Manager – Packing Development & Procurement

• Lead end-to-end procurement of packing materials — corrugated boxes, cartons, wooden pallets/crates, plastic crates, PP straps, stretch/shrink film, bubble wrap, EPE/XLPE foam sheets, labels, and other packing consumables — for all plants. • Develop and standardize packing specifications, BOMs, and packing standards across plants to reduce variation and drive commonality. • Drive new packaging development for new products/NPDs in coordination with design, quality, and plant teams, including trial approvals and sign-off. • Identify, develop, and evaluate reliable vendors (regional and national) for packing materials, including plant-proximate sourcing to reduce freight cost. • Negotiate pricing, commercial terms, and establish rate contracts/long-term agreements for packing categories on a pan-organization basis. • Conduct market research and cost benchmarking for packing materials and identify cost reduction/value engineering opportunities. • Coordinate with all plant purchase/stores/production teams to consolidate packing requirements, forecast demand, and ensure timely availability. • Monitor and maintain min–max inventory levels for packing materials at each plant to avoid stock-outs or excess inventory. • Drive packaging cost optimization projects and track savings against annual budgets. • Champion sustainable/eco-friendly packaging initiatives (recyclable, biodegradable, reusable packaging) in line with company ESG goals. • Design, develop, and implement returnable/reusable packing solutions (returnable steel/plastic bins, collapsible crates, pallet boxes, RFID/tagged returnable systems) with customers and suppliers to reduce per-piece packing cost and one-time packaging consumption. • Manage the returnable packaging cycle end-to-end — costing, deposit/rental agreements, tracking of returnable inventory across plants and customer/vendor locations, reconciliation, and loss/damage control. • Drive packing automation initiatives — automated strapping, carton erecting/sealing machines, palletizers, wrapping/shrink-wrapping systems, and conveyor-linked packing lines — to improve packing line productivity and reduce manual dependency. • Prepare cost-benefit analysis and ROI for packing automation and returnable packaging projects, and coordinate installation, trials, and rollout across plants with engineering/maintenance teams. • Ensure packaging design and materials comply with transit/export packing norms, ISTA/drop/compression testing, and customer-specific packaging requirements. • Participate in supplier evaluation and audits in coordination with quality and plant teams; track vendor performance on QCDMS parameters. • Ensure timely processing and closure of PRs, POs, GRNs, MRNs, payment issues, and debit notes related to packing procurement. • Maintain strict adherence to procurement SOPs, compliance standards, and audit requirements. • Handle SAP transactions including PR/PO processing, vendor master management, and data accuracy for the packing category. • Track and manage rate contracts, AMC/service agreements, and warranty/replacement claims related to packing equipment (strapping machines, shrink tunnels, etc.), if applicable. • Contribute to cross-functional cost optimization and packaging improvement projects across all plants.

• B.Tech/Diploma in Mechanical/Packaging Technology, or Graduate/Postgraduate with a Diploma in Packaging (e.g., from the Indian Institute of Packaging) preferred. • Minimum 6–8 years of experience in packing material development and procurement, preferably in a multi-plant manufacturing/automotive environment. • Proven experience handling packing categories such as corrugated boxes, wooden/plastic pallets, PU foam, stretch film, strapping, and export packing. • Exposure to returnable/reusable packaging solutions (returnable bins, crates, pallet boxes) and their costing/rental models. • Exposure to packing line automation equipment such as strapping machines, carton sealers, palletizers, and shrink-wrapping systems. • Prior experience coordinating packing requirements across multiple plants/locations is highly desirable. • Strong technical understanding of packaging materials, drawings, and specifications. • Expertise in vendor development and commercial negotiation for packing categories. • Knowledge of packaging testing standards (ISTA, drop test, compression test, vibration test) and export packing norms. • Awareness of sustainable/green packaging practices and cost-effective packaging design. • Working knowledge of returnable packaging systems — design, costing, deposit/rental models, and inventory tracking. • Understanding of packing automation equipment (strapping, sealing, palletizing, wrapping systems) and ability to evaluate/justify automation projects (ROI/payback). • Proficiency in SAP and MS Excel for procurement, inventory tracking, and cost/data analysis. • Strong coordination skills to manage packing requirements across multiple plants and cross-functional teams. • Ability to manage urgent packing requirements and dispatch-linked timelines under pressure. • Analytical mindset for costing, comparison, and value engineering of packaging. • Effective communication and problem-solving skills. • Zero/minimal dispatch or production delays due to packing material unavailability across plants. • Achievement of annual cost-saving targets for packing categories. • Standardization of packing specifications across plants and reduction in packing material variants. • Adherence to min–max inventory norms and reduction in non-moving/obsolete packing stock. • Timely closure of PRs, POs, MRNs, and vendor payment issues. • Vendor performance improvement based on QCDMS parameters. • Successful and timely development of packaging for new products/NPDs. • Increase in share of returnable/reusable packaging and reduction in one-time packing cost. • Successful implementation of packing automation projects with measurable productivity gains and manpower reduction. • Compliance with procurement SOPs and audit requirements.