Innovation Specialist

Develop customer innovation pipelines and turn insights into commercial opportunities.

Facilitate customer workshops, Innovation Days and PackRight® sessions.

Drive innovation activity and KPI delivery across strategic FMCG accounts.

Partner with Sales and Account Managers to identify growth and value creation opportunities.

Identify and deliver cost-saving, efficiency and sustainability improvements.

Develop innovative packaging solutions that create measurable value for customers and DS Smith.

Utilise customer and market insights to uncover new opportunities and demonstrate TCO benefits.

Provide technical support, problem solving and line-side customer assistance.

Improve customer line efficiencies through packaging and automation optimisation.

Manage onboarding, value engineering and continuous improvement projects.

Support business reviews and coordinate automation initiatives.

Champion circular design principles and sustainable packaging innovation.

Support customers in achieving their sustainability and environmental goals.

Work closely with Sales, Design, Operations and Innovation teams to deliver customer solutions.

Contribute to pipeline reviews, opportunity prioritisation and best-practice sharing.

Continuously develop technical, commercial and innovation capabilities.

We're looking for an experienced packaging professional who combines creativity, technical expertise, and commercial awareness.

5+ years' experience in an Innovation, Design, or Development role within the packaging industry.

Strong corrugated packaging knowledge and experience working with FMCG customers.

A proven track record of delivering innovative, value-driven packaging solutions.

Understanding of production lines, automation, and manufacturing processes.

Experience managing projects from opportunity identification through to implementation.

Excellent stakeholder management, communication, and relationship-building skills.

Proficiency in ArtiosCAD, CAD and visualisation software, and Microsoft Office.

Packaging or Product Design qualification (or equivalent experience).

Six Sigma, Lean Manufacturing, or Health & Safety qualifications.

Experience in value engineering and continuous improvement methodologies.

Creative, proactive, and customer-focused.

Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.

Collaborative team player with excellent presentation and facilitation skills.

Passionate about innovation, sustainability, and delivering results.

We are DS Smith, together with International Paper, we are a global leader in sustainable packaging solutions and other fibre-based products. We believe a better, more sustainable tomorrow is possible with the right people, who challenge and support one another to enact positive change. We employ more than 65,000 colleagues in North America and Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA), who are experts in innovation, manufacturing, design, sales, sustainability, supply chain, and much more. Together with our customers, we make the world safer and more productive, one sustainable packaging solution at a time. Become part of a world-leading organisation and do your best work with us!

To fulfil our purpose of redefining packaging for a changing world, we aim to build a diverse, motivated, and engaged workforce. Our goal is to create a culture of inclusion where everyone is treated fairly, differences are valued, and everyone has an equal opportunity to succeed.

Our people come from diverse backgrounds, bring different perspectives, ideas and experiences to generate unique solutions focused on present and future sustainability challenges. We welcome all candidates to apply, even those not meeting all criteria

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