Director, Packaging

Illinois Ag; Oak Brook (IL); Hybrid; USD 165,100 - 247,700; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k) match

Paid time off

Tuition reimbursement

DevelopU platform

Parental leave

Job summary

TreeHouse Foods in Oak Brook, IL seeks a Director of Packaging to lead the strategic direction, design, development, validation, and implementation of packaging technologies, line extensions, and packaging solutions across the enterprise.

The ideal candidate has 15+ years in packaging technology within food/CPG, with 5–7 years in a senior leadership role, and a proven ability to drive cost savings, innovation, and influence executive decision-making.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Packaging, Engineering or related field is required.
• 15+ years of progressive experience in packaging technology, materials, and development in the food/CPG industry.
• 5–7+ years in a senior leadership role.
• Proven strategic leadership in large-scale technical programs and packaging transformations.
• Ability to influence executive decision-making at the senior level.
• Expert-level cross-functional team leadership and project management skills.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership and technical oversight for all packaging initiatives.
• Establish and govern packaging specifications, in-process control points, testing requirements, and operating guidelines.
• Champion innovation, technology advancements, and cost-savings opportunities in packaging projects.
• Build, mentor, and develop high-performing packaging teams.
• Direct design, execution, and analysis of technical experiments, validations, and pilot programs.
• Set the technical strategic direction for packaging and manage resource planning.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to deliver integrated packaging solutions.
• Communicate complex technical concepts to senior leadership and stakeholders.
• Develop a strong technical supplier network.

Skills

Packaging technology

Leadership

Cross-functional leadership

Project management

Strategic thinking

Executive influence

Education

Bachelor's degree in Packaging, Engineering or related field

Job description

Employee Type:

Full time

Location:

IL Oak Brook

Job Type:

Research and Development Packaging

Job Posting Title:

Director, Packaging

About Us

TreeHouse Foods is a leading manufacturer of private label packaged foods and beverages, operating a network of over 20 production facilities and several corporate offices across the United States and Canada. At TreeHouse Foods, our commitment to excellence extends beyond our products and revolves around our people. We are investing in talent and creating a performance‑based culture where employees can do their best work and develop their careers, directly impacting our mission to make high quality, affordable food for our customers, communities, and families. We hope you will consider joining the team and being part of our future.

Named one of America's Best Large Employers by Forbes Magazine, we are proud to live by a strong set of values and strive to Engage and Delight - One Customer at a Time. Guided by our values Own It, Commit to Excellence, Be Agile, Speak Up, and Better Together. We are a diverse team driven by integrity, accountability, and a commitment to exceptional results. We embrace change, prioritize continuous learning, and foster collaboration, transparency, and healthy debate. Together, we set each other up for success to achieve enterprise‑wide goals.

What You Gain

• Competitive compensation and benefits program with no waiting period - you're eligible from your first day!
• 401(k) program with 5% employer match and 100% vesting as soon as you enroll.
• Comprehensive paid time off opportunities, including immediate access to four weeks of vacation, five sick days, parental leave and 11 company holidays (including two floating holidays).
• Leaders who are invested in supporting your accelerated career growth, plus paid training, tuition reimbursement and a robust educational platform - DevelopU - with more than 10,000 free courses to support you along the way.
• An inclusive working environment where you can build meaningful work relationships with a diverse group of professionals. Take advantage of opportunities to build on our team‑oriented culture, such as joining one of our Employee Resource Groups.
• Access to our wellness and employee assistance programs.

Job Description

About the Role: We are seeking a Director of Packaging to join our team at our Oak Brook, Illinois corporate office. This role will lead the strategic direction, design, development, validation, and implementation of packaging technologies, line extensions, package/product improvements, and technical services across TreeHouse Foods. Drive innovation and value creation through cost reductions, new technologies, sustainability initiatives, and packaging solutions that align with business objectives and product requirements. Provide executive‑level technical leadership to elevate packaging as a competitive advantage for the organization.

You’ll add value to this role by performing various functions including, but not limited to:

• Provide strategic leadership and technical oversight for all packaging initiatives, serving as the primary expert on cross‑functional project teams while directing internal and external manufacturing start‑ups and ongoing technical support.
• Establish and govern packaging specifications, in‑process control points, testing requirements, and operating guidelines to ensure consistency, compliance, and quality across the enterprise.
• Champion innovation, technology advancements, cost savings opportunities, and strategic alignment of packaging projects.
• Build, mentor, and develop high‑performing packaging teams, including coaching and guiding senior and junior engineers to foster technical excellence and career growth.
• Direct the design, execution, and analysis of technical experiments, validations, and pilot programs to drive data‑based decision making.
• Set the overall technical strategic direction for packaging, including identifying and initiating new programs, evaluating emerging technologies, and managing technical resource planning and allocation.
• Collaborate with cross‑functional teams to deliver integrated packaging solutions that support business growth.
• Communicate complex technical concepts clearly and influence senior leadership and cross‑functional stakeholders on key packaging initiatives, risks, and opportunities.
• Develop a strong technical supplier network.

Important Details:

• The anticipated compensation for this position ranges from $165,100.00 - $247,700.00 USD annually. This is the lowest to highest salary we in good faith believe we would pay for this role at the time of this posting. An employee's position within the salary range will be based on several factors including, but not limited to, specific competencies, relevant education, qualifications, certifications, experience, skills, seniority, geographic location, performance, shift, travel requirements, sales or revenue‑based metrics and business or organizational needs. For certain roles, the successful candidate may be eligible for annual discretionary merit compensation award, bonus and equity pay.
• This is a full‑time, hybrid role based in our Oak Brook, IL office. Travel up to 35% may be required to support project work.

You’ll fit right in if you have:

• Bachelor's degree in Packaging, Engineering or related field is required. degree is preferred.
• 15+ years of progressive experience in packaging technology, materials, and development within the food or CPG industry, with at least 5‑7 years in a senior leadership role.
• Proven strategic leadership in driving large‑scale technical programs and packaging transformations that deliver significant cost savings, innovation, and business value.
• Demonstrated ability to influence executive decision‑making and provide high‑impact technical input at the senior leadership level.
• Expert‑level cross‑functional team leadership and technical project management skills, with a track record of successfully delivering complex, multi‑site initiatives.
• Recognized internally and externally as a subject matter expert in packaging, with broad and deep technical proficiency across multiple material types and processes.
• Advanced skills in project management, negotiation, stakeholder communication, technical problem‑solving, and influencing at all organizational levels.

Equal Opportunity Employer Statement

At TreeHouse Foods, we embrace diversity and inclusion for innovation and growth. We are committed to building inclusive teams and an equitable workplace for our employees to bring their true selves to work to help us Engage and Delight - One Customer at a Time. TreeHouse Foods is an Equal Opportunity Employer that prohibits discrimination or harassment of any type. All qualified applicants are considered for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Applicants who require an accommodation to participate in the job application or hiring process should contact disability‑[e-mail]