Corporate Flexible Packaging Manager

Location / Schedule / Compensation

• Location: Janesville, WI
• Worksite: Onsite
• Employment type: Full-time
• Compensation: $72,000 to $78,000 annually, depending on experience
• Direct reports: 2
• Department: Customer Service

Position Overview

• We are hiring a Corporate Flexible Packaging Manager to lead flexible packaging forecasting, purchasing, vendor coordination, and inventory strategy in support of projected customer demand and plant production needs.
• This role is responsible for ensuring packaging materials are planned, sourced, and managed effectively to support sales volume while minimizing waste, excess inventory, procurement issues, and production delays.
• The Corporate Flexible Packaging Manager will partner closely with sales, plant teams, packaging vendors, and internal stakeholders to ensure packaging requirements are clear, accurate, timely, and aligned with business needs.
• This position requires strong purchasing judgment, vendor management experience, analytical ability, leadership skills, and the ability to manage priorities with limited supervision.
• The ideal candidate brings strong business sense, solid decision-making ability, and the ability to balance cost, supply continuity, customer service, and inventory control in a fast-paced food manufacturing environment.

What You Will Do

• Develop, lead, and execute purchasing strategies for flexible packaging materials
• Forecast flexible packaging needs based on projected sales volumes and production requirements
• Support packaging inventory strategies that reduce excess inventory and minimize waste
• Partner with stakeholders to define packaging requirements, timing needs, and supply priorities
• Work closely with sales, plant teams, and flexible packaging vendors
• Track and report key functional metrics to reduce expense and improve purchasing effectiveness
• Perform cost analysis, scenario analysis, and benchmarking to support purchasing decisions
• Identify cost savings opportunities while maintaining quality, service, and supply continuity
• Assess, manage, and mitigate procurement and supply chain risk
• Monitor supplier performance, lead times, availability, pricing, and service levels
• Report procurement issues or delays in a timely manner so business decisions can be made quickly
• Support customer service needs by helping ensure packaging availability aligns with order and production requirements
• Use data and business analysis to support inventory, purchasing, and vendor decisions
• Negotiate with vendors and support sourcing decisions
• Direct, coach, and support two direct reports
• Provide guidance, workflow direction, training, and performance support to direct reports
• Maintain clear communication with internal teams and external vendors
• Support continuous improvement in packaging procurement, inventory planning, and supplier coordination
• Perform other duties as assigned

Required Experience

• Experience in purchasing, procurement, sourcing, supply chain, vendor management, inventory planning, or related business operations
• Familiarity with sourcing and vendor management
• Experience gathering, analyzing, and interpreting data
• Experience working with costs, figures, purchasing metrics, or inventory-related reporting
• Experience coordinating with internal stakeholders and external suppliers
• Experience supporting inventory planning, purchasing strategy, or materials availability
• Experience communicating procurement issues, delays, risks, or supply constraints to stakeholders
• Experience leading or supporting direct reports, team members, or cross-functional workgroups

Required Skills

• Strong business sense
• Strong interest in market dynamics and supplier trends
• Strong analytical skills
• Strong data-gathering skills
• Ability to work with figures, cost models, and purchasing data
• Solid judgment and decision-making ability
• Strong leadership capabilities
• Strong verbal communication skills
• Strong written communication skills
• Proven negotiation skills
• Ability to prioritize work and manage competing deadlines
• Ability to identify supply risks and recommend practical solutions
• Ability to build effective relationships with vendors and internal stakeholders
• Ability to work independently within broad guidelines
• Ability to exercise initiative and sound judgment
• Strong follow-through and attention to detail

Preferred Education

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Logistics, Business Administration, or a related field

Preferred Experience

• Flexible packaging purchasing experience
• Food manufacturing experience
• Experience supporting multiple plant locations or high-volume manufacturing operations
• Experience with packaging vendors and supplier negotiations
• Experience with forecasting, inventory planning, and procurement strategy
• Experience supporting customer service, sales, or plant production teams
• Experience reducing excess inventory, waste, or procurement-related costs
• Experience improving purchasing processes, reporting, or supplier performance tracking

Work Environment

• Onsite role in Janesville, WI
• Food manufacturing environment with regular office-based work
• Large manufacturing facility with a strong promote-from-within culture
• Plant environment includes highly automated operations and a mix of production and packaging activity
• Noise level is usually moderate
• Regular use of a personal computer and office equipment
• Cross-functional collaboration with:
• Sales
• Plant teams
• Customer service
• Flexible packaging vendors
• Internal stakeholders
• Direct reports

Why This Role

• Lead flexible packaging strategy for a high-volume food manufacturing operation
• Directly influence purchasing effectiveness, inventory control, supply continuity, and customer service performance
• Partner with sales, plant operations, and vendors to keep packaging aligned with production and customer demand
• Manage and develop a small team while owning a highly visible corporate purchasing function
• Join a manufacturing environment known for long tenure, internal growth, and career-building opportunities

Benefits

• Eligible full-time employees have access to a comprehensive benefits package
• Medical coverage options through Excellus Blue Cross Blue Shield
• Dental coverage
• Vision coverage
• Health Savings Account options
• Flexible Spending Account options
• Group life insurance
• Supplemental life insurance options
• Whole life insurance options
• Accidental death and dismemberment insurance
• Critical illness insurance
• Accident insurance
• Hospital indemnity insurance
• Short-term disability coverage
• Long-term disability coverage
• Legal insurance options
• LifeLock with Norton benefit options
• Group home and auto insurance options
• Employee Assistance Program
• 401(k) retirement plan
• Eligible employees receive 10 paid holidays per year
• Full-time new hires receive 40 hours of PTO upon hire
• First-year PTO totals up to 80 hours, equal to 10 standard 8-hour days
• PTO increases with years of service