Packaging Engineer

Job Title : Packaging Engineer
Job Code : GA210
Business Unit : Williams-Sonoma Global Ops (WSGO)
Reporting Managers : QA Director
Date of Creation/Revision : October 2018
JOB DESCRIPTION:
The Packaging Engineer is responsible for developing and executing packaging solutions across the Williams-Sonoma furniture, decorative accessories, and lighting home furnishing categories. Your role will collaborate with a global team of package engineers to assure seasonal and yearly KPIs are met; Low Return & Replacement rates, Container loading efficiencies, On-time shipping and Cost of Goods Savings requirements. You will interact with Product Design, Merchandising, QA and Supply Chain Operations to implement new initiatives, modify specifications and identify more efficient packaging workflows within your region.
The candidate will have a strong background in packaging materials and structural packaging design that can survive ISTA transit test procedures, small parcel shipping environments as well as palletized/crated mechanical handling environments. You will need a high degree of flexibility to manage projects and timelines throughout the development seasons. Corporate social responsibility, environmentally friendly packaging as well as a positive customer experience will be the over arching objective for this package engineer.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:
• Manage packaging developments and compliance across multiple countries with 2-3 international trips per year within SE Asia
• The engineer’s responsibilities cover both current and future packaging designs
• Implement packaging specifications that meet safe transportation requirements and optimal distribution flow in the supply chain for all categories
• Continuously monitor the performance of vendor packaging across all categories implementing corrective action plans as needed
• Manage the onboarding of new vendor factories and assure production packaging compliance is met, performing training sessions whenever needed
• Document and archive the progress of packaging initiatives across the vendor base and provide monthly updates with next steps to achieve completion
• Research and propose cost of goods savings within packaging for your respective region and vendor base; ultimately reducing the products first cost or improving container loading efficiencies through cube reduction
• Identify and nominate local material suppliers to consolidate and reduce material costs