Technical Packaging & Merchandise Manager

Costa; St Albans; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Costa is seeking a Technical Packaging & Merchandise Manager in St Albans, UK. This permanent role focuses on delivering EPD and NPD packaging, merchandise and gifting that are functional, food safe, compliant and aligned with global standards.

You will drive supplier performance and maintain brand standards and sustainability across regions. You will leverage expertise in packaging materials and technologies to ensure consistent quality, performance and consumer excitement, propelling growth

Qualifications

• Understanding of global packaging regulations and food safety standards.
• Experience in end-to-end packaging development in FMCG.
• Ability to embed standards and quality systems (e.g. BRC, ISO, HACCP).

Responsibilities

• Lead the delivery of packaging, merchandise and gifting projects (NPD & EPD).
• Develop and embed global packaging processes, technical standards and testing protocols.
• Own specification management and regulatory compliance across regions.
• Manage supplier assurance, including auditing and risk management.
• Partner cross-functionally to design innovative, fit-for-purpose packaging that drives growth.

Skills

Packaging regulations

Food safety standards

Sustainability requirements

Cross-functional collaboration

Project delivery

Job description

Technical Packaging & Merchandise Manager

• St Albans, England, UK
• Permanent
• Global Functions - Procurement / Supply Chain

At Costa Coffee, we are what we craft.We’rereimagining coffee experiences in over 50 countries and counting, as a key part of the Coca-Cola System. Whether you get your coffee in a store, from a machine, at home, or on the go –we’vegot you covered.

The Technical Packaging & Merchandise Manager is responsible for delivering EPD & NPD projects ensuring Costa packaging, merchandise and gifting is functional, food safe and compliant with global regulatory requirements. Managing suppliers performance through continuous improvement of processes, procedures and technical standards will be a critical part of the role to ensuring global consistency of packaging, merchandise and gifting, brand standards and sustainability requirements.

You will leverage your understanding of packaging materials, and technologies to ensure Costa packaging has consistent quality, operational performance, and excites our consumers, customers and drive growth for Costa.

Our teams make a difference. Whetherthat’sworking on new tech for the perfect pour, helping our teams grow, creating award-winning campaigns, crunching the numbers, or developing the latest exciting menu item; together, we stir up success.

We may be a global brand, but wehaven’tforgotten our roots.That’swhere the Costa Foundation and our fantastic community agenda come in. Whatever your role, you can help us change lives in coffee growingcommunities andhelp your local community too.

We also want to help you grow in your career through amazing experiences, our apprenticeship scheme, and development programmes. At Costa, you can go beyond the day-to-day.

And as aTechnical Packaging & Merchandise Manager there’snever been a better time to join.

So, why Costa?

Wedidn’tbecome a global coffee brand by sitting back. When you work here, you join a community that values passion,progressionand integrity, with somepretty brilliantperksto sweeten the deal:

• Own a piece of Costa’s success by becoming a share owner in Coca-Cola with our Share Investment Plan (SIP)
• An annual discretionary bonus scheme, based on business results and individual contribution.
• A smart pension that saves you money on tax and national insurance, and matches your contributions up to 10%
• The Costa Financial Support Fund, supporting team members who find themselves in unexpected financial pressure
• 50% discount in all Costa-owned stores, and 25% off in other participating stores
• Private medical cover thanks to our Private Healthcare scheme
• Andthat’snot all. Explore even more of ourperkshere: https://bit.ly/costaperks

We’repassionateaboutbeingagreatplaceto work, where you can bring your unique self into our mix. Wefirmly supportdiversity,equityand inclusion, and continue to work with our teams to shape the future of our culture and values: Disciplined to Deliver, Passion for Progress, Win with Warmth, Courage to Challenge and Trusted Team Players.

What you’ll do:

Being aTechnical Packaging and Merchandise Manageris about so much more than bringing our coffee to the world.It’syour chance to stir up real success – which meansyou’llbe:

• Lead the delivery of packaging, merchandise and gifting projects (NPD & EPD), ensuring products are compliant, food safe, sustainable and aligned to brand standards.
• Develop and embed global packaging processes, technical standards and testing protocols to ensure consistency, quality and operational performance.
• Own specification management and regulatory compliance across all regions, maintaining approvals and staying ahead of emerging packaging legislation.
• Manage supplier assurance, including auditing, risk management and ensuring consistent delivery against agreed specifications throughout the product lifecycle.
• Partner cross-functionally (e.g. Sustainability, Marketing, Procurement, Supply Chain) to design innovative, fit-for-purpose packaging that enhances customer experience and drives growth.

Who you are:

It’syour unique ingredientswe’reinterested in:

• Strong knowledge of global packaging regulations, food safety standards and sustainability requirements, with experience across materials such as plastics and paper-based packaging.
• Proven experience in end-to-end packaging development within FMCG, from concept through to launch, including project delivery and process improvement.
• Ability to develop and embed technical standards, processes and quality systems (e.g. BRC, ISO, HACCP) within a global organisation.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to work cross-functionally and influence stakeholders at all levels.
• Self-starter with a structured, agile approach—able to manage complexity, adapt to changing priorities and drive results in a fast-paced environment.

Where you’ll work:

Right now, our Support Centre teams work flexibly, blending home working with in-person time whenever it matters most – whether that’s a team moment, a creative session, or simply coming together to share ideas.

We’re excited to be moving into anew home for our brand in St Albans in January 2027 – an inspiring space from which our Support Centre teams will work three days a week to connect and collaborate in-person to bring our bold ambition to life.

For any reasonable adjustments and general queries, please get in touch with the recruitment team.

Reimagining coffee experiences to make a difference

We’ve been changing the coffee game since day one. Founded by two pioneering brothers back in 1971, that innovative spirit (and love for great coffee) lives on in our cups, communities and Costaristas all over the world. And there’s never been a better time to join us.

" All the exciting global initiatives that are happening at Costa are what really sold me the role."