Senior Packaging Development and Industrialization Director

About the Role / About the Job
The Senior Director of Packaging leads the Packaging pole of Product Operations, encompassing Packaging Development & Industrialization, alongside a new Packaging R&D capability. This role is responsible for overseeing the technical packaging solution from the initial brief to production readiness at suppliers and contract manufacturers. It aims to mitigate technical risks upstream through risk-based pilots and evidence, while also building proven, PPWR-ready platforms for future product launches. The position collaborates with an independent End-to-End Quality team to ensure excellence in packaging solutions.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Packaging Strategy & Leadership

• Define and own the packaging technical strategy and roadmap for upcoming launches (Y+2 and Y+3).
• Lead two sub-poles: Development & Industrialization and Packaging R&D, ensuring strong leadership with clear decision-making authority.
• Safeguard R&D time and budget from live-launch pressures, escalating trade-offs to the VP, Product Operations.
• Assess team needs based on actual workload and data from the portfolio.

Packaging Development & Industrialization

• Take ownership of the technical delivery for every launch, from brief to PPS (Production Part Approval).
• Implement risk-based pathways, with risk scores established from 1 to 5, confirmed by the Quality team.
• Ensure pilot molds and homologation are secured before production tooling begins for new, high-risk packaging solutions.
• Oversee the creation of drawings, GD&T (Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing), tolerance stack-ups, functional analyses, DFMA (Design for Manufacturing and Assembly), and formula/pack compatibility assessments.
• Manage tooling validation, line trials, PPS, and scale-up readiness at suppliers and contract manufacturers.

Packaging R&D & Innovation

• Build and lead a Packaging R&D unit focusing on platforms and technologies, advanced development, and innovation initiatives.
• Develop a comprehensive library of proven packaging designs, supplier standards, design rules, and test files.
• Direct technical and experience sourcing, ensuring only proven concepts are handed over to development.

Sustainability & PPWR

• Own the roadmap for packaging sustainability, balancing consumer experience, brand integrity, cost, and regulatory requirements.
• Spearhead PPWR (Plastics Packaging Waste Reduction) readiness for new launches and the existing product portfolio.
• Establish clear ownership structures: R&D is responsible for developing PPWR-ready solutions, while Development applies them to launches, with Regulatory and Legal overseeing compliance.
• Prioritize existing packages for updates by evaluating risk and business impact, collaborating with Supply Chain and Finance.

Technical Governance & Risk Ownership

• Customize assessments to meet project risk, maintaining clear ownership, supporting evidence, and approvals at each checkpoint.
• Prepare evidence and recommendations for Product Operations gates: Tech Assessment, Pilot Homologation, Go Prod.
• Manage packaging specifications and promote adoption of the internal specification tool.
• Ensure that unresolved critical risks are never traded for cost or timing; any bypassed steps must be presented to the Newness Committee.
• Lead root cause analyses and implement permanent solutions for design-origin issues; support Quality and the Crisis Cell in resolving supply issues.
• Honor Quality's independent co-signature of homologation and its authority over release and CAPA (Corrective and Preventive Action).

Leadership and Coaching

• Lead, coach, and develop packaging developers, engineers, and R&D specialists.
• Recruit and cultivate sub-pole leads, ensuring a succession plan for key technical roles.
• Serve as a role model for technical rigor and evidence-based decision-making.

Cross-Functional Partnership & Strategic Exposure

• Collaborate with Product Development, Marketing, Design, Quality, Procurement, Supply Chain, Regulatory, Commercial, and Finance teams.
• Provide feasibility, cost, timing, and risk assessments at the brief stage, issuing the pack brief alongside the formula brief.
• Represent the Packaging team at the Newness Committee and in launch readiness reviews.
• Drive value engineering and improve COGS (Cost of Goods Sold) while managing critical risks and the packaging technical budget.

Requirements

• Proven track record in delivering complex primary packaging from concept through tooling, line trials, and scale-up at suppliers and contract manufacturers.
• Deep expertise in materials, processes, GD&T, tolerance stack-ups, and formula/pack compatibility.
• Hands-on experience with pilot tooling, homologation, and stage-gate governance processes.
• Experience developing pre-development, R&D, or platform programs.
• Proven leadership ability with experience leading teams effectively and delegating responsibility with clear authority.
• Proficient in reading and critically evaluating CAD models and technical drawings.
• Strong understanding of packaging sustainability and compliance with EU PPWR, along with its implications on design, cost, and supply.
• Experience with global suppliers in Europe and Asia.
• Record of evidence-based judgment and capacity to navigate ambiguity and scale-up dynamics.
• At least 15 years of experience in packaging development and industrialization within beauty, fragrance, or luxury industries.
• Bachelor’s/Master’s degree in Packaging, Mechanical, Materials, or Plastics Engineering.

Benefits

• Monthly “Self Love Days” at the company's discretion.
• Premium Medical/Dental/Vision coverage for the employee and dependents.
• Monthly coaching sessions with an in-house Success Coach.
• Employee discounts on all products.
• Quarterly product gifting.

The company is committed to building diverse and inclusive teams and maintaining an equal employment workplace free from discrimination. All individuals are encouraged to apply regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, gender identity, national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status, medical conditions, disability, or veteran status. If reasonable accommodations are needed at any point during the application or interview process, those should be communicated.