Director, Packaging Innovation
KindersBUILT ON FLAVOR. FUELED BY PEOPLE. What’s it like to work at Kinder’s? Well, there’s a lot of snacking and geeking out over what we all cooked over the weekend. Beyond that, there’s also plenty of hard work. Because we don’t just like flavor, we’re obsessed with it. With over 100 products sold nationwide, we’re now a top-five brand in multiple flavor categories at Costco, Walmart, Whole Foods, and more. We’re not your typical CPG company. Privately held and founder-led, we like to think of ourselves as a pirate ship in a sea of cruise ships . Our crew is adventurous and fearless. We chart our own course and chase big ideas to make food unforgettable. As we expand globally and approach $1 billion in revenue, we need more smart-and-scrappy, flavor-obsessed people to come aboard. If you’re looking for a place where you can see the real impact of your work... this is it! Every day, you’ll be part of a journey to add flavor to millions of meals and lives. About The Role: The Director of Packaging Innovation at Kinder’s will play a pivotal role in bringing new products to life as we move beyond our dry seasonings, packets, and sauce bottles into new categories, and in rethinking packaging materials, formats, and the overall packaging experience across our existing portfolio. You will partner with the Innovation team to think about packaging early, starting as soon as we begin exploring a new category, and lead packaging from exploration and design through partner research and supplier selection before handing over to Packaging Engineering and Packaging Sourcing to take it through launch. You will also help shape our vision for the future of packaging at Kinder’s, including sustainability and alternative materials. This role requires a hands-on leader with deep packaging design and development expertise, an established network of packaging partners, and the ability to work closely with a multifunctional group of partners, especially Packaging Engineering and Packaging Sourcing. In this role, you will report to the VP of Innovation, starting as a player-coach with the expectation of building and leading a team over time. Key Responsibilities Include: Packaging Innovation Strategy & Early Exploration Lead packaging exploration for the Innovation team from the earliest stages of category and product ideation Explore packaging formats, shapes, and forms to unlock new categories and innovative product formats Shift from exploration into design, using human centered principles as the guide for delivering winning propositions for our consumers Screen packaging concepts early for cost and executability, and frame the feasibility questions Packaging Engineering will answer, helping the team make informed decisions about which opportunities to pursue Bring a point of view on how packaging can create consumer value, differentiate on shelf, and support brand permission in new spaces Collaborate with Finance, Co-manufacturing, and other cross-functional partners to frame packaging investment needs (tooling, materials, equipment, partner capabilities) and trade-offs as part of fit-for-purpose business cases, ensuring packaging execution is considered at the start Lead the renovation and reframing of packaging materials and formats across our existing portfolio, from consumer-facing format changes to new material systems Design, Prototyping, and Internal & External Partnerships Lead partner research: get out and meet new packaging partners (suppliers, converters, co-manufacturers, design agencies, and technology partners), push our standards, and bring new options into our process. Select suppliers for new formats once Packaging Engineering (tooling and manufacturing partners) and Packaging Sourcing (material inputs) have confirmed partners can deliver. Drive packaging design and development for new formats across primary and secondary packaging through prototyping and consumer testing, and define the requirements Packaging Engineering need…