Sr Manager, R&D - Plastic Rigid Materials

Kraft Heinz; Glenview (IL); Hybrid; USD 120,800 - 151,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Prescription Drug, Dental, Vision

Paid Time Off

Flexible Work Arrangements

401(k)

Employee Assistance Program

Job summary

Kraft Heinz is looking for a Rigid Plastic Packaging Senior Manager at their Glenview R&D Center. This role entails leading a team of experts to develop innovative sustainable packaging solutions for their North American portfolio. The successful candidate should have a relevant engineering degree and a minimum of 8 years' experience in technology development, project management, and leading cross-functional teams. The position offers a hybrid work model and competitive compensation, alongside a performance-based bonus scheme.

Qualifications

• Minimum 8 years of R&D technology development experience in packaging.
• Demonstrated people management experience.
• Strong knowledge of packaging materials and manufacturing processes.

Responsibilities

• Lead a team to develop rigid plastic packaging solutions.
• Manage partnerships with suppliers and technology providers.
• Advance recyclable and compliant packaging formats.

Skills

Project management

Technical leadership

Sustainable packaging expertise

Communication skills

Material and polymer knowledge

Education

BS/MS/PhD in Engineering, Materials, Chemical or Packaging Engineering

Job description

Job Purpose

As the Rigid Plastic Packaging Senior Manager within the Sustainability & Materials Center of Excellence, you will lead a team of technical experts charged with developing rigid plastic packaging solutions to serve the North American portfolio. The objective is to create material and format solutions that meet sustainability requirements, addressing innovation, compliance, and value engineering initiatives.

Job Description

You will partner with Innovation, Process, and Platform packaging teams as well as cross‑functional stakeholders to translate technical and sustainability requirements into viable, commercial, manufacturable solutions. Your responsibilities include developing and leading technical strategies, delivering novel, functional, cost‑competitive solutions, and guiding proof‑of‑concept, technology scale‑up, and transition of technologies to business units.

Essential Functions & Responsibilities

• Lead and prioritize a portfolio of complex rigid plastic packaging technology strategies and initiatives, balancing exploration with proof‑of‑concept and managing partnerships to demonstrate value and business case.
• Build, coordinate, and manage relationships with suppliers, technology providers, and external partners such as universities, institutes, start‑ups, and open innovation networks.
• Identify material/polymer/packaging technology solutions that avoid material bans and regulatory risks.
• Advance recyclable, reusable, and compliant rigid packaging formats aligned with sustainability goals and legislative requirements.
• Deliver packaging designs to Performance-Based Specifications, ensuring functional, quality, shelf‑life, consumer experience, and manufacturing performance outcomes.
• Provide technical leadership on packaging reviews, ensuring design decisions align with enterprise standards, manufacturability, sustainability, and long‑term platform strategy.
• Own project and portfolio‑level budgets and resourcing strategies; develop and maintain project plans and schedules; monitor progress, assess risk, and proactively escalate trade‑offs.
• Serve as an accountable owner of governance, escalation, and go/no‑go decisions; represent packaging steering forums and influence stakeholders.
• Act as a technical expert for junior developers and direct the team to flex onto projects requiring problem solving.
• Partner with legal to build robust IP strategies and explore to build an IP portfolio for competitive advantage.
• Mentor, coach, and train junior project team members and contribute to PMO best practices and templates.
• Build and sustain a high‑performing technical team; manage, coach, mentor, and retain employees, including goal‑setting, performance management, salary planning, and hiring.
• Build strong succession and upskilling plans for junior talent, maximizing apprenticeship with more senior team members.

People Management Responsibilities

• Team (salaried): targeting 3 direct reports.

Key Outputs & Deliverables

• Deliver technology strategy and prioritize portfolio of complex rigid plastic packaging technology/format initiatives to meet sustainability, innovation, and value engineering goals.
• Lead and deploy a technical team to deliver 7 to 10 concurrent complex packaging technology projects annually, meeting committed timelines, budgets, and technical performance targets from concept through proof‑of‑concept and handover.
• Ensure full compliance with evolving sustainability and regulatory requirements for portfolio projects, minimizing EPR fees, designing solutions that avoid material bans, advancing recyclable formats, and delivering PBS‑compliant designs.

Expected Experience & Required Skills

• BS/MS/PhD degree in Engineering, Materials, Chemical or Packaging Engineering or related discipline.
• Minimum 8 years of R&D technology development and commercialization experience in packaging and project leadership.
• Demonstrated experience managing end‑to‑end development projects, driving packaging technology initiatives, leading external partnerships, and coordinating cross‑functional teams.
• Experience in people management.
• Strong technical knowledge of materials (polymers, barriers, additives) and manufacturing constraints, including conversion processes (filling, labeling, molding, injection molding, extrusion blow molding, thermoforming), bottle closure and dispensing systems.
• Proven project management/PMO skills; experience with governance, risk management, budget management, and stakeholder reporting.
• Expert knowledge of design of experiments and statistics; strong technical problem‑solving.
• Excellent communication, negotiation and interpersonal skills; ability to influence at all levels.
• Previous experience leading complex, multisite or global packaging or technology launches.
• Expert knowledge of sustainable packaging solutions, material/package industry standards and regulations.
• Experience with pilot line setups and scale‑up to industrial production.
• Willingness and ability to travel up to 25% of the time.

Work Environment & Schedule

This position operates primarily in a hybrid work environment at the Kraft Heinz R&D Innovation Center in Glenview, IL. Employees may work virtually up to two days per week, with an expectation to work on‑site at least three days per week.

Physical Demands

• Regular office work.
• Physical presence at labs and manufacturing sites (internal and external) for experimental and validation testing.

Compensation

New Hire Base Salary Range: $120,800.00 - $151,000.00

Bonus: This position is eligible for a performance‑based bonus as provided by the plan terms and governing documents.

Benefits

• Medical, Prescription Drug, Dental, Vision, Screenings/Assessments.
• Paid Time Off, Company Holidays, Leave of Absence, Flexible Work Arrangements, Recognition, Training.
• Employee Assistance Program, Wellbeing Programs, Family Support Programs.
• 401(k), Life, Accidental Death & Dismemberment, Disability.

Location(s)

Glenview R&D Center

Equal Opportunity Employer Statement

Kraft Heinz is an Equal Opportunity Employer – Underrepresented Ethnic Minority Groups/Women/Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity and other protected classes. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation in the job application process may contact [e-mail] for assistance.