Sr Officer, Packaging Material Sourcing

Please review EMEA&I Description box

• Support development and execution of sourcing strategies for assigned packaging categories including flexible packaging, labels, cartons, corrugated boxes, inserts, shrink films, laminates, pouches, bottles, jars, caps, closures, and promotional packaging.
• Conduct market intelligence, supplier benchmarking, and industry analysis to identify new sourcing opportunities.
• Evaluate supplier capabilities, technologies, capacities, and competitiveness.
• Support category strategy reviews and supplier rationalization initiatives.
• Identify opportunities to standardize specifications and optimize packaging portfolios.
• Monitor packaging market trends, resin indices, paperboard markets, sustainability regulations, and emerging technologies.

• Identify, evaluate, qualify, and onboard packaging material suppliers.
• Coordinate supplier audits, quality assessments, technical evaluations, and compliance reviews.
• Work with Quality and Regulatory teams to ensure suppliers meet Herbalife standards and applicable regulatory requirements.
• Assess supplier capabilities, manufacturing infrastructure, quality systems, capacity, and business continuity plans.
• Maintain approved supplier databases, capability matrices, and supplier performance records.
• Support supplier development programs focused on quality improvement, service enhancement, innovation, and sustainability.

• Support sourcing activities for new product launches, packaging refreshes, artwork changes, and product transfers.
• Collaborate with Packaging Development and R&D teams to identify suitable packaging materials and technologies.
• Coordinate supplier involvement in packaging trials, pilot runs, validation activities, and commercial launches.
• Ensure timely availability of packaging materials to support project milestones.
• Support packaging specification development and supplier technical documentation review.
• Facilitate packaging change management and commercialization processes.

• Conduct commercial evaluations, cost breakdown analysis, should-cost assessments, and supplier bid comparisons.
• Support RFQs, RFPs, sourcing events, and supplier negotiations.
• Lead cost reduction and productivity initiatives through value engineering and packaging optimization.
• Benchmark supplier pricing and market competitiveness.
• Identify opportunities for material substitution, pack-size optimization, and packaging standardization.
• Support annual budgeting and savings target delivery for packaging spend categories.
• Track procurement savings, cost avoidance, and productivity metrics.

• Partner with Supply Planning and Manufacturing teams to ensure uninterrupted packaging material supply.
• Monitor supplier delivery performance, lead-times, inventory positions, and service levels.
• Manage supplier escalations related to quality, delivery, capacity, and service issues.
• Support inventory optimization strategies while balancing supply continuity requirements.
• Coordinate recovery plans during supply disruptions and capacity constraints.
• Develop alternate sourcing and dual-sourcing strategies for business-critical packaging materials.

• Build and maintain strong working relationships with packaging suppliers and strategic partners.
• Conduct supplier performance reviews using established KPIs.
• Facilitate supplier business reviews and improvement action plans.
• Collaborate with suppliers to resolve technical, operational, and commercial challenges.
• Encourage supplier-driven innovation and introduction of new packaging technologies.
• Support long-term supplier partnership development and performance improvement initiatives.

• Support sustainable packaging initiatives and ESG objectives.
• Identify opportunities to increase recyclability, reduce material usage, enhance circularity, and improve environmental performance.
• Ensure supplier compliance with GMP, FSSAI, food contact regulations, packaging regulations, and Herbalife quality standards.
• Support packaging compliance programs and regulatory documentation requirements.
• Monitor emerging sustainability regulations and industry best practices.
• Drive responsible sourcing initiatives within packaging supply categories.

• Monitor risks associated with packaging materials, supplier concentration, regulatory changes, geopolitical events, and commodity volatility.
• Develop mitigation plans and contingency sourcing strategies.
• Maintain risk assessments for critical suppliers and packaging categories.
• Support business continuity planning and supplier risk monitoring activities.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to proactively address packaging supply vulnerabilities.
• Ensure robust supply network resilience for critical packaging materials.

• Analyze packaging spend, supplier performance, market trends, and sourcing effectiveness.
• Develop meaningful reports and dashboards for management review.
• Track supplier KPIs, cost savings, inventory health, and sourcing metrics.
• Generate data-driven insights to improve decision-making and category performance.
• Support leadership reviews through analytical reporting and business recommendations.

Skills:

• Strong understanding of packaging materials, packaging processes, and supplier management principles.
• Knowledge of flexibles, folding cartons, corrugated packaging, labels, plastic containers, closures, and printing technologies.
• Strong commercial negotiation and cost analysis skills.
• Understanding of packaging regulations, food contact requirements, quality systems, and compliance standards.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and stakeholder management capabilities.
• Ability to manage multiple projects in a fast-paced environment.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and influencing skills.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, and procurement analytics tools.

Experience:

• 3-6 years of experience in Packaging Procurement, Packaging Development, Strategic Sourcing, Category Management, Supply Chain, or Supplier Management.
• Experience in FMCG, Nutraceutical, Pharmaceutical, Food, Consumer Healthcare, Cosmetics, or Consumer Products industries preferred.
• Experience managing packaging categories such as labels, cartons, flexible packaging, plastics, corrugates, bottles, closures, and printed materials.
• Experience working in GMP/FSSAI regulated manufacturing environments is preferred.

Education:

• Bachelor's Degree in Packaging Technology, Printing Technology, Engineering, Food Technology, Industrial Engineering, Supply Chain, Materials Science, or related discipline.
• MBA or Master's degree preferred.
• Professional certifications in Procurement, Supply Chain, Packaging Technology, Lean Six Sigma, CIPS, CPSM, or APICS are advantageous.