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Packaging Development Manager Jobs in Chicago, IL

Kraft Heinz Company

Sr Sci, R&D - Packaging Dev

Glenview, IL · On-site

$89K - $112K/yr

Sr Scientist, R&D - Packaging Development, Philadelphia Job Purpose The Sr Packaging Scientist will ... Manage multiple assignments/ projects concurrently and possess the ability to prioritize between a ...

Amcor plc

Business Development Manager

Deerfield, IL · On-site

At Amcor, we unpack possibility through our innovative and responsible packaging to provide ... The Business Development Manager will provide leadership to translate gaps and needs of brand ...

Amcor

Business Development Manager

Deerfield, IL

At Amcor, we unpack possibility through our innovative and responsible packaging to provide ... The Business Development Manager will provide leadership to translate gaps and needs of brand ...

ULINE

Software Development Manager

Glenview, IL

$121K - $160K/yr

Software Development Manager Pay from $121,000 to $160,000 per year Corporate Headquarters 12575 ... and packaging materials with over 9,800 employees across 14 locations. Uline is adrug-free ...

ULINE

Software Development Manager

Waukegan, IL

$121K - $160K/yr

Software Development Manager Pay from $121,000 to $160,000 per year Corporate Headquarters 12575 ... and packaging materials with over 9,800 employees across 14 locations. Uline is adrug-free ...

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All JobsPackaging Development Manager JobsPackaging Development Manager Jobs in Chicago, IL

Packaging Development Manager information

See Chicago, IL salary details

$34K

$79.8K

$137.1K

How much do packaging development manager jobs pay per year?

As of Jun 30, 2026, the average yearly pay for packaging development manager in Chicago, IL is $79,836.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $60,300.00 and $93,300.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What does a Packaging Development Manager do?

A Packaging Development Manager oversees the design, development, and implementation of packaging solutions for products. They collaborate with product development, marketing, and manufacturing teams to create packaging that is functional, cost-effective, sustainable, and aligns with brand standards. Their responsibilities also include managing timelines, ensuring compliance with regulations, and staying updated on packaging trends and materials. By optimizing packaging processes, they help reduce costs, improve efficiency, and enhance the customer experience.

What are some common challenges faced by Packaging Development Managers during the product launch process?

Packaging Development Managers often encounter challenges related to balancing innovation, cost-effectiveness, and sustainability while meeting tight launch timelines. Coordinating cross-functional teams—including marketing, procurement, and manufacturing—requires strong communication and project management skills. Additionally, ensuring packaging designs comply with regulatory standards and can be efficiently scaled for mass production is a frequent hurdle. The role also demands agility to troubleshoot unexpected supply chain or material availability issues that can arise close to launch dates.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Packaging Development Manager, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Packaging Development Manager, you need expertise in packaging materials, design, and engineering principles, often supported by a degree in packaging science, engineering, or a related field. Familiarity with CAD software, packaging testing protocols, and knowledge of industry regulations such as FDA or ISO standards are typically required. Strong project management, communication, and problem-solving skills help drive innovation and collaboration across teams. These skills ensure packaging solutions are cost-effective, sustainable, and compliant, which is vital for product protection and brand success.

What is the difference between Packaging Development Manager vs Packaging Engineer?

AspectPackaging Development ManagerPackaging Engineer
CredentialsBachelor's degree in Packaging, Engineering, or related field; often requires experience in project managementBachelor's degree in Packaging, Mechanical, or Industrial Engineering; certifications like CPP or PMP are common
Work EnvironmentLeads teams, manages projects, collaborates with suppliers and R&D departmentsDesigns, tests, and develops packaging solutions; works closely with manufacturing and quality teams
Industry UsageUsed across manufacturing, consumer goods, and logistics companies for overseeing packaging projectsCommonly employed in product development, quality assurance, and technical roles within packaging departments

The Packaging Development Manager focuses on leading packaging projects and managing teams, while the Packaging Engineer concentrates on designing and testing packaging solutions. Both roles require relevant technical credentials and work closely within the packaging industry, but their responsibilities differ in scope and focus.

What are the most commonly searched types of Packaging Development jobs in Chicago, IL? The most popular types of Packaging Development jobs in Chicago, IL are:
What are popular job titles related to Packaging Development Manager jobs in Chicago, IL? For Packaging Development Manager jobs in Chicago, IL, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Packaging Development Manager jobs in Chicago, IL look for? The top searched job categories for Packaging Development Manager jobs in Chicago, IL are:
What cities near Chicago, IL are hiring for Packaging Development Manager jobs? Cities near Chicago, IL with the most Packaging Development Manager job openings:
Packaging Development Manager jobs near you
Manager, R&D - Packaging Materials Performance Specifications

Manager, R&D - Packaging Materials Performance Specifications

Kraft Heinz Company

Glenview, IL • On-site

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement, PTO

Posted 12 days ago

Key responsibilities

  • Lead the development, deployment, and governance of Performance-Based Specifications (PBS) for packaging across the portfolio.

  • Partner with cross-functional teams to translate requirements into clear, testable, and compliant performance specifications.

  • Build and maintain specification templates, standards, and tools for specification lifecycle management, including version control and change management.

Kraft Heinz rating

7.0

Company rating: 7.0 out of 10

Based on 120 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

198th of 389 rated food and drinks producers

Job description


Job Purpose
As the R&D Manager of Packaging Performance Specifications, you will lead the development, deployment, and governance of Performance-Based Specifications (PBS) for packaging across the Kraft Heinz North America portfolio. The objective of the role is to ensure packaging solutions are specified and delivered against defined functional, quality, shelf-life, consumer experience, and manufacturing performance outcomes (rather than prescriptive designs). You will partner with Packaging R&D, Innovation, Process and Platform packaging teams, Quality, Operations, Procurement, and external partners to translate requirements into clear, testable, and compliant performance specifications that enable scalable commercialization and consistent execution. This role includes building and maintaining specification templates and standards, enabling strong cross-functional ways of working, and ensuring specification discipline supports innovation, value engineering, and compliance with evolving sustainability and regulatory needs. Your team will support you in these efforts and will lead packaging sustainability compliance for Extended Producer Responsibility legislation.
Essential Functions & Responsibilities
  • Own and evolve the PBS framework for packaging, including definition, structure, required content, and linkage to performance outcomes (functional, quality, shelf-life, consumer experience, manufacturing performance).

  • Lead development and rollout of enterprise PBS templates and best practices, including guidance for writing measurable requirements and acceptance criteria.

  • Translate cross-functional requirements into PBS by partnering with Packaging R&D, Innovation, Process/Platform teams, Quality, Operations, and other stakeholders to ensure specifications are complete, testable, and fit for manufacturing.

  • Establish and run specification governance, including review cadence, approval workflows, escalation paths, and go/no-go readiness requirements related to specification completeness and risk.

  • Ensure specifications enable manufacturable solutions, aligning performance requirements with converting processes and manufacturing constraints (e.g., filling, web handling, labeling, molding, printing, closures/dispensing where applicable).

  • Drive consistency and compliance by ensuring specifications reflect relevant sustainability and regulatory considerations and are maintained as requirements evolve.

  • Build tools and processes for specification lifecycle management, including version control, change management, and communication of updates to impacted functions and sites.

  • Define and align testing/validation expectations tied to PBS, including performance verification criteria and documentation needed to support proof of concept, scale-up, and handover.

  • Enable training and adoption by developing training materials and coaching teams on PBS thinking, writing high-quality requirements, and applying enterprise packaging standards.

  • Measure PBS effectiveness using quality and execution metrics (e.g., right-first-time specifications, reduction in rework, fewer late-stage changes, improved launch readiness).

People Management Responsibilities
  • Team (salaried): targeting 2 direct reports

Key Outputs & Deliverables
  • Enterprise PBS framework and templates that standardize how packaging performance requirements are defined and documented.

  • A governed PBS library (maintained specifications, version control, change management, clear ownership).

  • Project-ready PBS deliverables that enable teams to deliver packaging designs to Performance-Based Specifications-meeting defined functional, quality, shelf-life, consumer experience, and manufacturing performance outcomes.

  • Specification readiness criteria embedded in project governance to support timely, high-quality handover from concept through proof of concept, scale-up, and commercialization.

  • Training and enablement materials to drive consistent application of PBS and enterprise packaging standards.

Expected Experience & Required Skills
  • BS/MS/PhD degree in Engineering, Materials, Chemical or Packaging Engineering preferred, or related discipline.

  • 6+ years of R&D packaging development, commercialization experience and project leadership experience (consumer goods, food & beverage, pharma or similar preferred).

  • Strong technical knowledge of packaging materials, formats and manufacturing/converting constraints.

  • Demonstrated experience in building performance specifications as well as packaging development and commercialization and cross-functional project leadership.

  • Strong ability to translate business, technical, and consumer needs into clear, measurable performance requirements.

  • Proven capability with project governance, risk management, and stakeholder reporting.

  • Working knowledge of design of experiments and statistics and technical problem solving.

  • Excellent communication and interpersonal skills; ability to influence across functions and levels.

  • Familiarity with sustainable packaging solutions and the need to align packaging work with evolving sustainability and regulatory requirements.

  • Willingness and ability to travel up to 25% of the time

Work Environment & Schedule
This position operates primarily in a hybrid work environment and is based at the Kraft Heinz R&D Innovation Center in Glenview, IL. Our hybrid model provides flexibility based on business needs, allowing employees to work virtually up to two days per week, with an expectation to work on-site at least three days per week at the Glenview Innovation Center (Chicago, IL).
Physical demands include but not limited to
  • Regular office work

  • Physical presence at labs and manufacturing sites (internal and external) to perform experimental and validation testing

This job description is not designed to cover or contain all duties or responsibilities that are required of the role. Duties or responsibilities may change or be added with or without notice.
Our Total Rewards philosophy is to provide a meaningful and flexible spectrum of programs that equitably support our diverse workforce and their families and complement Kraft Heinz' strategy and values.
New Hire Base Salary Range:
$104,200.00 - $130,200.00
Bonus: This position is eligible for a performance-based bonus as provided by the plan terms and governing documents.
The compensation offered will take into account internal equity and may vary depending on the candidate's geographic region, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience among other factors
Benefits: Coverage for employees (and their eligible dependents) through affordable access to healthcare, protection, and saving for the future, we offer plans tailored to meet you and your family's needs. Coverage for benefits will be in accordance with the terms and conditions of the applicable plans and associated governing plan documents.
Wellbeing: We offer events, resources, and learning opportunities that inspire a physical, social, emotional, and financial well-being lifestyle for our employees and their families.
You'll be able to participate in a variety of benefits and wellbeing programs that may vary by role, country, region, union status, and other employment status factors, for example:
  • Physical - Medical, Prescription Drug, Dental, Vision, Screenings/Assessments
  • Social - Paid Time Off, Company Holidays, Leave of Absence, Flexible Work Arrangements, Recognition, Training
  • Emotional - Employee Assistance Program , Wellbeing Programs, Family Support Programs
  • Financial - 401k, Life, Accidental Death & Dismemberment, Disability

Location(s)
Glenview R&D Center
Kraft Heinz is an Equal Opportunity Employer - Underrepresented Ethnic Minority Groups/Women/Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity and other protected classes. In order to ensure reasonable accommodation for protected individuals, applicants that require accommodation in the job application process may contact NAZTAOps@kraftheinz.com for assistance.

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