Sustainable Packaging Innovation Leader

Mars; Greater London; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Company bonus

Competitive salary

Job summary

Mars Food & Nutrition seeks a Sustainability Open Innovation & Technology Lead to identify, develop and scale sustainable packaging solutions. The role connects external ecosystems with internal priorities, translating breakthrough technologies into real-world impact.

You will build partnerships with startups, universities and industry leaders while collaborating with Packaging R&D, Sustainability, Regulatory, Engineering, Quality and Commercial teams to deliver future-ready packaging solutions.

Qualifications

• Degree in Packaging Science, Materials Science, Engineering, Sustainability, Food Science, or related discipline.
• 5+ years in Packaging R&D, Sustainability, Open Innovation, Materials Development, or related fields.
• Experience evaluating and implementing packaging innovations and new materials.
• Experience managing external innovation partnerships and supplier collaborations.
• Strong understanding of packaging materials, recyclability and circular economy trends.

Responsibilities

• Identify and prioritize emerging packaging technologies, materials, suppliers, startups and partners.
• Build an external innovation network across academia, providers and sustainability ecosystems.
• Monitor packaging technology trends, regulatory developments, competition and market innovations.
• Evaluate new technologies against sustainability, feasibility, cost and scalability.
• Translate external opportunities into actionable business recommendations and project pipelines.
• Lead development of packaging solutions for recyclability, recycled content and circular economy.
• Manage technology transfer and collaboration with internal teams and external partners.
• Develop roadmaps aligned with business priorities and regulatory commitments.
• Foster a culture of innovation and continuous improvement.

Skills

Open Innovation

Stakeholder influence

Cross-functional leadership

Networking

Trend analysis

Education

Packaging Science

Materials Science

Engineering

Sustainability

Food Science

Tools

Project management

Regulatory knowledge

Technology scouting tools

Job description

Mars Food & Nutrition seeks a Sustainability Open Innovation & Technology Lead to identify, develop and scale sustainable packaging solutions. The role connects external ecosystems with internal priorities, translating breakthrough technologies into real-world impact.

You will build partnerships with startups, universities and industry leaders while collaborating with Packaging R&D, Sustainability, Regulatory, Engineering, Quality and Commercial teams to deliver future-ready packaging solutions.