Context & Challenges of the role

The IDDC (International Design & Development Centre) PACKAGING team will be responsible for :

• Enabling rapid business development through the implementation of ambitious Innovation plans across all categories (Waters, Dairy & Plant-Based Products and First Diet).
• Guaranteeing the creation of unique consumer experiences and an indisputable superiority over the competition.
• Enable and facilitate local and European productivity plans.
• Guarantee the quality and competitiveness of packaging developed within Danone Europe.
• Become the champion for the Packaging transformation to deliver DIJ plans cross category.
• Feed the innovation and renovation ideas portfolio and co-construct the productivity portfolio with Toplines, Ops and C&P.

Missions

• Integrate all packaging skills from all categories (Beverages, First Diet, Dairy and Plant-based products) under a single team, build and implement an ambitious roadmap to develop skills between team members, enable synergies and knowledge transfers between Packaging Hub and between categories.
• Manage the Packaging Categories technical, technological, and human resources to deliver the portfolio of innovation, productivity renovation and business continuity projects in all our categories.
• Develop the necessary capabilities in terms of modeling/simulation, design, rapid prototyping, and semi-industrial qualification of the European packaging development center to support all Regions and make it a global packaging reference center within Danone for all categories and packaging technologies (ISBM, Injection, Thermoforming...). Build the center's roadmap over 3 to 5 years and the necessary investments.
• Ensure that the consumer is always at the center of innovation and all packaging-related projects in general via One Touch approach.
• Contributes to the elaboration and execution of R&I EU's strategic vision in terms of developing its capabilities and resources.
• Contribute to the development of the roadmap linked to the transformation of our packaging to meet our DIJ (Danone Impact Journey) targets, and in particular our ambitions to achieve 100% recyclable or reusable or compostable packaging

Major Responsibilities

• Manage the 4 Category packaging teams, Sustainability, Fuel for growth as well as the pilot, design and modeling groups for coordinating project development across EU.
• Lead the packaging contribution to the overall R&I EU strategy with the right monitoring of KPIs and associated portfolio required.
• Validate technical briefs in collaboration with local R&I teams for each EU Category.
• Effectively manage the financial resources under his responsibility to carry out his mission without overspending.
• Ensure that the teams have the means to carry out the industrial test sequences & 1st production validating the commercial launches for each producing CBU.
• If necessary, collaborate with Operations teams on action plans to bring COMAN packaging up to Quality & Food safety standards.
• Co-create and deliver productivity, quality and BCP (business continuity) programs with FIRS DIET (R&I, Ops, C&P and Quality).
• Contribute to R&I leadership by organizing, with local R&I, Innovation Category Days along with R&I Category leads.
• Coordinate technical roadmaps to anticipate future needs (H2, H3), in coordination with the Advanced Packaging Technologies teams.
• Ensure the ongoing development of technical and technological capabilities, in coordination with the Advanced Technologies Packaging teams.

Experience

- Minimum 10 years' experience in the FMCG industry and in packaging.

- Proven experience in a local business unit (CBU).

- Experience of working in a matrix organization.

Skills

- Technical expertise in packaging design (knowledge of different plastic materials: PS, PET, PP, PLA... and paper / cardboard, knowledge of different packaging manufacturing technologies (ISBM, EBM, Thermoforming, labeling machines, end of line, case packers, stretch wrappers...etc)

- Knowledge of packaging regulations in the food industry.

- Knowledge of regulations and developments in Europe concerning the recyclability of materials, etc.

- Strong leadership and strategic vision, with the ability to translate strategy into concrete, pragmatic action plans.

- Strong managerial skills with a keen interest in and motivation for people development.

- Ability to build long-term partnerships, and to create, develop and manage a network of external partners.

- Proactive, solution- and business-oriented, continuous improvement mindset.

- Flexible and agile, with strong ability to deal with uncertainty and ambiguity.

- Quick to learn and adapt in an uncertain and changing environment.

Extensive travels (Circa 50%) is expected with this role