Director of Packaging

The Director of Packaging leads and manages the Packaging Department (people, plant, processes, and systems) to achieve the required business outputs efficiently and effectively.  This role ensures compliance with safety and quality standards, production plans and cost requirements while driving continuous improvement initiatives.  

Primary Responsibilities: 

• Lead, manage and develop the Packaging and Maintenance teams, ensuring a safe and healthy working environment. 
• Translate business strategic needs into a Packaging function strategy 
• Effectively manage fixed and direct costs within the scope of responsibilities. 
• Establish and monitor productivity metrics to manage overall productivity. 
• Optimize and manage production processes to ensure efficiency and compliance with company and regulatory standards. 
• Collaborate with the plant Performance Manager to drive continuous improvement initiatives and lead systemic performance improvements within the Packaging and Maintenance teams. 
• Collaborate with Brewing Technical Director and Engineering Manager on the development of Maintenance pillars 
• Translate and implement company and department strategy. 
• Implement sustainable development within the Packaging department. 
• Collaborate with Brewing Technical Director on the consistent implementation of relevant Maintenance Pillars. 
• Effectively manage the Packaging maintenance budget and costs; optimize spare parts stock level.  Lead technology changes and governance of Capex roadmap. 
• Actively participate in overall company leadership initiatives as a member of Octopi’s Operating Committee. 
• Lead the relationship with company stakeholders (AEI, AGH) and ensure communication and cross-sharing of relevant information  

Accountabilities and Deliverables:

• Leading the team 
• Communicating to all employees within packaging that food and personnel safety always has the highest priority. 
• Mentor, support, coach direct reports within Packaging on the correct performance of their duties. 
• Develop direct reports and ensure that training needs are met by conducting training needs analyses, one-on-one meetings, and performance reviews. Take action to fulfill identified training needs. 
• Responsible for ensuring that performance management practices, such as SIM consultations, development team objectives, and performance reviews are conducted within all teams in the packaging organization. 
• Responsible for ensuring that there are sufficient resources in the budget for the availability of people, commitment, and holidays. 
• Responsible for a consistent way of working within teams and different units. 

• Managing productivity 
• Identifying and monitoring fixed and variable costs. 
• Determining and monitoring the CAPEX budget. 
• Responsible for the smooth transfer and receipt of CAPEX projects to operations, including up-to-date standards. 
• Minimizing losses. 
• Defining goals regarding (food) safety, efficiency and loss reduction for the packaging department, as well as for fully integrated supply. 
• Realize, report on, and improve all packaging goals, and adjust where necessary. 

• Optimize and manage the packaging process  
• Responsible for ensuring that production takes place in accordance with specifications, standards and the applicable AGPRM, SQF, GMP and HACCP standard. 
• Ensuring maintenance integrity. 
• Optimize process output and capability. 
• Lead and support projects within Packaging. 
• Supporting engineering integrity. 
• Identifying (potential) problems. 
• Facilitate problem solving.

• Translate and implement the company and department strategy  
• Implement and further develop the integrated supply strategy, locally through the Deliver Octopi program. 
• Support a learning organization. 
• Exhibit behavior that builds, maintains, and enhances corporate reputation. 

• Member of the HACCP team 
• Participate in HACCP team meetings. 
• Responsible for discussing all changes within area of control that may affect the GMP and HACCP system. 
• Supporting the maintenance of the GMP and HACCP system. 
• Discuss and approve the GMP and HACCP verification and determine the necessary resources and facilities. 
• Communicating department-relevant changes to the GMP and HACCP standards within the department. 

• Manage safety, well-being and risk  
• Implement and further develop the integrated supply chain strategy on safety, well-being and environment. 
• Conducting investigations to prevent damage and injuries. Ensuring that an investigation is conducted in the event of a near miss or injury. 
• Ensure up to date (legal and internal) risk assessments and implement the defined measures. 
• Conduct inspections to ensure compliance with 5S, safety, quality and operational standards; address identified risks or areas of non-compliance. 
• Drive a safety-first culture. 

• Drive Continuous improvement 
• Leading the change process to continuously implement Deliver Octopi. 
• Ensuring effective application of the Deliver Octopi program within the department. 
• Leading the application of the goal-oriented improvement process. 
• Responsible for structural SIM consultations, such as shift transfers, daily, weekly and monthly performance meetings and reporting, running smoothly according to the agreed standard and continuously improved. 
• Develop and implement Deliver Octopi within Packaging, especially 5S, autonomous maintenance, Focused Improvement (Performance Driving System, 5xWhy, We Can If…) and Performance Management. 
• Responsible for communicating the packaging vision, ensuring that loss reduction and process improvements are part of the team goals and ensure that team members embrace these goals and translate them to the shift team leaders and operators. 
• Leading/supervising meetings (projects/improvements), using a standard agenda and project structure (e.g. Small Group Activity).  
• Manage the application of a targeted change process to implement the Asahi Way. 
• Secure effective utilization of the Asahi Way within the department members 

• Applying sustainable development within Packaging 
• Explain the impact of the most important sustainable development issues on the department and indicate how employees can contribute. 
• Integrate sustainable development priorities with corporate strategy and the department's operational planning and implementation. 

• Strategic management of the maintenance function leveraging proactive planning 
• Develop and implement comprehensive maintenance strategies aligned to Maintenance pillar standards to meet organizational goals. 
• Establish key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure and analyze the effectiveness of maintenance activities. 
• Develop and manage the maintenance budget effectively. 
• Optimize spare parts stock level of the packaging department 
• Optimize resource allocation and identify cost-saving opportunities without compromising safety and quality 

About Our Team:

We are looking for energetic candidates to grow with us at Octopi. 

Qualified individuals are detail-oriented, collaborative, growth-focused, and self-motivated. Our team is a community; we are open, informal and laid back, but also hard working and respectful of others. You should be as well.

Offers of employment at Octopi are contingent upon clear results of a thorough background check. Background checks will be conducted on all final candidates, as deemed necessary.

Requirements

Skills and Experience Required:

• University degree (Mechanical, Engineering, Food Science, Biotechnology) 
• Minimum 7 years of professional experience, with minimum 3 years in beverage industry 
• Minimum 3 years of proven managerial experience 
• Working knowledge of OSHA regulations and Lean Manufacturing principles preferred. 
• Advanced knowledge in packaging, technical processes and industrial equipment maintenance 
• Expertise in safety, risk, and change management 
• Strong strategic thinking and decision-making skills 
• Target and quality-driven with the ability to manage large teams and operations 
• Strong communication skills (verbal and written), with an emphasis on interpersonal and customer service excellence. 
• Ability to prioritize tasks and operate effectively in a fast-paced environment. 
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and familiarity with computerized maintenance management systems. 

Required Behavioral Attributes: 

• Result-oriented 
• Management 
• Decisiveness 
• Persuasiveness 
• Problem analysis 
• Communicating a vision 
• Quality orientation 
• Judgment formation 
• Communicate 
• Dealing with details 
• Conceptual thinking 
• Coaching