Senior Engineer, Packaging Development & Supply Chain Operations (IMEA)

ABOUT US

tms unites technology, marketing, and sourcing to drive transformational change for the world’s leading brands. With 1,200+ employees across 26 countries, we offer an impressive range of solutions – from inspiration and innovation to category management and delivery.

Operating as a creative agency, a strategic consultancy, a sourcing business, and a technology provider, we engage with over 110 million customers every single day for our clients, including McDonald’s, T-Mobile, O2, Starbucks, and adidas.

Most importantly, we're a place where you can achieve great things, and be recognized as the best.

WHAT MATTERS THE MOST

Breakthrough, business-driving ideas come from extraordinary people with the freedom to be their most authentic selves at work. Authenticity and diversity are critical elements of our business. They can only be realized when we create access and equity for all. We foster a culture of inclusion and belonging and aspire to be ever-evolving.

tms is a place where brilliant people are better together. If you want your ideas to be heard and to contribute to a culture of inclusion and authenticity, bring us your voice! Visit us at tmsw.com.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THIS ROLE

This dual-accountability role provides functional and strategic leadership in delivering packaging technology solutions across the IMEA region (India, Middle East, and Africa), while simultaneously driving Supply Chain Operations (SCO) for the India market.

•  Packaging Development (PD - IMEA): Provide functional (Project Management and Packaging Development) and strategic leadership in delivering packaging technology solutions to programs that add value to our clients. Business parameters include consumer satisfaction, operations improvement, sales growth, productivity/cost savings, environmental impact and profitability. Requires the ability to lead significant, multi-phase packaging development programs with a cross-functional teams. Programs include preliminary concept development, testing and validation thru national commercialization / execution.

•  Supply Chain Operations (SCO - India): This hands-on role drives Supply Chain Operations for the India market, with overall accountability for the Packaging category. Key responsibilities include executing category strategies, managing sourcing events (RFP/Is), and ensuring 100% assured supply through robust capacity and contingency planning. The position is responsible for building strategic supplier partnerships using global performance frameworks to deliver high-quality solutions to the QSR system, while managing day-to-day supplier communications and operational delivery.

•  Strategic Impact: Build collaborative relationships with internal stakeholders and external suppliers to deliver high-quality packaging solutions that align with both client expectations and global supply chain strategies.

WHAT PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES WE ARE LOOKING FOR

·  Packaging Development (PD - IMEA):

• Manage strategic and tactical programs including defining program objectives, action plans, target dates, and effective project/task prioritization. Assure supplier understanding of and delivery of key program deliverables on a timely basis. Execute testing, commercialization and implementation plans to ensure the product meets customer requirements.
• Provide packaging development support and expertise in-line with the needs and expectations identified by tms customers; solutions should include a balance of innovation, sustainability, risk management, benefit and cost.
• Interface with various customer departments, including operations, culinary, supply chain, and marketing, to identify customer needs and focus on speed-to-market solutions.
• Coordinate packaging testing, including those at supplier facilities and at customer facilities, such as test kitchens, in-store testing, and any outside 3rd party test labs, to validate the performance of the package against operational and consumer criteria.
• Provide customer's and tms program leaders with ongoing project communication, status updates, and support necessary to deliver against the customer's expectations.
• Interface directly with customer gatekeepers including formal presentations and positioning new product initiatives. Develop business case recommendations; present the recommendations to customer gatekeepers for concurrence/approvals.
• Fully leverage supplier capabilities and technical specialists that deliver results effectively and in a timely manner. Participate in supplier review meetings to provide feedback on supplier performance.
• Execute commercialization plans to ensure the product meets customer requirements and is transitioned to a continuous supply item.
• Develop and maintain packaging specifications within the designated specification system.
• Responsible for developing and maintaining knowledge of critical consumer and operational issues as well as key packaging technologies relevant to QSR packaging and specific customer business priorities.
• Responsible for recommending creative solutions with an appropriate balance of innovation, risk management, assured supply, speed and cost.
• Develop an understanding of relevant packaging issues and legislation, for use in the development process
• This role will manage the packaging development work for India, Middle East and Africa region (IMEA)

•  Supply Chain Operations (SCO - India):

• Lead and execute Supplier Relationship Management programs across the supplier base in the defined region with a primary focus on strategic and some critical supplier relationships
• Strategic management of suppliers that results in a supply base that delivers uninterrupted supply of product to the system at a level of quality, innovation, and cost, consistent with the customer’s standards and expectations.
• Execute the STEP program and manage supplier performance against defined metrics and ensure that suppliers are demonstrating continuous improvement in both the outlined foundational business requirements as well as transformational business strategies.
• Regularly engage with the STEP SMEs to ensure that its defined regional priorities are reflected in the global framework.
• Understand regional trends (sustainability, compliance, etc) and deliver value creation through the STEP program and other strategic initiatives such as the Global Resilience framework.
• Conduct supplier meetings as defined by the supplier engagement framework including business reviews, joint business planning sessions and performance management reviews
• Collaborate with internal stakeholders by providing strategic input in the execution of packaging supply chain activities including development of category strategies, new product development and commercialization, supplier selection, risk management, etc.
• Execute supplier strategies against the product category roadmaps to meet overall category needs ​and the customer’s long term business objectives.
• Ensure that regional perspective is embedded in global supplier relationships.
• Serve as the escalation point for suppliers with internal stakeholders (escalation drivers can include supply assurance, pricing negotiations, quality issues, project commercialization issues, etc.) and externally with McDonald’s.
• Actively engage with internal stakeholders during the Source to Contract process to deliver against defined objectives. Serve as escalation and problem solver for supplier negotiations and the contract management process.
• Lead supplier engagement for supplier investment strategies related to product roadmaps and long-term innovation.
• Execute the supplier segmentation process cross-functionally to define supplier tiers on a pre-defined periodic basis.
• Manage local supplier relationships and expectations even if the supplier has a global footprint
• Collaborate with internal stakeholders on the development and introduction of Supplier Diversity goals in the APMEA region.
• Strategic management of suppliers that results in a supply base that delivers uninterrupted supply of core and promotional product to the system at a level of quality, innovation, and cost, consistent with the customer’s standards and expectations.
• Manage supplier performance against defined metrics and ensure that suppliers are demonstrating continuous improvement in both the outlined foundational business requirements as well as transformational business strategies.
• Manage raw material and risk management aspects of the packaging supply chain both at strategic level, supply contingency and pricing fluctuations.
• Manage execution of supplier contract management in partnership with the central Procurement Services teams.

SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE WE WOULD LIKE YOU TO HAVE

1. Education & Experience

• Experience: at least 5 years of experience in Packaging Technology, Supply Chain, or Procurement, ideally within the Foods FMCG or Packaging Manufacturing industry.
• Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering (Packaging/Mechanical), Supply Chain, or a related technical discipline.
• Proven Track Record: Experience in a matrix, regional, or cross-cultural environment, with the ability to work independently under minimal supervision.

2. Technical & Professional Competencies

• Packaging Expertise: Deep technical knowledge of packaging materials, structures, conversion processes, and substrates.
• End-to-End Execution: "Hands-on" experience with packaging trials, commercialization, and specification management (technical documentation).
• Sourcing & SRM: Strong capability in supplier relationship management, negotiation, and working with suppliers on technology platforms.
• Strategic & Sustainability Lens: Ability to materialize abstract ideas into long-term strategies; strong exposure to sustainability, compliance, and risk management.
• Process Improvement: Capable of identifying and implementing continuous process improvements to drive efficiency and cost savings.

3. Core Soft Skills & Attributes

• Project Ownership: Excellent organizational and multi-tasking skills with a strong execution mindset and a high attention to detail.
• Stakeholder Management: Clear communication and facilitation skills to influence both internal teams and external customers/suppliers.
• Resilience & Problem Solving: Confident "solution seeker" with an analytical approach; able to maintain composure and drive consensus in high-pressure situations.
• Drive & Motivation: Highly motivated with a strong desire to achieve, a sense of urgency, and business/financial acumen.
• Tech Proficiency: Skilled in Microsoft Office 365 (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Teams).