B&W SEA Packaging Development R&D Supervisor

Job Title: B&W SEA Packaging Development R&D Supervisor

Location: Thailand

Job Purpose

Unilever is the place where you can bring your purpose to life with the work that you do – creating a better business and a better world. If you are keen on packaging research and development with strong skills in technical project management, data analysis, risk assessment, and problem-solving, and passionate about holistic development to deliver superior, profitable, and sustainable packaging, then this role is just for you!

Main Responsibilities:

• Manage projects as packaging workstream leader to support the growth ambition of B\&W Southeast Asia markets. Programs will encompass innovation, product superiority, savings & simplification, sourcing & resilience, and sustainability.
• Analyze project briefs to support Marketing and Supply Chain teams in developing robust pack recommendations, considering material portfolio, resilience requirements, and Supply Chain capabilities.
• Drive innovation product compliance with Unilever policies and local regulations. Assess pack-related project risks, develop action plans, and collaborate with TPL, Supply Chain (Quality & Procurement), and suppliers to mitigate risks.
• Develop and maintain technical expertise in relevant pack technologies and apply them to innovation, sustainable packaging, and margin-improvement projects.
• Implement operating principles (1UPP – One Unilever Packaging Process) to establish technical standards & specifications using systems (AWS, PLM). Conduct packaging testing in labs, pilot plants, and manufacturing lines based on qualification plans.
• Develop market understanding (consumer, competitor, channel) and leverage insights for robust packaging specifications for innovation projects.
• Act as key BU packaging R\&D interface for BG on innovation, sustainability, and savings projects to lock pack specifications, assess supplier capability, and communicate technical recommendations to TPL and cross-functional teams.
• Collaborate with cross-functional leaders to develop B\&W TPL R\&D capability, especially on packaging (e.g., premiumization), and drive sustainability agenda with BU team.
• Partner with Brand and CS\&P to assess new pack requirements for activation (e.g., promo), execute testing plans, and explore agile resourcing as necessary.

Candidate Criteria

Experience & Qualification:

• Degree in Packaging Engineering, Science, or related technical field.
• Proficiency in English for effective communication with international teams.
• 2–5 years of experience in Beauty and Personal Care packaging development preferred.
• Proven experience managing multiple projects across markets.
• Experience in manufacturing testing and channel design (line trials, transit tests, lab tests).
• Familiarity with digital environments (prototyping, mock-ups, 3D CAD/CAE).
• FMCG experience in Southeast Asia preferred.

Skills:

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work effectively with marketing, supply chain, and production teams.
• Sustainable Packaging Development: Apply latest technologies for eco-friendly, cost-effective solutions.
• Technical Project Management: Manage data, assess risks, and solve packaging-related problems.
• Digital Proficiency: Use digital tools for design and analytics.
• Innovation & Creativity: Develop new and improved packaging solutions.

Leadership:

• Deliver outstanding results with resilience and collaboration.
• Maintain high standards of work and focus on consumer needs.
• Interpret data smartly, identify issues, and seek improvements.

Critical Standards of Leadership (SOL) Behaviors:

• Passion for High Performance: Takes ownership, uses data for decisions.
• Personal Mastery: Builds resilience and sets high standards.
• Consumer Love: Always seeks better ways to serve consumers.
• Purpose & Service: Leads with humility and service mindset.
• Agility: Continuously learns and adapts.

Unilever is an organisation committed to equity, inclusion and diversity to drive our business results and create a better future, every day, for our diverse employees, global consumers, partners, and communities. We believe a diverse workforce allows us to match our growth ambitions and drive inclusion across the business. At Unilever we are interested in every individual bringing their ‘Whole Self’ to work and this includes you! Thus if you require any support or access requirements, we encourage you to advise us at the time of your application so that we can support you through your recruitment journey.