Job Description:

The Senior Director Global Packaging is a critical senior leadership role within Mars Snacking R&D responsible for defining and delivering the end-to-end global packaging strategy across all categories and regions. This role ensures that packaging is a competitive advantage for Mars enabling growth superior consumer experience sustainability leadership and operational excellence.

This leader sits at the intersection of innovation sustainability regulation and supply providing enterprise-wide expertise to guide decision-making in an increasingly complex and fast-evolving packaging landscape. The role leads the development and deployment of scalable packaging solutions supporting regions while identifying opportunities to accelerate global impact through standardization replication and capability building.

The Senior Director Global Packaging possesses a strong drive for results deep technical expertise and a forward-looking systems-level mindset. They operate with a high degree of independence to lead a global organization of 33 associates (including 7 direct reports) with a center of gravity in Chicago and teams across Michigan Europe China and India. This leader builds strong internal and external networks and is recognized as the enterprise subject matter expert and thought leader on packaging guiding Mars through evolving regulatory frameworks sustainability requirements and innovation challenges.

This role requires a combination of strategic foresight technical depth and strong executive influence to define and execute a portfolio of complex global initiatives. Acting as a key advisor to senior leadership the role shapes decisions on packaging sustainability regulatory compliance material innovation and design at scale. It operates at an advanced level of influence actively shaping the global packaging agenda and long-term strategic direction for Mars Snacking.

This role also leads the transformation of Packaging Innovation through the adoption of digital AI-enabled and data-driven capabilities accelerating innovation speed improving decision quality and increasing overall

organizational effectiveness.

The leader will champion the shift from traditional trial-based packaging development toward predictive model-driven and digitally enabled approaches enabling Mars to deliver innovation at scale with greater reliability efficiency and sustainability impact.

They will ensure Packaging becomes a digitally enabled strategic capability leveraging data simulation and automation to manage complexity anticipate risk and unlock new innovation opportunities.

Key Responsibilities

Define and lead the global packaging strategy

Lead packaging sustainability agenda

Enable innovation and Packaging Development

Support regions and provide escalation expertise

Drive scale standardization and Global Value Creation

Drive Digital Transformation & AI-Enabled Packaging Innovation

Advance Simulation & Virtual Development

Establish Packaging Data Strategy & Digital Foundations

Build and lead a high-performing global organization

External engagement and thought leadership

Responsible for driving consistency in quality of our packs and the delivery of the efficiency programs.

Connects with peers in the regions other functions to harmonize Innovation projects share best

practices and accelerate the global deployment of new innovations

They are a key member of the Global R&D Innovation leadership team and are responsible for co-

creating the strategy for the R&D team

What are we looking for

Experience:

Minimum:

15 years in packaging within CPG or relevant industries

Proven leadership of global teams and complex programs

Deep understanding of:

• Packaging materials and technologies
• Manufacturing and commercialization
• Global regulatory landscape

Preferred:

Experience leading global packaging strategy in large multinational

organizations

Strong exposure to sustainability transformation and circular

economy

Experience influencing industry bodies or regulators

Experience leading digital transformation automation or data-

driven capability build within R&D or technical environments

Demonstrated track record of implementing or scaling AI

simulation or advanced analytics capabilities in product or

packaging development

Knowledge / Skills:

Deep technical expertise in packaging science and systems

Strong ability to navigate regulatory ambiguity and external

complexity

Exceptional stakeholder influence skills at senior executive level

Strategic thinking with ability to translate into execution

Strong collaboration and cross-functional leadership capability

Ability to operate in a highly matrixed global organization

Education:

Preferred: Advanced degree (MS PhD MBA)

Minimum: Degree in Packaging Engineering Materials Science

Chemical Engineering or related field

The base pay range for this position at commencement of employment is between the range listed below however base pay offered may vary depending on multiple individualized factors including but not limited to job-related knowledge skills and total compensation package for this position will include variable pay medical and dental benefits participation in 401k plan and paid time off of participation in these benefit plans will be provided if an applicant receives an offer of employment.