Assistant Packaging Technologist

About The Role
Are you passionate about sustainable, high-quality packaging? Do you have an eye for detail and an aptitude for data? We\’re looking for an Assistant Packaging Technologist to join our team and play a vital role in delivering our packaging strategy and commitments. As an Assistant Packaging Technologist, you\’ll be an integral part of helping to keep our products safe and protected throughout the supply chain, from manufacture, through to distribution and delivery, whilst also contributing to our customers\’ experience. You\’ll take ownership of reporting on key packaging metrics, providing crucial information to the team and internal and external stakeholders, helping us to mitigate legislative costs, reduce damage rates and help us to achieve our Ethics & Sustainability goals. By using your knowledge and experience you will provide day to day coordination of critical packaging activities to support the development and delivery of John Lewis Own Brand packaging across Fashion, Home and Technology. You will be instrumental in developing packaging that is fit for purpose, adheres to our sustainability requirements and is within budget. This is a really exciting opportunity for someone who has both proven and demonstrable experience in a packaging role in retail or manufacturing with a good understanding of print & production processes, packaging construction, materiality and sustainability Ready to make a difference? Apply now and help us shape the future of sustainable packaging at John Lewis Partnership

• Expected salary – Salary up to £43,000 depending on experience.
• Contract type – Permanent contract.
• Working pattern/flexible working – The Partnership has adopted a hybrid working approach, meaning you\’ll be able to work a mixture between the office and home based upon your personal needs whilst balancing the needs of the business. The team is expected to be in the office 3 days per week.
• Location – London, Pimlico

Key Responsibilities

• Attend assortment reviews / Buying meetings to review products & discuss packaging requirements.
• Work closely with Product Development Technologists at early stages of product development to ensure an in-depth understanding of the product and therefore the packaging requirements.
• Brief product suppliers on packaging requirements and request cutter guides and white samples where applicable.
• Review and approve cutter guides and white samples ensuring the construction meets our specification and packaging is fit for purpose.
• Ensure primary packaging solutions minimise product damage, review where damages are occurring and work with key stakeholders (including distribution centres) to make necessary improvements.
• Input technical data into copy spreadsheets e.g. material, finish, OPRL etc for all new lines.
• Approve artworks on the packaging website to ensure technical specification is correct.
• Where applicable work with nominated labelling suppliers to ensure required quality and costs are met.
• Continually work with Buying, product suppliers and Sourcing Offices to identify opportunities for packaging improvement and reduction. whilst ensuring sustainability targets are met, product is adequately protected and costs are considered.
• Work with Own Brand to maintain the most up to date labelling information on pack (OPRL) to aid correct disposal
• Support 3rd party packaging data collection agency to ensure accuracy of data submitted by suppliers to mitigate legislative costs including PRNs, Plastic Packaging Tax and EPR
• Produce annual reports showing progress against our CSR targets at Directorate, Category and Buying level
• Support the Packaging Technologist to respond to queries, ensure key stakeholders are updated on progress of projects and manage packaging samples
• Develop and maintain effective working relationships with key internal and external stakeholders.
• Provide timely and professional technical support to product suppliers as required

Essential Skills/experience You\’ll Need

• Previous experience in packaging or a similar industry.
• Experience with data and reporting, including Tableau, Google Office Suite, and Microsoft Office.
• Experience dealing with stakeholders across multiple business areas.
• High level of computer literacy and ability to learn new systems

Desirable Skills/experience You May Have

• Experience within a retail head office or manufacturer in a role that touched on:
• Packaging development
• Packaging compliance
• May have formal qualifications or on the job training in a related field
• Experience working with a large supply base/customer base

About The Partnership
We\’re the largest employee owned business in the UK and home of our cherished brands, John Lewis and Waitrose. We\’re not just employees, we\’re Partners, driven by our purpose to build a happier world. As we look to our future, there\’s never been a more exciting time to join us.

We\’re ruthlessly focused on being brilliant at retail. We continue to innovate, adapt and diversify. Never Knowingly Undersold on price, quality and service in John Lewis and passionately serving food-lovers in Waitrose.

As Partners we all share the responsibility of ownership and in its rewards. We use our voices to contribute to our success, working together through the good and challenging times, holding true to our behaviours and treating everyone with kindness and respect.

We all own making the Partnership somewhere we belong. Embracing our differences and creating an environment where we\’re free to be ourselves and can THRIVE. Growing ourselves individually, and as a collective.

As Partners, we make all the difference. And, we all own it.

Important points to note:
It\’s important to note that some of our roles are subject to pre-employment vetting (which may include DBS checks for successful candidates). If required, you\’ll be informed and provided with information about vetting during the recruitment process and we encourage you to complete any vetting documents quickly to avoid delays. Any DBS checks required will be carried out by a third-party registered body and financial probity checks may also be required for some of our roles.

We occasionally close vacancies early in the event we receive a high volume of applications, and therefore, we recommend you apply early. If you require a reasonable adjustment due to a disability which means you may need longer to complete your application please contact us as soon as possible.

We want all of our Partners to have a good work-life balance and we support flexible working. This might mean flexible or compressed hours, job sharing or shorter hour contracts, where possible. Please discuss this further with the hiring manager during your interview.