NPI Senior Packaging Engineer

Job Introduction

We have an exciting opportunity for an NPI Senior Packaging Engineer to join our wonderful team. The successful candidate will be expected to travel regularly between our Bellshill and Cumbernauld sites, and will be responsible for delivering new packaging research and development projects, from concept through to feasibility, and supporting the implementation into new NPD projects within our existing manufacturing facilities. This role will be responsible for projects aimed at improving and enhancing the design and performance of our core & luxury packaging portfolio, as well as supporting the agreed WG&S business objectives, in areas such as sustainability and quality.

Main Responsibility

• Identifying new and innovative suppliers, technologies or materials to support the New Pack Ideas key themes and current WG&S business objective. Establishing new relationships as well as long term partnerships to ensure the NPI team remains at the forefront of the both the drink industry and packaging innovation.
• Identifying and evaluating the most suitable new ideas to progress based on an appreciation of both the technical and commercial business potential within specific pack innovation opportunities.
• Leading concept exploration activities through an understanding of their desirability / feasibility linking to the wider business and product needs.  With the ability to motivate a range of R&D and cross functional associates including marketing, suppliers, industry governing bodies, education institutes and industry experts (both internal and external).
• Leading a range of new packaging innovation projects in line with the NPI governance process.  With the ability to simultaneously managing several projects of different scales, pace, levels of complexity and ambiguity (evaluating both existing and new to world materials or technology).
• Development of robust technical feasibility plans to assess agreed concepts / ideas via experimentation and prototyping to prove out obstacles, establish cost estimates and validate technical assumption.
• Responsible for the self-lead exploration and technical evaluation of unknown or unproven areas of packaging innovation. Establishing technical mastery and achievable applications within the key focus areas to support WG&S business prioritise.
• Owning the identification, assessment and formal management of any current or future IP requirements, ensuring suitable protection is in place as part of any new ideas or concept the team may generate.
• Contributing, managing and controlling the catalogue of new proven ideas, ensuring they are easily referenced and ready for deployment to support future product developments. Ensuring a competitive advantage to WG&S from a packaging standpoint.
• Management and upkeep of the NPI lab ensuring the space is maintained at standard, reference samples and prototypes are well maintained, catalogued and well presented, ensuring an innovative working environment.

Our Ideal Candidate

• M.S. or degree in packaging, packaging materials, material science or design engineering with substantial experience and proven record in packaging environment.
• Understanding of packaging sciences, development and manufacturing processes, with significant experience and demonstrated knowledge  of packaging print processes, packaging and material componentry, its functionality and performance requirements (in particular containers, closures and secondary packaging).
• R&D experience in (Packaging / Engineering / Process / Product / Quality) within the drinks industry or equivalent. Translating consumer/business insights into feasible product solutions.
• Proven track record in identifying & leading the development of new innovative concepts from idea to feasibility, including supporting portfolio of work.
• Flexibility in changing priorities and responsibilities to support business needs. Tolerance for ambiguity in a fast paced, constantly changing product roadmap environment.
• Proven problem solver with analytical and troubleshooting abilities.
• Strong organisational skills and administrative aptitude as demonstrated via effective delivery of stakeholder requirements within a change environment.
• Good PC Applications Skills, competent in all MS office programs including Projects, Word, Excel and PPT.

What we can offer you

• We offer a competitive salary and benefits which are designed to promote our employees financial wellbeing. Employees are also eligible to participate in a bonus plan.
• Our employees enjoy a generous holiday entitlement and an opportunity to ‘buy’ or ‘sell’ some holiday entitlement.
• Private Healthcare and Doctor@Hand (remote GP service).
• Our employees can join a defined contribution pension plan. Employees contribute either 4% or 5% of salary, the company contributes 8% or 10% depending on the employee contribution. Employee contributions can be made through salary sacrifice.
• Our Employee Assistance Programme offers practical, impartial support on everyday matters ranging from medical, financial and legal to home and family issues. 
• Our Life Assurance cover is a multiple of eight times your annual basic salary.
• Product allocation so that you can enjoy our fantastic portfolio of brands.
• Our Cycle to Work scheme allows you to hire a bike for an agreed length of time, and then snap it up for a fraction of its original value. All while making savings (at least 25%) and spreading the cost.
• Every employee has the opportunity to claim up to £1,000 per year for a charity or charities for which they have raised money, volunteered their time or personally donated.
• Learning resources to help you be your best self.

About William Grant & Sons

A HOME FOR RARE CHARACTERS

William Grant & Sons: a home where Rare Characters thrive.

We value every employee for their rare character, distinctive skills, experience and perspectives. Every one of our colleagues has a role to play in helping us to achieve our growth ambitions.

At William Grant & Sons, our vision is to be A home where rare characters thrive. We value all colleagues for their rare character, distinctive skills, experience and perspectives. Diversity & Inclusion is at the heart of how we do things at William Grant & Sons, fully aligned to our purpose and our company values. We strive to create an environment where we can all be our best and bring our whole selves to work.

OUR AGILE WORKING PHILOSOPHY

Our agile working philosophy is to “Have your best work day everyday”.
Built on trust, we empower our rare characters to have their best work day every day. Where flexibility and positive working experiences help employees to feel connected and release potential across our teams.
We are open to discussing possible agile/flexible working options as part of the recruitment process.

INCLUSIVE RECRUITMENT PROCESS

Diversity & Inclusion is at the heart of how we do things at William Grant & Sons, fully aligned to our purpose and our company values. We want to ensure that our recruitment process is inclusive. If you have any questions or need some support with your application we’d love to hear from you. So please get in touch with our HR team at recruitment.enquiries@wgrant.com.