Senior Manager, R&D Packaging

Summary Description

As Senior Manager of R&D Packaging Development, you will lead a team of Packaging Development Engineers as well as execute and oversee the development and qualification of new packaging for Gorilla Glue products. You will partner with cross-functional teams and suppliers, leverage consumer insights to drive innovation, and guide prototyping, lab testing, and design trials. You will independently lead complex initiatives, influence key decisions, shape packaging strategy, and advance process improvement, cost savings, sustainability, and business growth. You will also coach and develop the team’s technical and leadership capabilities while modeling the Gorilla Way in how the team collaborates and delivers results.

What's in it for you?

Our commitment to fostering a supportive and engaging workplace culture has led to Gorilla Glue being recognized as a top place to work for 16 years in a row. We offer competitive compensation packages, comprehensive healthcare benefits, and other perks and incentives to ensure our employees feel valued and supported.

Joining the Gorilla Glue family means being part of a team passionate about building strong brands and promoting a culture of excellence. As an employee, you'll help create high-quality products and build brands that people love. Join us in an inspiring workplace where you can belong, grow, and make a difference!

What will your day look like?

• Design innovative primary, retail and secondary packaging, customized for various retail customers and shipping environments. Lead more complex packaging design efforts that require higher levels of technical judgment, customer-specific customization, and cross-functional alignment.
• Lead, coach, and develop a team of Packaging Development Engineers, including managing and prioritizing their workload across Gorilla new product development and cost-savings projects and providing ongoing training and technical guidance.
• Develop visual concept representations for internal and external use, including prototypes and digital renders using tools such as ArtiosCAD, SolidWorks, Adobe Illustrator, hand sketches, and other design methods.
• Collaborate with Marketing, Formulation, Quality, Sales, Manufacturing, Sourcing, and other internal organizations to develop new packaging that meets consumer and retailer needs. Provide technical guidance, risk assessment, and packaging recommendations that help teams make informed decisions throughout the development process.
• Work with outside suppliers to develop and qualify new packaging components from concept through implementation. Build strong supplier partnerships, challenge technical assumptions, evaluate manufacturability, and negotiate practical solutions that balance quality, cost, timing, and operational needs.
• Create and implement process improvement alongside your manager. Focusing on strategy and future-state growth of the business. Proactively identify gaps in current processes, recommend scalable improvements, and help lead implementation of best practices across Packaging workflows.
• Mentor Packaging Engineers, Associate-level employees, Technicians, or Co-Ops by sharing technical knowledge, reviewing work, and helping build capability within the team.
• Identify and implement cost-savings initiatives. Develop business cases, quantify savings opportunities, and help influence cross-functional support for packaging-related cost reduction, efficiency, and capital investment projects.
• Create and maintain technical documentation such as packaging specifications and test reports. Review and approve technical outputs for accuracy, completeness, and alignment with project requirements.
• Create part numbers and assist with Bill of Material (BOM) set up in our PLM system.
• Apply and oversee industry-standard testing procedures (e.g., ISTA) to validate structural integrity and minimize damage during transit.
• Lead packaging-related troubleshooting for production, quality, supplier, or customer concerns by evaluating root cause, recommending corrective actions, and supporting implementation.
• Represent Packaging in cross-functional project meetings and communicate technical status, risks, tradeoffs,and recommendations clearly to stakeholders at multiple levels of the organization.
• Stay current with emerging packaging trends, sustainability, materials, and technologies.
• Embrace and effectively utilize AI-enabled tools and technologies to enhance productivity, innovation, learning, and decision-making, while maintaining accountability for the quality and accuracy of all work products.
• Other duties as assigned by Management.

What you bring to the table:

Education and Experience:

• Minimum 5-10 years’ experience in technical packaging development role with at least 3-5 leading and managing initiatives.
• 4-yr Packaging Engineering degree, or equivalent technical degree with strong packaging development experience.
• 2-yr degree in packaging or related technical field, with packaging development experience, would be considered when supported by a strong track record of technical leadership, project ownership, and packaging problem solving.
• Demonstrated experience leading projects from concept through commercialization with limited direction.
• Strong leadership skills required to lead a team as well as be a strong voice for the technical community in strategic discussions as well as technical readiness for project portfolio.
• Strong collaboration skills necessary to work cross-functionally with marketing, sales, and operations.
• Experience working externally with suppliers, contract manufacturers and partners.
• Testing and new product development experience for consumer products preferred.
• Have a strong work ethic and “team” attitude.

Specific Skills:

• Experience using ArtiosCAD, Solidworks, CAPE/Topps. Illustrator is not required, but a plus.
• Drive consumer-led innovation by implementing new ideas and screening new technologies.
• Advanced knowledge of rapid prototyping systems (CADtables, vinyl printing, 3D printing).
• Experience with standard packaging testing equipment.
• Knowledge of the paper-based converting process (printing, mounting), die-cutting, gluing,etc. Plastics is not required, but a plus.
• Experience working with packaging suppliers.
• Ability to lead technical discussions with suppliers, challenge designs or cost assumptions, and translate supplier recommendations into actionable business decisions.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment and able to accommodate change to scope, timeline, and still deliver to a deadline.
• Strong technical problem-solving skills.
• Strong root-cause analysis skills with the ability to evaluate technical issues, develop options, and recommend practical solutions.
• Strong organizational skills, able to manage and prioritize multiple projects.
• Ability to lead multiple high-priority projects, manage ambiguity, and escalate risks or tradeoffs with clear recommendations.
• Self-motivated with the ability to work independently and demonstrate initiative.
• Use logical decision-making skills underpressure.
• Excellent presentation, written, oral and communication skills, including the ability to communicate technical information clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Demonstrated curiosity and adaptability in adopting new technologies and ways of working.
• StrongMicrosoft Office skills(Copilot, Excel,PPM360).

Preferred Qualifications:

• Oracle experience is a plus
• Statistical data analyses
• Project management experience, including ownership of project timelines, risk management, stakeholder communication, and commercialization support
• Experience with packaging sustainability initiatives, material optimization, supplier development, or packaging cost-savings projects

Company Values:

Must adhere to The Gorilla Glue Company’s Core Values that ensure everyone works together to exceed expectations.

• Have fun, be passionate and show it!
• Act with integrity and respect in all relationships.
• Communicate openly and appreciate the effort of others.
• Embrace knowledge, growth, and change.
• Strive for excellence in what we do every day!