Manager Packaging Production

Tyson Foods; Springdale (AR); On-site; USD 75,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Tyson Foods in Springdale, AR is seeking a Manager, Packaging Production Design to lead end-to-end packaging artwork and prepress workflows across brands. You will translate approved concepts into print-ready files, ensuring brand, legal, and regulatory requirements are met while supporting fast, high-quality product launches.

This role requires 4+ years in packaging, proficiency with Adobe Creative Suite, and familiarity with SAP/GSM/NPD systems.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Graphic Communications or related field.
• 4+ years packaging experience; CPG experience preferred.
• Experience with Adobe Creative Suite.
• Strong problem-solving, project management, and communication skills.
• Knowledge of packaging formats, substrates, and print processes.

Responsibilities

• Manage the packaging production design process from handoff to artwork release with brand consistency.
• Collaborate with vendors and printers on print feasibility and color management.
• Lead print feasibility reviews with brand teams and suppliers.
• Approve contract color proofs and production release.
• Stay current on packaging production trends and AI tools.
• Partner with Industrial Design to create prototypes for new products.
• Serve as expert on printing processes and graphics reproduction.
• Apply knowledge of packaging formats and substrates to ensure appropriate graphics.

Skills

Critical thinking

Project management

Planning

Communication

Leadership

Education

Bachelor's in Graphic Communications

Tools

Adobe Creative Suite

SAP

GSM

NPD

Job description

Job Details:

Job Summary

The Manager, Packaging Production Design is responsible for leading the end-to-end execution of packaging artwork and prepress workflows across assigned Tyson Foods brands and business units. This role serves as the critical link between creative development and final production, translating approved packaging concepts into technically accurate, print-ready files that meet brand, legal, regulatory, and operational requirements.

With a focus on speed-to-market, quality, and compliance, this individual ensures packaging files meet print production standards and are optimized for manufacturing processes. The Manager plays a critical role in maintaining packaging accuracy, minimizing rework, and supporting efficient commercial launches of new products and packaging changes. The Manager ensures the timely and efficient execution of packaging graphics while continuously improving production workflows, tools, and quality standards.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Packaging Production & Artwork Management

• Manage the packaging production design process from final creative handoff to artwork release across assigned brands, ensuring brand consistency, technical accuracy, artwork routing, prepress file readiness, and version control.
• Collaborate with vendors and printer supplier partners to ensure print feasibility and consistency across substrates and printing methods, using knowledge of color management, press characterization, prepress workflows, substrate performance, and image reproduction standards.
• Lead print feasibility reviews with brand teams, printers, and suppliers to assess design execution risks and propose solutions aligned with print capabilities.
• Guide the development and approval of contract color proofs and provide final sign-off for production release.
• Stay current on emerging packaging production trends, print technologies, and best practices including workflow and AI tools to optimize packaging graphics execution.
• Partner with the Industrial Design team to create physical and digital prototypes for new products, using Adobe Creative Suite, packaging knowledge, and creative problem-solving to support internal alignment, customer presentations, and external sales opportunities.
• Serve as a subject matter expert for printing processes and graphics reproduction, bringing in-depth technical knowledge of how artwork is prepared, separated, color-managed, proofed, and reproduced in a production printing environment.
• Apply a strong understanding of packaging formats, materials, substrates, structures, and related industry vocabulary to ensure graphics execution is appropriate for each packaging type and manufacturing process.

Systems & Process Management

• Serve as the primary administrator for the enterprise Packaging Graphics System of Record (e.g., TANGO), managing user workflows, data integrity, and issue resolution.
• Oversee the creation and management of packaging specifications for graphics-related changes; ensure data flow from systems of record (SAP, GSM, NPD) is consistent and accurate.
• Facilitate daily prioritization meetings to adjust production timelines based on changing business priorities.
• Evaluate existing graphics workflows, identify opportunities to reduce errors and rework, and recommend process improvements that help shorten time to market while improving quality and consistency.
• Learn and adopt AI-enabled tools, automation, and emerging technologies that can advance department capabilities, improve workflow efficiency, and support more effective decision-making.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner with cross-functional teams—including Regulatory, Legal, Marketing, Packaging Engineering, and Supply Chain—to ensure all packaging assets meet compliance and technical requirements.
• Play a critical role in the packaging graphics change process for Tyson Foods brands, including Tyson, Jimmy Dean, Hillshire Farm, and State Fair, ensuring changes are executed accurately, efficiently, and in alignment with brand and business expectations.

Supplier & Vendor Management

• Manage premedia supplier partners, creative agencies, and printer supplier partners to ensure quality, timelines, capacity needs, and brand standards are met across the portfolio.

Education

• Bachelor's degree in Graphic Communications, or a related field of study, is required.
• Equivalent work experience may be acceptable.

Work Experience

• 4+ years of relevant packaging experience is required. Experience with Adobe Creative Suites preferred. CPG experience preferred.

Special/Technical Skills

• Strong critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
• Strong project management skills.
• Strong planning and organizational skills.
• Requires intermediate computer skills in Microsoft Office and demonstrated proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite, with the ability to support prototype development, artwork evaluation, file review, production problem-solving, and workflow applications such as SAP, GSM, or NPD.
• Strong technical understanding of commercial printing processes, packaging production methods, prepress requirements, color reproduction, and packaging terminology across a variety of packaging formats.

Communication Skills

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills required.
• Strong leadership skills required.
• Must have the ability to effectively communicate with all functional and business unit management levels.

Supervisory

• This is an individual contributor role with functional leadership responsibility across packaging graphics workflows, supplier coordination, and cross-functional process execution.

Travel

• Up to 5% travel.

Relocation Assistance Eligible:

Yes

Work Shift:

1ST SHIFT (United States of America)

Certain roles at Tyson require background checks. If you are offered a position that requires a background check you will be provided additional documentation to complete once an offer has been extended.

The successful candidate(s) must be willing and able to perform the physical requirements of the job with or without a reasonable accommodation.

Tyson is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will be considered without regard to race, national origin, color, religion, age, genetics, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability or veteran status.

• We provide our team members and their families with paid time off; 401(k) plans; affordable health, life, dental, vision and prescription drug benefits; and more.

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