Vice President, Packaging

Role overview

The Vice President of Packaging for the Food & Beverage categories is a senior enterprise leader who will define and steer the long-range packaging agenda. This role is responsible for creating the packaging vision, setting strategy, and driving execution that supports business growth, stronger market position, and sustainability goals. As the highest packaging authority in the U.S., this leader will treat packaging as a major business driver by advancing innovation, improving consumer experiences, increasing productivity, and shaping future materials, systems, and capabilities.

This executive brings strong technical depth, proven design-to-scale expertise, and the ability to influence teams across the organization and the global network. The VP will act as a key partner to the General Manager of the Food & Beverage categories and will advise Marketing, Supply Chain, Sustainability, R&D, and executive leadership. The position also includes building and guiding a high-performing team focused on packaging excellence, resilience, and future readiness.

Enterprise strategy and growth leadership

• Define the packaging vision and multi-year roadmap for the Food & Beverage categories, balancing consumer needs, business objectives, sustainability requirements, and operational constraints.
• Lead a robust innovation and renovation pipeline that strengthens product performance, brand value, time-to-market, and margin growth.
• Position packaging as a competitive advantage by creating future-focused architectures, operating models, and capabilities.
• Convert company priorities into technical plans, investment decisions, and operating strategies tied to measurable outcomes.
• Ensure Packaging and Product R&I are tightly aligned and functioning as a unified, high-impact team with cross-functional partners.

Packaging excellence and capability building

• Expand and strengthen end-to-end packaging capabilities across materials science, consumer experience engineering, prototyping, testing, validation, commercialization, scale-up, and lifecycle improvement.
• Develop advanced capabilities in areas such as advanced materials, biomaterials, barrier science, circularity, recyclability, reuse/refill, reverse logistics, intelligent packaging, connected packaging, automation, digital simulation, digital twins, rapid prototyping, sensory engineering, ergonomics, and usability.
• Create, oversee, and continually improve packaging standards, validation methods, and enterprise performance metrics.

Business performance and execution

• Deliver business outcomes through disciplined portfolio management, prioritization, risk evaluation, scenario planning, and budget oversight.
• Create packaging approaches that support new channels, changing supply networks, and emerging business models.
• Improve speed, rigor, and quality from early concept development through commercial scale-up in partnership with Manufacturing, Quality, Procurement, and Supply Chain.
• Represent packaging at the executive and general manager level in strategic decisions.

Cross-functional, enterprise, and global influence

• Work closely with Brand, R&I, Supply Chain, Quality, Sustainability, Procurement, and Regulatory teams to build integrated packaging solutions that support the business.
• Represent the Food & Beverage categories in the global packaging network and apply global knowledge, scale, and best practices to strengthen U.S. leadership.
• Form strong external partnerships with suppliers, technology innovators, universities, and startups to drive breakthrough ideas and emerging science.

Leadership and team culture

• Lead, motivate, and develop a high-performing organization of managers, senior engineers, and technical specialists.
• Promote a culture built on innovation, accountability, curiosity, and transparent decision-making.
• Grow future packaging leaders through coaching, mentoring, capability building, and technical stewardship.
• Strengthen organizational capability through workforce planning, future-skills mapping, and strategic talent development.

Compensation and benefits

The salary range for this role is USD 240,000 to 345,000 per year. Final pay will depend on relevant experience, location, internal equity, and market conditions. In addition to base salary, the company provides a performance-based bonus and a comprehensive benefits package that includes medical, dental, vision, prescription drug coverage, a 401(k) plan, wellness support, life insurance, tuition reimbursement, flexible time off, and paid parental bonding leave, along with other benefit options.

Work arrangement

This position is supported by a hybrid work model, offering employees flexibility in how they balance office and remote work.

Candidate profile

The ideal candidate is a forward-thinking packaging executive who can shape the future of packaging in food, beverage, or consumer packaged goods. The role calls for someone who combines deep technical expertise with strategic influence, commercial judgment, and the ability to lead transformation at scale. The right person will consistently raise standards in consumer experience, sustainability, operational performance, and competitive advantage.

Qualifications and experience

• Proven track record leading packaging from concept development through scale-up, launch, and lifecycle management.
• History of delivering packaging that resonates with consumers while also improving growth, margins, and operational efficiency.
• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or Science, such as Packaging, Mechanical, Chemical, or Materials; a master’s degree in Packaging, Environmental Science, Materials Engineering, or a related discipline is preferred.
• At least 15 years of progressive experience in packaging, R&D, engineering, or materials science, ideally in food, beverage, or CPG.
• Experience leading complex cross-functional programs and working with Marketing, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, R&I, Procurement, Quality, Design, and external partners.
• Ability to make executive-level decisions in ambiguous situations using data, consumer insight, and sound judgment.
• Strong knowledge of products, processes, and manufacturing from end to end, with practical understanding of plant operations.
• Curiosity about new technologies, a future-oriented mindset, and the confidence to push teams to explore new design possibilities.
• Strategic thinking with the ability to weigh market trends, sustainability rules, consumer behavior, and competitive intelligence.
• Excellent communication, influence, and storytelling ability, with the skill to simplify complexity and inspire diverse audiences.
• High autonomy, strong judgment, and the ability to lead upward, laterally, and downward with transparency and accountability.
• Willingness to travel about 25% for plant visits, supplier meetings, consumer immersion activities, and global collaboration.

About the company

The organization has roughly 5,000 employees and 13 production sites across the United States, offering a culture with strong growth opportunities. It works with well-known food and beverage brands, including Activia®, DanActive®, Danimals®, Dannon®, evian®, Follow Your Heart®, Happy Family® Organics, International Delight®, Light + Fit®, Nutricia®, Oikos®, Silk®, So Delicious® Dairy Free, STōK® Cold Brew Coffee®, Too Good & Co™, and YoCrunch®.

The company’s purpose is to improve health through food for as many people as possible, and it is recognized as the world’s largest B Corp.

Benefits

• The company covers most medical costs through a competitive 80%/20% shared-cost model for medical, dental, and vision coverage.
• Employees receive fitness discounts, unlimited flexible time off, hybrid schedules, and support programs for mental health and substance abuse.
• Financial support includes a performance-based bonus, a 401(k) plan, tuition reimbursement, employee discount programs, and voluntary perks.
• Family care benefits include caretaker support, 18 weeks of parental bonding, fertility support, surrogacy, adoption benefits, and pet insurance.

Equal opportunity statement

The employer provides equal employment opportunities to all qualified individuals and does not discriminate on the basis of protected characteristics or other factors prohibited by applicable federal, state/provincial, or local law.

Additional information

Location: Louisville, Colorado. Employment is full time and onsite.

The role is part of a U.S.-based packaging leadership function with a strong expectation of collaboration across internal teams, suppliers, external partners, and global counterparts.

Notice

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