Position Title : Packaging Procurement Manager - FMCG & Food Manufacturing

Position Summary : The Packaging Procurement Manager is responsible for developing and executing sourcing strategies for all packaging materials used across the organization. The role ensures uninterrupted supply of high-quality, food-safe packaging materials at the most competitive total cost while driving supplier performance, innovation, sustainability, and continuous cost optimization.

The incumbent will work closely with Manufacturing, Quality Assurance, R&D;, Marketing, Planning, Finance, and Logistics to support new product development, improve packaging performance, mitigate supply risks, and deliver procurement excellence.

Key Responsibilities : Strategic Procurement & Category Management :

- Develop and execute category strategies for primary, secondary, and tertiary packaging materials.

- Manage procurement of:

- Adaptable laminates and pouches

- Printed films

- Corrugated boxes and shippers

- Folding cartons

- PET bottles, HDPE containers, jars and caps

- Labels, sleeves and shrink films

- Mono cartons

- Pallets and transport packaging

- Develop annual sourcing plans aligned with production forecasts and business growth.

- Identify alternate suppliers and develop dual sourcing strategies to minimize supply risks.

- Conduct periodic market intelligence on packaging materials, polymers, paper, aluminium, inks, adhesives, and resin price movements.

- Lead RFQs, supplier selection, commercial evaluations, contract negotiations, and long-term agreements.

Commercial Negotiation & Cost Optimization :

- Deliver annual procurement savings through strategic sourcing, supplier consolidation, and value engineering.
- Negotiate pricing, payment terms, rebates, tooling investments, and logistics costs.




- Drive Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) improvements instead of focusing solely on purchase price.
- Lead packaging cost reduction projects without compromising food safety, quality, functionality, or shelf life.
- Benchmark supplier pricing against market trends.

Supplier Relationship Management :

- Develop strategic partnerships with key packaging suppliers.

- Evaluate supplier performance using KPIs covering:

- Quality

- Delivery

- Responsiveness

- Innovation

- Cost competitiveness

- Sustainability

- Conduct supplier audits jointly with Quality Assurance.

- Implement supplier development programs.

- Resolve supplier quality issues using CAPA and Root Cause Analysis.

- Maintain approved supplier lists.

Packaging Development Support :

- Partner with R&D; and Marketing during New Product Development (NPD).
- Source new packaging materials for product launches.
- Coordinate commercial qualification of new suppliers.
- Support packaging trials and validation.
- Ensure packaging meets functional, branding, transportation, and shelf-life requirements.

Food Safety & Regulatory Compliance : Ensure packaging materials comply with applicable food safety and regulatory standards, including:

- Food-grade packaging requirements
- Migration compliance
- GMP for packaging suppliers
- HACCP principles
- FSSC 22000 / ISO 22000 requirements
- BRCGS Packaging Materials Standard
- Relevant local and export regulatory requirements





Maintain supplier certifications including:

- FSSC 22000
- BRCGS
- ISO 9001
- ISO 14001
- Food Contact Compliance declarations

Inventory & Supply Continuity :

- Ensure uninterrupted supply of packaging materials to manufacturing plants.
- Collaborate with Planning teams to maintain optimum inventory levels.
- Monitor supplier lead times and capacity.
- Develop contingency plans for critical materials.
- Reduce inventory while maintaining desired service levels.

Sustainability & Packaging Innovation :

- Drive sustainable packaging initiatives.
- Evaluate recyclable, reusable, compostable, and lightweight packaging options.
- Reduce packaging waste and plastic usage.
- Support ESG and sustainability targets.
- Collaborate with suppliers to identify innovative packaging technologies.

Cross-Functional Collaboration : Work closely with:

- Manufacturing
- Quality Assurance
- R&D;
- Product Development
- Marketing
- Planning
- Warehouse
- Finance
- Regulatory Affairs
- Logistics

to ensure packaging availability, compliance, and continuous improvement.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) :

- Annual packaging cost savings (%)
- Procurement budget adherence
- Supplier On-Time-In-Full (OTIF)
- Supplier quality performance (PPM/Rejection Rate)
- Packaging material availability
- Inventory days of packaging materials
- Number of alternate suppliers developed
- Packaging cost as a percentage of product cost
- New supplier qualification cycle time
- Sustainability improvement metrics
- Supplier audit scores
- New packaging commercialization success rate

Qualifications :

- Bachelor's Degree in Packaging Technology, Mechanical Engineering, Polymer Engineering, Food Technology, Supply Chain

📌 Packaging Procurement Manager - Fmcg & Food Manufacturing (Chennai)
🏢 SEARCH UNICORN
📍 Chennai