Senior Manager, Innovation - Packaging & Equipment

Manager: Senior Director, Innovation
Role Type: Individual Contributor
Language: Fluent English & Mandarin
Relocation Provided: limited relocation available (domestic location).

Please note: This role is not a fully remote position. The selected candidate will need to be based in Shanghai and follow our hybrid work setup.

Job Summary

The Senior Manager, Innovation - Packaging & Equipment supports the Operating Unit's end-to-end innovation agenda by developing and delivering practical, ready-to-scale packaging and equipment solutions. Reporting to the Senior Director, Innovation, this role focuses on bringing forward feasible pack formats, new materials, and equipment solutions that enhance consumer experience and strengthen in-market execution. The role requires strong collaboration with GDI, Technical, Supply Chain, Marketing, and bottling partners to ensure solutions are deliverable, cost-efficient, and aligned with system capability.

What You'll Do for Us

1. Deliver Packaging & Equipment Solutions

• Support the development and validation of new packaging formats, materials, and equipment technologies, ensuring they meet consumer needs and system capability.
• Conduct feasibility checks and collaborate with Technical and R&D on prototypes and testing.

• Work with bottlers and technical teams to ensure pack/equipment solutions meet quality, safety, manufacturability, and cost requirements.
• Support commercialization processes for packaging and equipment in line with established innovation stages. (Aligned with commercialization responsibilities across Technical roles)

• Provide guidance and technical inputs to bottlers to ensure smooth deployment of new pack formats and equipment.
• Troubleshoot launch-related issues and support market teams to enable consistent execution. (Derived from system-support responsibilities in Technical functions)

• Work with packaging suppliers, equipment vendors, and co-packers to ensure readiness, quality, timelines, and smooth scale-up.
• Monitor supplier technical performance and support risk mitigation when needed. (Aligned with supplier-related roles such as Supplier Management)

• Contribute to packaging sustainability efforts, including light-weighting, recyclability, and material optimization.
• Identify cost-effective equipment or packaging solutions without compromising quality or safety.

• Provide input into future packaging and equipment needs based on consumer insights, category direction, and competitive audit.
• Help maintain a 24-36-month pack/equipment innovation pipeline supporting the OU's priority categories.

• Packaging & equipment solutions that are feasible, scalable, and meet E2E readiness criteria.
• Smooth commercialization and deployment with bottlers.
• Practical, timely contributions to the innovation pipeline that support category and market growth.
• Efficient collaboration with technical, GDI, supply chain, and external partners.
• Improved execution quality and reduced launch issues across markets.

• Bachelor's degree or above in Engineering, Packaging Science, Material Science, Mechanical/Electrical Engineering, or related technical field.
• 6+ years' of experience in packaging development, equipment technology, technical commercialization, or related FMCG functions.
• Fluent in English and Mandarin.

• Understanding of packaging materials, formats, manufacturing processes, and sustainability trends.
• Familiarity with cold-drink equipment, dispensing systems, or related technologies.
• Solid project management and problem-solving capabilities.

• Strong collaboration and communication skills across cross-functional teams.
• Ability to simplify technical concepts for business and commercial partners.
• Organized, detail-oriented, and skilled in managing multiple priorities.

• Career growth & development: Access to global learning networks, technical capability building, coaching, and mentoring.
• Diverse & inclusive culture: Work in a supportive environment that values your unique perspective.
• International exposure: Collaborate with global and regional technical and innovation teams.