Packaging Technologist

Overview:
**Who we are**:
We are the biggest Japanese Consumer Goods Manufacturer with renowned brands like John Frieda, Goldwell or Molton Brown. Founded in Japan in 1887, Kao is passionate about creating a Kirei Life for all - a beautiful life that respects the needs of our consumers and customers as well as the planet. We never compromise on quality and craft our products with care for the consumer and the environment. Our corporate philosophy, the Kao Way, guides us in everything we do - acting with integrity, courageously driving innovation and treating each other with trust and respect.

**The role**:
In this role you will be responsible to developing packaging for Molton Brown launches, working with relevant project teams within the development stage gate process to manage packaging New Product Development, ensuring deadlines are achieved and communication is maintained throughout. You will be working across multiple packaging formats with a range of suppliers, with new formats always being developed and support the R&D department and packaging team to continuously improve; promoting efficiency, consistency, curating knowledge, growing skills, and improving the way we work.

Find your voice and build strong collaborative relationships with other department functions, use your passion, knowledge, and tenacity in your projects to represent both yourself and the Molton Brown packaging team to internal and external stakeholders. Making beautiful, functional packs following the brand quality, creative and ESG guidelines while keeping to our colleagues critical path and budget targets.

**What you will do**:

- Manage and develop new products/projects following the MB Kaihatsu / development process and technical packaging development steps. Ensuring all parties, suppliers and internal teams are clear on what is required and ensure that the best product for the business is delivered on time and to budget.
- Continue to accumulate knowledge about multiple packaging formats including PET bottles / Rigid boxes / cartons / bottle glass / Tubes / candles.
- Will ensure there is a clear test plan for all new items, and ensure that these are carried out in a timely manner ensuring any issues are dealt with and resolved. That leads to clear specification & performance criteria. Ensure that the product is not only fit for purpose to MB/Kao standards but also will perform to customer expectations.
- Work with the brand and creative team to understand the design and print aesthetic for all new products and ensure any design / supplier limitations are known.
- Ensure all print trials are managed well leading to clear print specifications and we contribute to our cloud based artwork process to ensure specification clear and is completed to the project timings.
- Ensure all key development and productions standards are established, shared and specifications updated and stored in an accessible way.
- Keep abreast of ESG options for all materials being proposed in a project and look for ways to ‘reduce, reuse, recycle, refill’ where possible. Lead specific ESG & innovation ideas for new components, and product ideas to follow and influence MB brand guidelines.
- Manage and process all key paperwork Connect / concur etc. Be clear on tasks that are set and goals are achieved for yourself. Help manage the budgets for travel, projects etc Support the departments on the ‘ways of working’ procedures, ensure clear methods are known and understood on key areas.
- Support & represent the department for Packaging / R&D & MB for any initiatives. Including attending events & supporting the management team. Also, to review processes and look at opportunities to improve processes and RACI with other areas, so work smarter not just harder.
- This can be a hybrid role, but will need 2 days at our Elsenham site.

**What you need**:

- Ideally a Bachelor’s Degree or packaging IP diploma - preferred or relevant experience
- Technical knowledge ideally of some of the following PET bottles / Rigid boxes / cartons / bottle glass / Tubes / candles.
- Product design / understanding of 3D products would be ideal, but not essential.
- Experienced in Product development role / working with suppliers.
- Good technical understanding of the development steps required to take a product from a concept to stock in store.
- Ideally experience of a luxury brand.
- Good communications skills, able to work in cross functional teams.
- Good IT skills - excel / PPT / Teams
- Great eye for details and an understanding / passion for luxury products
- Proactive /and a Self-starter / hunger to learn

**How we work**: Having been selected among the World´s Most Ethical Companies for 16 consecutive years, we are a company with a purpose and strong corporate values. We never compromise on quality and craft our products with care for the consumer and the environment. At Kao, each employee can actively shape their job and their career. We work collaboratively