Head of Packaging Development

Job Title: Head of Packaging Development - 6 months FTC 

Location: Cumbernauld

Contract and working pattern: Hybrid 3 collaboration days, 6 months FTC

Are you ready to Be Your Best Barr None? 

Lets Grow!!!

We are all about Being Your Best Barr None and having a career with real Moments that Matter!

Employing around 950 people across the UK, we are proud to be a responsible business that takes care of our people, values diversity, gives something back to our communities and works to minimise our environmental impact.

For 150 years AG Barr has been building great brands and is home to some of the nations favourite flavours.

At our core is  IRN-BRU, launched in 1901 and still going strong today, the vibrant RUBICON fruit based brand, Boost making every moment better with a caffeine kick, hydration hit or tasty treat, and FUNKIN where real fruit means authentic taste.

We also have a number of exciting owned brands within our portfolio including MOMA, which crafts quality oats into great tasting oat drinks and porridges.

There's never been a better time to join us!

What we’re looking for…

As our Head of Packaging Development you will lead the soft drinks and alcohol packaging team within AG Barr.

You will take responsibility for the finished product packaging specifications, for the portfolio of all packaging projects (innovation, cost savings, continuity of supply, sustainability), and for developing the capabilities of the team in line with future business needs.

The role is responsible for driving the complete packaging strategy, ensuring innovation, sustainability, and optimal functionality from initial concept through to market launch. You will lead the teams to deliver, test, and implement packaging solutions, ensuring legal compliance and brand protection while collaborating with marketing, supply chain, and procurement.

Your responsibilities will include...

People Leadership and Capability

• To develop the capabilities required by the packaging team to deliver the short to longer-term objectives of the company across soft drinks and alcohol.
• To recruit, train, motivate and manage the performance of the packaging teams to develop an efficient and enthusiastic team that meets the current and future needs of the business. To champion the Barr Behaviours and develop a strong continuous improvement and learning & development culture within the team.
• To represent the packaging team on internal business forums, negotiating deadlines & project briefs with other business leaders, and proactively managing the expectations of stakeholders.
• Be fully accountable for the technical delivery of all packaging initiatives, ensuring solutions meet the correct quality standards and are technically robust and risk assessed, meet consumer needs, are cost effective, delivered on time and successfully commercialised.
• Anticipate sustainability, packaging and consumer market trends along with completing competitor benchmarking to understand the latest technology developments in order to recommend new packaging initiatives & pack decoration that will enhance consumer experiences, drive brand strategy and improve AG Barr credentials.
• To continuously improve the Quality Management Systems of the team, reflecting best practice, minimising risks for the business, and ensuring that procedures are followed at all times

Packaging Development

• Be fully accountable for the technical delivery of all packaging initiatives across Innovation, Enterprise, Value Optimisation and Supply chain programmes, ensuring solutions meet the correct quality standards and are technically robust, meet consumer needs, are cost effective, delivered on time and successfully commercialised.
• Improve AG Barr sustainability credentials as part of delivering NTTW initiatives, future proofing our packaging requirements, managing risks, planning and leadership of sustainability projects from concept to launch including the delivery of our future legal packaging obligations with EPR and DRS.  Conduct Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) or Life Cycle Perspectives to ensure packaging specifications consider environmental aspects and conduct impact mitigation.
• To provide technical guidance to the business on all packaging items.  Work with the Product Team to ensure recipe and packaging interactions risks are mitigated and that the packaging will work with our machinery for successful project commercialisation.
• Ensure all packaging is compliant with food safety legislation and quality standards.  
• Manage the interface between the R&D packaging team and sites of manufacture ensuring trials and first products are managed well to our right first time standards.
• Efficiently manage and control the packaging development budget, tracking expenditures, reporting on effectiveness, and adjusting plans as needed.

R&D Leadership

• With the R&D & Innovation leadership team, develop and oversee R&D strategies to explore new packaging technologies to support future Innovation within the soft drinks and alcohol beverage categories.  

• Drive the digital transformation of R&D.  Use Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) architecture to centralise and manage packaging specifications, and regulatory documentation.  Explore AI-driven tools for design and rapid prototyping, material sustainability and smart packaging.

• Manage the technical relationships with suppliers and drive continually to provide improved performance and service.  Work with the Procurement team to develop supplier strategies & winning partnerships.

• Develop an external network of partners (suppliers, universities, research centres, trade bodies…) and attend conferences and networking events in order to complement the internal expertise and pool of resources, aiming always to deliver simpler, faster and better.

What you’ll bring...

Educated to degree level or equivalent in a scientific discipline, packaging technology or engineering .

Extensive knowledge of all packaging components and materials used in the Soft Drinks and Alcohol Industry and knowledge of those used in other related industries. A sound knowledge of drinks manufacturing is required with specialist appreciation of bottle making, bottle filling, packing and palletisation.

Understanding regulations (such as British and European Standards as applied to packaging, plastics migration directive, ...) and legislation and translating these into workable actions.

Knowledge and operation of ISO, BRC, HACCP and other quality management systems is essential.  ISO 9001 & BRC quality certifications require all specifications for packaging materials to be approved prior to purchase and these procedures are to be adhered to and continually improved.

A creative, innovative and practical approach is required for a well motivated self-starter with a good analytical approach to problem solving

The experience to be able to assess, develop and improve core R&D processes and ways of working.

The ability to coach and develop a high performing team in both the technical components of the team’s roles and in the broader business skills that they require to operate effectively.

The ability to talk the language of the consumer as well as technical and be commercially aware. Experienced in understanding consumer behaviour via consumer research and the ability to translate this into winning packaging solutions.

You will also demonstrate our AG Barr behaviours of Being Honest, Accountable, Connected and Brave.

What we offer…

We believe in creating a diverse and inclusive culture where your voice can be heard.  Our skilled, loyal and committed people are critical to the future success of AG Barr which is why we are continually investing in our employees to develop their talent.

We look after our employees by offering a competitive salary and benefits package which includes;

• Competitive salary, benchmarked to market
• Annual bonus linked to business and individual performance
• Defined contribution Pension with employer contribution
• Up to 34 days holiday (depending on shift pattern)
• Flexible holiday trading
• Flexible cash pot to spend on benefits
• Healthcare Cash Plan
• Flexible benefits e.g. discounts & cashbacks, gym memberships, technology purchases etc
• Life assurance
• Save as you earn scheme
• Staff sales discount
• Free AG Barr products throughout your working day and staff sales
• Ongoing professional development and access to Learning and Development programmes and content

And much more! 

To find out more about what it is like to work for AG Barr, please visit our careers platform here.

We are an equal opportunities employer and happy to discuss any reasonable adjustments that may be needed for successful candidates with a disability, health or mental health condition.

While we have highlighted our ideal requirements for this role, we are realistic that the successful candidate probably won't meet every single requirement in this advert, but we are big advocates of people growing in role. So even if you don’t meet every single requirement, we encourage you to submit an application - you may be just what we are looking for! Apply now!

Speculative CVs from agencies will not be accepted.

Please note, we may close vacancies early where we receive significant numbers of applications, so apply now!