Packaging Technologist

Packaging Technologist

Job title:                    Packaging Technologist      

Reports to:               Head of Product Innovation

Location:                  Leek, Ornua Foods UK        

Salary:                       Generous Salary available upon request

Hours:                        36.25 hours, Monday to Friday     

Benefits:                    Matched pension scheme up to 8%, Generous holiday allowance increasing with length of service, Subsidised staff canteen, Company shop offering discounts on Ornua products, Sports & Social Club, Staff Lottery, Discount on Bikes & Tech Scheme, Confidential Employee Assist Programme, Free onsite parking

Ornua (meaning “new gold”) is Ireland’s largest exporter of Irish dairy products, proudly bringing the unique taste of Irish dairy to the world for over 55 years.

Are you a motivated, dynamic and passionate Packaging Technologist with a wealth of experience looking for the challenge of taking a mission driven organisation to its next level of success? Are you a keen collaborator with extensive experience in design, development and testing?

Ornua is actively seeking a Packaging Technologist to join our Product Innovation team as we continue our growth trajectory.

The Packaging Technologist will play a key role in driving delivery of packaging projects as required by packaging road map and innovation strategy. You will be responsible for the delivery of packaging projects, developing concepts through the packaging development process, they will ensure that packaging solutions meet all legal, functional and customer/consumer requirements. 

Why Ornua?

• Ornua operates from 10 business units worldwide, including 16 production facilities, and has sales and marketing teams working in-market across all four corners of the globe.
• The Group is structured across two divisions: Ornua Foods and Ornua Ingredients.
• Ornua Foods is responsible for the marketing and sales of Ornua’s consumer brands including Kerrygold, Pilgrims Choice.
• Our co-operative ethos lies at the heart of how we do business as a purpose and values-led organisation, creating value for Irish dairy farming families.
• Our Values lie at the core of everything we do. Our five values encourage us to Seek and Embrace New Ideas, Make It Happen, Be Our True Selves, Show You Care, and Achieve Great Things Together.
• We invest in our people and foster a culture of continuous learning and improvement.
• Career Progression including Global Mobility opportunities.
• Comprehensive Benefits with regional specific offerings.

Why This Role Is Valuable:

As our Packaging Technologist you will be responsible for leading on;

• Work closely with and build effective networks with suppliers and key internal stakeholders (marketing, procurement and supply and 3rd party operations) to execute their brief effectively. 
• Keep up to date with packaging trends and customer needs to generate ideas to fuel the packaging strategy (tie in with ops and sustainability – future proofing our packaging solutions feeding into innovation strategy…. Appreciation of consumer first thinking. 
• Act as a voice of technology for their area of functional expertise. 
• Accountable for the delivery and technical project management of allocated packaging projects. 
• Keep up to date with latest market trends and new packaging technologies to input new ideas to feed into the overall packaging and business strategy. 
• Identify the requirements of internal stakeholders, customers and consumers and convert those into key quality attributes and packaging designs. 
• Develop and maintain packaging specifications that are fit for purpose and volume manufacturing. 
• Proactively work with suppliers to ensure packaging performance, also preventing, and managing technical issues on existing packaging solutions. 
• Support the overall organisation by providing technical expertise as relevant. 

What You Bring To The Role:

• FMCG background, preferably chilled food, food or pharmaceutical, with experience in packaged consumer goods, and a proven experience of introducing and validating new packaging products and manufacturing processes. 
• Creative thinking to explore new packaging formats  
• Good working knowledge of rigid & flexible packaging items such as tubs, pots and fiber-based products and films and their materials and manufacturing processes. 
• Able to interpret and create technical drawings, ideally with 3D CAD experience. 
• Evidence of influencing technical packing work programs with a cross functional team. 
• Experience of working a through stage and gate style product development processes. 

• Demonstrated ability to use statistical data analysis tools to assess product/process performance. 

• Proven ability and aptitude to apply technical knowledge within a commercial environment. 

• Able to leverage interpersonal skills to form strong relationships and build networks 

Our interview process is designed to be thorough yet supportive. This process includes a first stage via Teams to allow us to get to know you better and to understand your skills and experiences and, if successful, a second stage face-to-face interview that will build upon the first stage and give you the opportunity to get a feel for Ornua and the environment in which you will be working.

Ornua has ambitious growth plans and we’re building a team to help enable and accelerate that growth. We are looking for people who share our values, are curious, forward-looking, take ownership and work together to build a future for themselves and Ornua.

Would you like to make an impact?

To learn more, please visit Ornua at www.ornua.com