Estée Lauder Companies Director of Packaging Agility

About Estée Lauder Companies

The Estée Lauder Companies is a global leader in prestige beauty, founded in 1946 by Estée and Joseph Lauder and built on an enduring belief in creativity, high-touch service, and entrepreneurial spirit. As an employer, the Group offers talent the scale of an international house with the energy of distinctive brands across skincare, makeup, fragrance, and hair care. Its culture values innovation, inclusion, learning, and responsible growth, inviting professionals to shape consumer experiences from laboratory to counter, digital platform to boardroom. Employees join a purpose-led organization where heritage, artistry, and scientific excellence meet to define the future of luxury beauty.

Role & Responsibilities

• Lead global packaging agility programs focused on speed to market, packaging simplification, business continuity, automation, and value engineering.
• Identify and implement opportunities to reduce packaging complexity, material usage, waste, and cost while improving manufacturability, quality, and operational efficiency.
• Evaluate and introduce packaging technologies, materials, decoration methods, digital printing solutions, and automation capabilities to enhance supply chain agility.
• Expand and technically execute Print on Demand (POD) capabilities for market-specific, event-driven, and personalized consumer experiences.
• Develop business cases, feasibility assessments, and commercialization strategies for new packaging concepts, technologies, and capabilities.
• Lead cross-functional teams through packaging concept development, validation, scale-up, and implementation.
• Establish packaging validation strategies that meet ELC standards, manufacturing requirements, consumer expectations, and brand equity objectives.
• Assess technical risks, trade-offs, and opportunities, translating complex packaging considerations into clear leadership recommendations.
• Support category and enterprise packaging strategies that advance agility, innovation, sustainability, cost savings, and operational resilience.
• Manage project timelines, KPIs, stakeholder communications, and governance to deliver strategic initiatives successfully.
• Mentor and develop team members, fostering technical excellence and career growth.
• Provide packaging expertise and technical guidance on design, testing, manufacturability, supplier capability, and risk management.
• Build partnerships across Global Supply Chain, R&D, Manufacturing, Procurement, and Brand teams to deliver strategic programs.
• Influence senior stakeholders and drive alignment across global cross-functional teams.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Packaging Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Materials Science, or a related technical discipline.
• At least 8 years of experience in Packaging Development, Packaging Engineering, Manufacturing, or related CPG industries.
• Proven experience leading complex packaging innovation and commercialization programs.
• Experience in prestige beauty, personal care, or consumer packaged goods preferred.
• Experience with digital printing, Print on Demand, and emerging packaging technologies highly desirable.
• Demonstrated project management experience leading global cross-functional teams and influencing senior stakeholders.
• Leadership competencies: creativity and innovation; excellence in execution; embracing and leading change; collaborative relationship-building; delivering results through influence and technical expertise.
• Deep knowledge of primary, secondary, and tertiary packaging systems, including plastics, glass, metal, paperboard, corrugate, labels, folding cartons, rigid boxes, pumps, airless systems, and dispensing technologies.
• Expertise in package design, materials, component engineering, decoration technologies, digital printing, automation readiness, and package validation.
• Strong understanding of manufacturing processes, including injection molding, extrusion, metal forming, glass forming, assembly operations, and printing technologies.
• Ability to evaluate supplier capabilities, line performance, package specifications, technical drawings, testing protocols, and commercialization requirements.

Skills

Experience

At least 8 years in Packaging Development, Packaging Engineering, Manufacturing, or related CPG industries.

Education

Bachelor's degree in Packaging Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Materials Science, or a related technical discipline.

Compensation

The base compensation for this position ranges from USD 124,200 to USD 214,450 per annum.

Benefits

Eligible employees may receive health insurance (medical, dental, and vision), wellness and family support programs, life and disability insurance, retirement savings plans, paid leave, education-related programs, paid holidays, vacation time, and other benefits; many are subsidized or fully paid. The role is eligible for a competitive bonus program, including potential overachievement based on performance and company results, and a share incentive plan.

Culture

The Estée Lauder Companies fosters a collaborative, inclusive workplace where creativity, entrepreneurial thinking, and a passion for prestige beauty are deeply valued. As a global house of distinctive brands, it offers employees an environment that encourages innovation, professional growth, and a shared commitment to excellence and consumer inspiration.

About Cerulean

Cerulean is the definitive career portal for the global luxury industry. We match exceptional professionals with exclusive opportunities at the world's most prestigious brands. From haute couture and fine watchmaking to prestige beauty, hospitality, and boutique retail, Cerulean centralises luxury employment to help you find the career for which you were destined.