Overview of role

You will deliver packaging expertise across the business, ensuring legal compliance while optimising efficiency, cost and brand impact. Leading and supporting projects across NPD, capex and cost reduction, you will provide best-fit solutions that meet sustainability, innovation and quality goals. You will create briefs, coordinate plant and transit trials, manage material issues and oversee packaging budgets, ensuring all packaging is fit for purpose and performs effectively. You will maintain compliance with internal processes and legislation, approve supplier specifications, support supplier approvals and proactively track market and technology developments to identify new opportunities. 

Key Accountabilities

• Supports projects requiring specialist packaging input (Capex, Cost out, NPD) bringing best fit solutions to briefs set
• Ensure compliance with all internal processes and procedures as they relate to packaging, including but not limited to the PMR process.
• Create packaging briefs for existing SKUs and innovation pipeline, as required.
• Co-ordinate all packaging plant & transit trials.
• Manage resolution of all packaging material issues, ensuring that all packaging is fit for purpose.
• Provide training, guidance and assistance with problem solving to all packaging areas.
• Ensure that all materials used are legally compliant and appropriate declarations are held.
• Review and approve supplier material specifications ensuring they are valid and accurate.
• Support approval of packaging suppliers with Technical & Procurement.
• Maintain awareness of developments in packaging technologies & legislation, communicating potential implications to key stakeholders.
• Operate pallet plans and Cutter Guides.
• Support and provide annual cover for the Artwork Manager, approving artwork.
• Provide packaging requirements for BOM’s, Costings, QAS and Master Product Specifications.
• Develops and manages the Packaging budget
• Lives Westmill Values.

The Right Person

You will bring strong experience in packaging technology, particularly flexible films and corrugate, alongside a solid understanding of EU food packaging legislation. You are an organised and proactive project manager, able to manage multiple priorities with accuracy and attention to detail. A confident communicator, you build effective relationships across teams and suppliers, providing guidance and practical problem-solving support. You are comfortable analysing data, contributing to technical documentation and using digital or AI tools to enhance performance. A collaborative mindset, ownership of deliverables and a full UK driving licence will set you apart.