Beverages Packaging Design and Development Project Specialist/Lead

Job Title: Beverages Packaging Design and Development Project Specialist/Lead

Location: Unilever R&D Bangalore 

ABOUT UNILEVER:

With 3.4 billion people in over 190 countries using our products every day, Unilever is a business that makes a real impact on the world. Work on brands that are loved and improve the lives of our consumers and the communities around us. We are driven by our purpose: to make sustainable living commonplace, and it is our belief that doing business the right way drives superior performance. At the heart of what we do is our people – we believe that when our people work with purpose, we will create a better business and a better world.

At Unilever, your career will be a unique journey, grounded in our inclusive, collaborative, and flexible working environment. We don’t believe in the ‘one size fits all’ approach and instead we will equip you with the tools you need to shape your own future.

BUSINESS CONTEXT:

Unilever is leading FMCG company with business spread across the globe under four different business groups viz. Foods, Home Care, Beauty & Wellbeing and Personal care. Unilever Foods business is one of the largest contributors to Unilever’s turnover and has global power brands like Hellmann, Knorr, Horlicks, Brook Bond etc across developed and emerging markets.

Unilever’s purpose-led strategy is reflected in its Foods business through focus on Taste & health, sustainability, and innovation. We continue to invest in digital transformation, packaging innovation, and nutrition science to stay ahead of consumer trends.

HUL is the growth engine and key contributor to Unilever’s growth ambition. At HUL Foods, we bring the taste everyone loves to brighten every day. We are one of India’s leading and largest F&B Companies. We are proudly associated with Key flagship brands which include Brooke Bond Tea, Bru Coffee, Horlicks, Knorr and Kissan. HUL Foods strives to maintain its leadership position in the market by continuously innovating and expanding its product portfolio. With this context, the vision of HUL Foods business is to Nourish a billion lives and to add another Billion to the business in India. India Foods business consists of Tea, Coffee, Lifestyle Nutrition, Foods and has local jewels and global brands.

JOB PURPOSE / ROLE:

This Role – Sr Development officer/Assist Packaging Development Manager, is mainly accountable for leading Innovation, renovation & Activation Programme for Bru Coffee business. This role requires excellent design thinking skills, creativity, consumer centricity and networking with our ecosystem partners to deliver – desirable packaging solutions across the portfolio – first time right and with agility & speed.  

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES:

• Innovation Leadership: Lead the innovation programme primarily coffee focusing on both core and future core and market making platforms. This includes developing and implementing packaging strategies that align with business goal.  

• Digital skill & Design thinking: Knowledge of new digital skill – AI, Digital simulation, Data driven decision making which can significantly reduce development lead time without compromising design quality is critical for this position.    

• Sustainability Focus: Have a good working knowledge and expertise in rigid and flexible packaging formats to support the Sustainable Plastic Agenda across Foods. Engage and build ecosystems along the end-to-end materials value chain partner to drive sustainability programmes focusing on Post-Consumer Recycled (PCR)

• Collaboration: Partner with brand, internal R&D and other cross functional teams to build Unmissable Brand Superiority (UBS) packaging scores and explore potential superiority claims through packaging.

• Technical Analysis: Conduct technical analysis of new packaging designs, provide insight to project teams regarding design viability, and identify possible solutions to technical problems while minimizing changes to the design intent.

• Trend Tracking & Packaging Insight: Responsibility for necessary literature scan, trends tracking and competitor analysis to explore & inspire innovation opportunity.

• Compliance and Quality: Work with operations, regulatory, and quality teams to ensure all packaging is compliant with domestic and international quality & regulatory standards.

• Supplier Network Development: Develop supplier networks and areas for collaboration and proprietary knowledge.
  ​

Critical Skill/Key SOL requirements of the job:

• Packaging Expertise: A strong understanding of packaging, especially rigid and flexible packaging, to drive innovation and sustainability agenda

• Standards of Leadership: Business Acumen, Agility, Growth Mindset, Consumer and customer love and bias for action are critical competencies for this role.

• Empathy and Adaptability: A skilled and empathetic person who approaches challenges with flexibility, adaptability, and a focus on long-term impact.

• Communication Skills: Ability to clearly communicate technical information to non-technical teams and cross functional team as work stream leader
  

Job Requirements/Qualifications:

• 4-6 years of work experience in FMCG industry with proven track record for developing cutting edge packaging design and sustainable solutions for the business.

•  B. Tech, M Tech, or PG Diploma in packaging technology or a related technical discipline from Indian Institute of Packaging or Similar Institute of repute.

• In-depth knowledge of the intersection between package engineering and package design.

• Proven ability to deliver results on time and with excellence.

• Experience in effectively and collaboratively working with contract manufacturers and component vendors
  

Our commitment to Equality, Diversity & Inclusion 

Unilever embraces diversity and encourages applicants from all walks of life! This means giving full and fair consideration to all applicants and continuing development of all employees regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, marriage and civil partnership, and pregnancy and maternity.