Aesop: Senior Packaging Developer

For over 35 years, Aesop has carefully cultivated an inspiring and inclusive environment in which our employees are supported and encouraged to thrive. As a global retail organisation, we offer professional development and advancement opportunities to complement career goals and aspirations.

We aim to strike the right balance between people, planet and profit, actively reducing our footprint on the planet that generously sustains us. So far, this journey has led us to become a certified B Corp. We are collectively committed to building a more sustainable and inclusive society.

Aesop is an endorsed employer for all women. See our range of benefits and policies directly at Work180: Aesop – Work180 Endorsed Employer

Role Purpose

Aesop are seeking a passionate and driven Senior Packaging Developer with proven experience to join us on a full-time basis within at our head office in Collingwood. Reporting to the Packaging Development Manager, you’ll be responsible for the delivery of key packaging projects, working closely with cross-functional teams to support Aesop’s product, sustainability, and growth ambitions.

As a senior member of the Packaging team, you will mentor junior colleagues and serves as a confident representative of the Packaging function in various forums. In addition to building strong relationships internally, you will maintain strong relationship across key suppliers globally to drive commercial, sustainability and innovation objectives for Aesop’s packaging.

Aside from driving process improvements for the Packaging team, you will also champion sustainability initiatives and promote innovative packaging solutions to support Aesop’s continued growth, sustainability, and NPD pipeline. Strong communication, attention to detail and excellence in execution are key to this roles’ success.

Key responsibilities (but not limited to)

• Lead the development of product packaging in line with Aesop’s philosophy, working collaboratively with teams such as Product Category, Product Development, Supply Chain, R&D and Compliance to ensure the timely development of product packaging.
• Lead the delivery of all allocated/assigned Packaging development projects including clear communication of requirements for cross-functional teams (R&D, Product, Supply Chain).
• Develop projects with a strong sustainability focus, ensuring clear communication of environmental credentials as a central aspect to packaging selection.
• Work closely with our Category Managers and Creative team to gain insight into their packaging preferences and ensure that packaging aligns with overall product and branding strategies.
• Establish and execute plans for research, manufacturing, design, validation, and transport testing with strong emphasis on packaging optimisation for the manufacturing process.
• Support manufacturing partners to resolve issues during design transfer and transition to mass production.
• Stay informed about the most recent developments in the field, leveraging advancements in materials technologies and packaging innovations to drive the implementation of the Packaging Roadmap

What we are looking for

• Extensive experience within a global/multinational environment in consumer goods – e.g., luxury goods, FMCG, personal care, cosmetics, skincare etc.
• Extensive experience in the development and manufacture of packaging componentry, including glass, aluminium, plastic, textiles, and cardboard.
• Extensive knowledge of sustainability and the levers available to positively shift packaging impact across manufacture, transportation, use and recovery.
• Advanced technical understanding of packaging in terms of materials, testing, user performance requirements, manufacturing, and quality assurance processes.
• Advanced design skills across the packaging development process (ideation, concept development, prototyping, testing / refinement, and delivery)
• Bachelor’s degree in industrial design, Packaging Science, Engineering, or related field such as Material’s Engineering, Chemical Engineering or Mechanical Engineering.
• Specialised qualification/s in packaging, highly regarded.
• Exposure to CAD and visualisation tools, ideally Solidworks, CATIA and Keyshot

What’s on Offer:

At Aesop, we believe that the best people drive our business to continued success and so we take a holistic approach to employment, promoting employee wellbeing initiatives and encouraging deep connections with the local community through the Aesop Foundation, volunteering, matched giving programs. In addition, we offer:

• Flexible working arrangements (we value work-life balance)
• Flexible Fridays (summer hours)
• Generous product discount of up to 50% & complimentary product allocation
• Hybrid work model, we balance office-based in-person collaboration with remote working.
• Team lunches, sponsored social clubs, team events, and celebrations.
• Parental leave and vaccination leave.
• Individual training budget – strong focus on Learning and Development – access to the entire LinkedIn training library suite, and funded training programs
• Home office set-up reimbursements
• Short term incentive bonus programs to reward performance for applicable roles.
• Access to Employee Assistance Program along with other wellbeing offerings including a complimentary Headspace subscription.

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