Lead Packaging Material Development

Designation: Assistant General Manager

Location: India Maharashtra Mumbai Paints office

Organization: Paints

• *Job Description:**
• -------------------

• *Job Title**
• *Packaging Material Development Lead – Decorative Paints**
• *Reporting To**

Head – Packaging Procurement \& Development

• *Location**

Corporate Office

• *Role Purpose**

Lead the development, qualification, cost optimization, and commercialization of packaging materials for decorative paints, including **plastic pails, rigid containers, corrugated cartons, and metal cans**, ensuring packaging performance, product protection, sustainability, regulatory compliance, and cost competitiveness across manufacturing locations.

The role works closely with Procurement, R\&D, Operations, Quality, Marketing, and Packaging Suppliers to deliver innovative and reliable packaging solutions for interior, exterior, wood coatings, waterproofing, and ancillary product portfolios.

• *Key Responsibilities**

• *Packaging Development \& Innovation**
• Develop and commercialize packaging solutions for:

+ Injection\-molded and blow\-molded plastic pails (1L–20L)

+ Metal containers and cans

+ Corrugated shipper cartons and retail\-ready packaging

+ Lids, handles, closures, labels and fitments

• Lead packaging design from concept through commercialization.
• Evaluate new materials, technologies, and packaging innovations to improve functionality and customer experience.
• Support new product launches through packaging development and qualification.
• Ensure packaging performance throughout product shelf life and supply chain conditions.

• *Supplier Development \& Qualification**
• Identify and develop packaging suppliers for plastic, carton, and metal packaging.
• Conduct supplier technical assessments and Vendor audits.
• Drive supplier innovation, quality improvement, and cost reduction initiatives.
• Lead vendor qualification and approval processes.

• *Cost Optimization \& Value Engineering**
• Identify opportunities for:

+ Resin reduction

+ Gauge optimization

+ Carton grammage optimization

+ Standardization across SKUs

+ Alternate material qualifications

• Drive annual packaging cost savings programs.
• Develop should\-cost models and benchmarking studies.

• *Sustainability \& Circular Economy**
• Increase recycled content utilization in packaging materials.
• Improve recyclability and reduce packaging carbon footprint.
• Support sustainability goals related to plastic reduction and circular packaging.
• Evaluate biodegradable and eco\-friendly packaging solutions where feasible.

• *Manufacturing \& Commercialization Support**
• Support packaging commissioning at manufacturing plants.
• Resolve packaging\-related production and field issues.
• Ensure packaging compatibility with filling lines and automation systems.
• Lead packaging change management activities across plants.

• *Quality \& Compliance**
• Establish packaging quality standards and acceptance criteria.
• Ensure compliance with:

+ BIS requirements

+ Legal metrology regulations

+ Transportation and handling standards

+ Internal quality management systems

• Investigate packaging failures and implement corrective actions.

• *Cross\-Functional Collaboration**
• Partner with:

+ R\&D

+ Procurement

+ Manufacturing

+ Supply Planning

+ Marketing

+ Quality Assurance

• Lead cross\-functional packaging improvement projects.
• Provide packaging technical expertise during customer complaints and root cause investigations.

• *Key Deliverables**
• Successful commercialization of new packaging platforms.
• Packaging cost reduction targets achieved annually.
• Improved packaging quality performance.
• Supplier qualification and capability enhancement.
• Sustainability improvement initiatives implemented.
• Reduction in packaging\-related customer complaints and manufacturing losses.

• *Required Qualifications**

• *Education**
• Bachelor's Degree in Packaging Technology, Polymer Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related field.
• Master's Degree preferred.

• *Experience**
• 10–15 years of experience in packaging development.
• Experience in paints, coatings, FMCG, chemicals, lubricants, adhesives, or related industries.
• Strong exposure to:

+ Plastic packaging development

+ Corrugated packaging

+ Metal packaging systems

+ Packaging testing and validation

• *Technical Competencies**
• Plastic processing technologies (Injection Molding, Blow Molding)
• Polymer material selection
• Corrugated packaging design
• Metal can manufacturing processes
• Packaging testing equipment and standards
• Design for manufacturability (DFM)
• Packaging specifications management
• Value engineering and cost optimization
• Sustainability and recyclability assessment
• Root cause analysis and problem\-solving

• *Leadership Competencies**
• Project Management
• Stakeholder Management
• Supplier Relationship Management
• Negotiation \& Influencing
• Innovation Mindset
• Analytical Thinking
• Cross\-functional Team Leadership
• Continuous Improvement (Lean/Six Sigma)

• *Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)**
• New packaging developments commercialized
• Packaging cost savings (% and value)
• Packaging\-related customer complaint reduction
• Packaging quality PPM/defect reduction
• Supplier OTIF and quality performance
• Speed of packaging qualification and launch
• Sustainability targets (recycled content, packaging weight reduction)
• Plant packaging efficiency improvements

• *Typical Scope in Decorative Paints Industry**
• Packaging portfolio covering **0\.5L to 20L packs**
• Plastic buckets/pails, cans, lids, handles, shrink sleeves, labels, corrugated cartons, and metal containers
• Multi\-site manufacturing support
• Collaboration with regional and national packaging suppliers
• Management of packaging spend ranging from ?50–300\+ Crores annually (depending on company size)