, multi-market portfolios.
• 5+ years of senior people leadership across geographically dispersed teams.
• Strong expertise in global portfolio and project management.
• Proven ability to define and lead complex, cross-functional, multi-regional organizations.
• Deep technical knowledge of packaging materials and technologies, sustainable design, manufacturing, and scale-up.

Skills

• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to articulate and express concepts clearly and persuasively both verbally and in writing, particularly when simplifying complex technical issues.
• Strong interpersonal skills; able to build effective personal networks internally and externally.
• Highly collaborative with a strong sense of ownership, willing to be held accountable and rewarded for delivering results.
• In-depth knowledge of business, organizational goals, packaging function, and cross-functional business partners to make informed business decisions and create and execute business strategies.
• Ability to represent the Packaging function on cross-functional teams and governance forums.
• Builds and sustains partnerships across organizational boundaries and functions as well as outside the organization to achieve common goals and outcomes.
• Leads thorough analysis of situations with appropriate attention to details and the big picture, including consideration of impact and risk.
• Wins support and buy-in from sponsors, partners, and stakeholders by effectively satisfying stakeholder interests and concerns while advocating a clear direction forward; and coaches others to do the same.

Benefits

Careers with caring built in - discover our benefits here.

Pay

The base compensation range for this position is $205,000 - $223,000. Actual compensation will be determined based on experience, qualifications, and other job-related factors permitted by law. In addition to base salary, we offer a comprehensive benefits package, including health insurance, retirement plans, paid time off, and other benefits.