Group Packaging Technologist

Hunter Savage; Cookstown; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading dairy cooperative in Northern Ireland is seeking a Group Packaging Technologist for a maternity cover role. The successful candidate will manage various packaging projects aimed at innovation and sustainability while ensuring compliance with legal requirements. Ideal applicants should have a relevant degree and at least 2 years of FMCG experience, along with strong project management and communication skills to effectively engage with stakeholders. This position offers 25 days of annual leave, a competitive salary, and additional benefits.

Benefits

25 days annual leave plus bank holidays

Contributory company pension

Life Assurance

Wellbeing support through Employee Assistance Programme

Enhanced Maternity and Paternity leave

Qualifications

• Minimum of 2 years recent relevant FMCG experience in packaging/packaging technologies.
• 3 years experience in a food manufacturing role, ideally within the food industry.
• Proficient knowledge of legislation and sustainability requirements.

Responsibilities

• Deliver packaging projects to support innovative packaging solutions.
• Manage supplier and stakeholder communication for packaging changes.
• Ensure compliance with packaging specifications and safety requirements.

Skills

Communication skills

Project management skills

Analytical and problem-solving skills

Ability to multitask

Stakeholder management

Education

Relevant honours degree or equivalent

Tools

Excel

Job description

Group Packaging Technologist - Maternity Cover (9-12 months)

Dale Farm Cooperative is a UK dairy farmer co‑operative owned by over 1200 dairy farmers who supply us with fresh milk. Dale Farm has operations throughout the UK and Ireland producing and distributing a wide range of dairy products which it sells across the UK and Ireland as well as exporting to over 45 countries worldwide.

At Dale Farm virtually every career discipline is represented in our workforce, from production, engineering and distribution, to sales & marketing and food technology/quality assurance, to Finance, HR and IT through to general management. Our standards are high and when we recruit we are looking for those with energy and drive, who are keen for responsibility and motivated to succeed with a record of achievement and with the potential to develop as the company grows.

Culture Our culture is based on setting best in class standards, working towards and delivering on committed objectives, striving for constant improvement and involving everyone in the company. We strive to develop our people and harness everyone's contribution to deliver a winning team.

Equal Opportunities

The company is an Equal Opportunities employer and is committed to a safe, inclusive and relationship based workspace.

Benefits

In return, we offer a high degree of responsibility, plenty of challenge, good opportunities for learning and personal development and rewarding benefit packages, all within a fast moving and results oriented environment.

About Us Dale Farm is the largest UK farmer-owned cooperative, owned by 1,300 UK farmers. We supply a wide range of consumer and food ingredients dairy products including fresh milk, cheeses, milk powders, butter & dairy spreads, and ice cream into the UK, Irish and international markets.

Core to our success is our people, and we now have an exciting opportunity within our Procurement Team, based at our Head Office in Belfast.

About the Role

As a Packing Technologist, you will play a core role within our Procurement Team in covering all areas of development to improve the way our packaging is delivered across multiple production sites.

Responsibilities

• Delivering a range of packaging projects to support Dale Farm's innovative packaging solutions for NPD, optimisation and sustainability projects, ensuring packaging project meet the needs of the supply chain as well as the consumer
• Leading and managing Dale Farm's Product Change Procedure for packaging which requires leading both supplier and stakeholder communication and engagement, planning and management of production trials, maintenance of trial documentation using the gate procedure, obtaining approval for change/new packaging and co‑ordination with stakeholders to implement change in packaging
• Management and implementation of cost take out projects schedule to support delivery of procurements budget improvements
• Approval & maintenance of packaging specifications database actively challenging supplier specifications to ensure legal compliance
• Ensuring all Dale Farm packaging is safe and legal requirement for packaging are fulfilled including but not limited to PPT and PEP R, and providing regular concise updates to the business on upcoming legislation changes
• Support delivery of Dale Farm Sustainability strategy by delivery Packaging improvements

About You

This opportunity calls for a packaging technologist with first rate communication skills who will be a hands‑on, results‑oriented individual and who can demonstrate their creativity, skills, energy and ability to multitask effectively.

Candidates should therefore possess a minimum of 2 years recent relevant FMCG experience in packaging/packaging technologies or 3 years experience in a food manufacturing role (e.g. quality/technical), ideally within the food industry. The successful Candidate will also be a relevant honours degree graduate (or equivalent) with experience of packaging materials & technologies ie structural design and print process.

We are looking for applicants who are confident and have good communication skills with the ability to build strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders. The successful candidate will need strong project management skills and be able to identify and manage risk to implement projects in a timely manner. It is also a requirement that the successful candidate can demonstrate a strong understanding of supply chain challenges, legislation and sustainability requirements and well as possessing strong analytical and problem‑solving skills and is proficient in excel. Candidates must have a valid driving licence.

Why Dale Farm?

We have a lot to offer our employees at Dale Farm and we are committed to everyone’s learning and development journey. In addition to a competitive salary commensurate with the role, as well as standard benefits such as 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays and contributory company pension, we also offer additional benefits such as Life Assurance, full wellbeing support through our Employee Assistance Programme, and enhanced Maternity and Paternity leave.

Core Values

Teamwork | Positivity | Resolve | Ambition | Curiosity | Accountability