Vice President, Beverage Packaging Systems

WestRock Company; Atlanta (GA); On-site; USD 250,000 - 360,000; Full time

Job summary

WestRock Company seeks a Vice President, Beverage Packaging Systems to transform machinery and automation capabilities into a competitive advantage. Lead a 3-5 year strategy, align investments, and drive world-class service across the organization.

The ideal candidate is a strategic engineering leader with strong business acumen, experienced in packaging machinery, capital equipment, and manufacturing technology, with a track record of profitable growth in domestic and international markets.

Qualifications

• 15+ years of progressive leadership experience, leading both domestic and global teams.
• Packaging machinery, automation, manufacturing systems, industrial equipment, or related industries.
• Experience leading cross-functional organizations.
• Track record of developing and executing business strategy.
• Experience driving growth through technology-enabled solutions.

Responsibilities

• Develop a 3-5 year machinery and automation roadmap.
• Align machinery offerings with customer, market, and end-market requirements.
• Assess competitive positioning and identify portfolio gaps; recommend investments or partnerships.
• Partner with commercial leadership to support growth strategies and translate customer needs into solutions.
• Evaluate service organization capabilities and create workforce development strategies.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Commercial partnership

Engineering & automation

Domestic & global business acumen

Operational excellence

Education

Bachelor’s degree in engineering or business

MBA preferred

Job description

The Opportunity

The Vice President, Beverage Packaging Systems will serve as the strategic leader responsible for transforming Smurfit Westrock's packaging machinery and automation capabilities into a competitive advantage for customers and the business. This leader will define the 3-5 year machinery and automation strategy, align investments to key growth platforms, drive technology leadership, improve installed fleet performance, and ensure world-class service capabilities across the organization.

The ideal candidate is a strategic, commercially minded engineering leader with a proven track record of leading industrial automation, packaging machinery, capital equipment, or manufacturing technology organizations. This leader combines strong technical expertise with business acumen, leveraging deep customer insights to develop innovative solutions, drive operational excellence, and deliver scalable, profitable growth. This successful candidate will have experience building and expanding businesses in both domestic and international markets, positioning Smurfit Westrock for sustained growth and competitive advantage. In this role, this customer centric leader must effectively unlock the balance between fully delivering on our customers’ needs and ensuring a sustainable and profitable machinery business.

This role requires a unique combination of

• Strategic leadership
• Commercial partnership
• Engineering and automation expertise
• Domestic and global business acumen
• Operational excellence

How you will impact Smurfit Westrock

Strategic Portfolio Leadership

• Develop a 3-5 year machinery and automation roadmap.
• Align machinery offerings with customer, market, and end-market requirements.
• Assess competitive positioning and identify portfolio gaps.
• Recommend investments, acquisitions, partnerships, or capability development initiatives.

Commercial Enablement

• Partner closely with commercial leadership to support growth strategies.
• Translate customer needs into machinery and automation solutions.
• Drive differentiation through technology, performance, and innovation.

Service Organization Development

• Evaluate current service organization capabilities.
• Create workforce development and training strategies.
• Ensure technical capabilities support future business requirements.

What you need to succeed

• 15+ years of progressive leadership experience, leading both domestic and global teams
• Packaging machinery, automation, manufacturing systems, industrial equipment, or related industries
• Experience leading cross-functional organizations
• Track record of developing and executing business strategy
• Experience driving growth through technology-enabled solutions

Preferred Additional Experience

• General Management
• Business Development
• Strategic Planning
• Operations/Supply Chain
• S&OP / Demand Planning
• Finance or P&L responsibility

Strategic Thinking

• Develops long-term vision and translates strategy into execution.
• Identifies market opportunities and competitive threats.
• Uses data and analytics to drive decisions.

Executive Presence

• Commands credibility with senior operations and commercial leaders, customers, and stakeholders.
• Influences across a matrixed organization.
• Successfully manages ambiguity and complexity.

Results Orientation

• Establishes clear objectives and accountability.
• Delivers measurable business outcomes.
• Drives execution while maintaining strategic focus.

Collaboration & Influence

• Build strong partnerships across commercial, operations, engineering, and service organizations.
• Gains alignment without direct authority.
• Promote teamwork and shared ownership.

Education

Bachelor’s degree in engineering or business; MBA preferred

Work Environment/Travel

Based on-site at our Beverage Packaging Systems plant in Smyrna, Georgia

Up to 25% domestic travel; international travel is minimal but may occur.