Packaging Development Manager

Packaging Development Manager
Billingham (Home of McCoys, Wheat Crunchies, POM-BEAR, and more…) with regular travel to our Tanfield site.
Full-time, on-site

Join our snack-loving team
We’re looking for a Packaging Development Manager to join us at KP Snacks. If you’re ready to bring your ideas to the table, grow your skills and be part of a team that values what makes you, you – this could be your next big move.

Who are we?
We’re KP Snacks, part of the Intersnack family. Across more than 30 countries, over 15,000 of us work together to make the snacks people love – from Hula Hoops to McCoy’s. In the UK, we’re a team of around 2,400 colleagues, based across seven sites and our Slough HQ. We’re proud of our close-knit culture, where we speak up, celebrate differences and push boundaries together.

About the role

This is a pivotal role in our Technical team, where quality is at the heart of everything we do. You will provide specialist expertise in Packaging Development and Optimisation at site level, ensuring our products are safe, high quality and consistent every time.

You will work closely with Operations, Engineering, Procurement, R&D, Marketing and Project Teams to design and deliver best-in-class packaging solutions. From new product development to continuous improvement, you will play a critical role in optimising performance, reducing waste and supporting our sustainability agenda.

This is a hands-on role where you will be actively involved in factory trials, production support and problem solving on the ground. You will also influence and develop others, building capability across site teams and helping embed a Right First Time culture.

If you enjoy technical challenges, working cross-functionally and making a visible impact, this role offers the opportunity to shape packaging performance across our Site.

What’s in it for you?
We believe in rewarding our colleagues and helping them thrive. Here’s a flavour of what we offer:

• Competitive annual salary, annual salary review and annual bonus opportunity (target 7.5%), plus KP Pension Plan with up to 7% matched contributions and £6,000 car allowance

• 25 days holiday, with the option to buy up to five additional days, plus additional holiday after five years’ service

• Comprehensive healthcare including Single Cover Private Healthcare, Health Cash Plan, Digital GP and Employee Assistance Programme

• Electric Vehicle Car Scheme, supporting more sustainable and cost-effective travel

• KP4ME benefits platform with discounts, cashback and wellbeing support

• Enhanced family-friendly policies to support colleagues at every stage of life

What will you be doing?

• Acting as the site packaging expert and technical lead
  Provide day-to-day support to production, acting as the go-to expert for packaging, troubleshooting issues in real time and coaching colleagues to build capability and strengthen understanding across the Site

• Designing, developing and optimising packaging solutions
  Create and implement fit-for-purpose packaging for new products, renovations and cost-saving initiatives, ensuring the right balance of quality, performance, cost and sustainability

• Leading end-to-end trial and launch activity
  Plan, coordinate and execute factory trials, including packaging travel tests, analyse results and support first production runs to ensure smooth scale-up and consistent Right First Time delivery

• Driving quality, compliance and process control
  Own packaging specifications, artwork approvals and technical documentation, while implementing robust process controls to reduce waste, defects, NRFT and consumer complaints

• Collaborating to deliver improvement, innovation and sustainability
  Work closely with cross-functional teams and suppliers to deliver projects, improve performance, support CAPEX activity and drive People and Planet goals across the Site

We’d love to hear from you if you can bring:

• Strong experience in FMCG or manufacturing environments
  A background in food, beverage or consumer goods, with a solid understanding of factory operations and quality standards such as HACCP and BRC, and how these apply in a fast-paced Site

• Deep technical knowledge of packaging and materials
  Experience working with a range of packaging formats and materials, with a clear understanding of how they impact product quality, shelf life, line efficiency and consumer experience

• Hands-on trial, production and troubleshooting experience
  Confidence leading or supporting factory trials, analysing performance data and resolving technical issues on the line to deliver practical, sustainable improvements

• Analytical thinking and data-led decision making
  Ability to interpret technical and operational data, identify trends and root causes, and translate insight into clear actions that improve performance, reduce waste and optimise cost

• Strong collaboration, communication and influencing skills
  Proven ability to build effective relationships across Operations, Engineering, Quality, R&D and suppliers, with the confidence to challenge, coach and influence to achieve the right outcomes

Our purpose
At KP Snacks, we're passionate about creating happy snacking moments through our great tasting snacks and iconic brands. Every day, millions of people enjoy our products, including Hula Hoops, McCoy's, KP Nuts, Tyrrells, Skips, POM-BEAR and Butterkist, making us one of the UK's leading snack manufacturers.

For decades, we've been delighting consumers by combining well-loved favourites with exciting innovations that reflect changing tastes and expectations. We're equally passionate about our people and committed to creating a workplace where everyone can grow, develop and make a real impact.

As part of the Intersnack Group, one of the world's leading snack manufacturers, we combine global expertise with a shared commitment to creating happy snacking moments every day.

We’re committed to inclusion
We’re building a workplace where everyone belongs. If you don’t tick every box, we’d still love to hear from you – your unique perspective could be just what we need. And if there’s anything we can do to make the process easier for you, just let us know.

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