Sustainability Open Innovation & Technology Leader

Mars; South Holland (IL); On-site; USD 101,000 - 145,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Five Principles

Mars University

Competitive salary & bonus

Job summary

Mars Food & Nutrition seeks a Sustainability Open Innovation & Technology Lead to identify, develop, and scale next-generation sustainable packaging solutions. You will connect external innovation with internal priorities, translating breakthroughs into tangible impact across the portfolio.

You’ll collaborate with Packaging R&D, Sustainability, Regulatory, Engineering, Quality, and Commercial teams to bring future-ready packaging to life and drive circular economy goals.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in Packaging R&D, Sustainability, Open Innovation, or related fields.
• Experience evaluating and implementing packaging innovations, new materials, or emerging technologies.
• Experience managing external innovation partnerships and supplier collaborations.
• Strong understanding of packaging materials, recyclability, circular economy principles, and sustainability trends.
• Experience leading technical projects from concept through implementation.
• Proven ability to influence stakeholders and lead cross-functional initiatives without direct authority.

Responsibilities

• Identify, assess, and prioritize emerging packaging technologies, materials, suppliers, startups, research organizations, and innovation partners.
• Build and manage an external innovation network across academia, technology providers, industry associations, and sustainability ecosystems.
• Continuously monitor packaging technology trends, regulatory developments, competitive activity, and market innovations.
• Evaluate new technologies and materials against sustainability, technical feasibility, cost, scalability, and business requirements.
• Translate external innovation opportunities into actionable business recommendations and project pipelines.
• Lead the identification and development of innovative packaging solutions that support recyclability, recycled content, material reduction, alternative materials, and circular economy objectives.
• Conduct technical assessments, feasibility studies, and proof-of-concept evaluations for new packaging technologies and materials.
• Support development and implementation of packaging solutions that address current and emerging sustainability requirements.
• Build technology and material roadmaps aligned with business priorities, sustainability targets, and regulatory commitments.
• Identify opportunities to accelerate delivery of sustainability goals through innovation and external collaboration.
• Establish and manage strategic relationships with suppliers, startups, universities, research institutes, and technology providers.
• Facilitate collaboration between internal stakeholders and external partners to accelerate innovation delivery.
• Support evaluation, onboarding, and management of innovation partners and development projects.
• Identify opportunities to leverage capabilities across Mars segments, Corporate and external networks.
• Lead innovation projects from opportunity identification through feasibility, development, pilot validation, and implementation.
• Partner with Packaging R&D, S&T, Procurement, Engineering, Manufacturing, Quality, Regulatory Affairs, and Sustainability teams to scale new technologies and materials.
• Support technology transfer and implementation across internal manufacturing sites and co-manufacturing partners.
• Identify and proactively manage technical risks, barriers, and implementation challenges.
• Support development of business cases, and stakeholder recommendations for innovation investments.
• Foster a culture of innovation, experimentation, and continuous improvement.

Job description

Job Description:

Segment: Mars Food & Nutrition

Location: Oud-Beijerland

Type of contract: permanent, full-time

Drive the Future of Sustainable Packaging Innovation

At Mars Food & Nutrition, we're reimagining packaging to help create a more sustainable future. From advancing circularity and recyclability to exploring breakthrough materials and technologies, innovation is at the heart of delivering our sustainability commitments.

We're looking for a Sustainability Open Innovation & Technology Lead to identify, develop, and scale the next generation of sustainable packaging solutions. This is a highly visible role where you'll connect external innovation ecosystems with internal business priorities, translating emerging technologies into real-world impact across our portfolio.

You’ll build strategic partnerships with startups, suppliers, universities, research institutes, and industry leaders while working cross-functionally with Packaging R&D, Sustainability, Regulatory, Engineering, Quality, and Commercial teams to bring future-ready packaging solutions to life.

If you're passionate about innovation, sustainability, and shaping what's next, we'd love to hear from you.

What are your Key Responsibilities?

Open Innovation & Technology Scouting

• Identify, assess, and prioritize emerging packaging technologies, materials, suppliers, startups, research organizations, and innovation partners.
• Build and manage an external innovation network across academia, technology providers, industry associations, and sustainability ecosystems.
• Continuously monitor packaging technology trends, regulatory developments, competitive activity, and market innovations.
• Evaluate new technologies and materials against sustainability, technical feasibility, cost, scalability, and business requirements.
• Translate external innovation opportunities into actionable business recommendations and project pipelines.

Packaging Sustainability Innovation

• Lead the identification and development of innovative packaging solutions that support recyclability, recycled content, material reduction, alternative materials, and circular economy objectives.
• Conduct technical assessments, feasibility studies, and proof-of-concept evaluations for new packaging technologies and materials.
• Support development and implementation of packaging solutions that address current and emerging sustainability requirements.
• Build technology and material roadmaps aligned with business priorities, sustainability targets, and regulatory commitments.
• Identify opportunities to accelerate delivery of sustainability goals through innovation and external collaboration.

Partnership Development & External Collaboration

• Establish and manage strategic relationships with suppliers, startups, universities, research institutes, and technology providers.
• Facilitate collaboration between internal stakeholders and external partners to accelerate innovation delivery.
• Support evaluation, onboarding, and management of innovation partners and development projects.
• Identify opportunities to leverage capabilities across Mars segments, Corporate and external networks.

Technology Development & Implementation

• Lead innovation projects from opportunity identification through feasibility, development, pilot validation, and implementation.
• Partner with Packaging R&D, S&T, Procurement, Engineering, Manufacturing, Quality, Regulatory Affairs, and Sustainability teams to scale new technologies and materials.
• Support technology transfer and implementation across internal manufacturing sites and co-manufacturing partners.
• Identify and proactively manage technical risks, barriers, and implementation challenges.
• Support development of business cases, and stakeholder recommendations for innovation investments.
• Foster a culture of innovation, experimentation, and continuous improvement.

What are we looking for?

• Degree in Packaging Science, Materials Science, Engineering, Sustainability, Food Science, or a related technical discipline
• 5+ years of experience in Packaging R&D, Sustainability, Open Innovation, Materials Development, Packaging Technology, or related functions.
• Experience evaluating and implementing packaging innovations, new materials, or emerging technologies.
• Experience managing external innovation partnerships and supplier collaborations.
• Strong understanding of packaging materials, recyclability, circular economy principles, and sustainability trends (M.Sc./Ph.D. projects in relevant areas are welcome).
• Experience leading technical projects from concept through implementation.
• Proven ability to influence stakeholders and lead cross-functional initiatives without direct authority.

What can you expect from Mars?

• Work with diverse and talented Associates, all guided by the Five Principles.
• Join a purpose driven company, where we’re striving to build the world we want tomorrow, today.
• A strong focus on learning and development support from day one, including access to our in-house Mars University.
• An industry competitive salary and benefits package, including company bonus