Packaging Material Development Specialist

About the role

Haco Industries (Kenya) Limited, an FMCG manufacturer supplying products across East Africa and the COMESA markets, is hiring a Packaging Material Development Specialist. Reporting to the Quality Assurance & Regulatory Affairs Manager, the role leads the end-to-end lifecycle of packaging materials, covering development, qualification, approval, optimization and continuous improvement for existing portfolios and new product development (NPD). It balances quality standards, regulatory compliance, sustainability targets, cost efficiency, consumer needs and manufacturing capabilities.

Key responsibilities

• Lead development, testing and scaling of packaging materials across bottles, cans, cartons, labels, closures and corrugated materials, working with R&D, Marketing, Procurement and Manufacturing
• Set packaging specifications, technical drawings, artwork standards and performance test protocols (drop, compression, seal integrity)
• Ensure compliance with KEBS, EAC, FDA, NEMA, SWM and GMP/ISO 9001 requirements
• Drive root cause analysis, CAPA implementation and resolution of line-efficiency and customer quality issues
• Qualify, audit and manage suppliers, resolve non-conformances and track performance KPIs
• Lead value engineering, cost savings and sustainable packaging redesigns
• Evaluate in-market durability, support anti-counterfeiting measures and maintain material databases
• Track defect trends, supplier performance and quality KPIs through dashboards

Required profile

• Bachelor's degree in Packaging Technology, Chemical/Industrial Engineering, Materials Science or a related field
• 4-7 years of experience in packaging development, QA and FMCG manufacturing
• Deep expertise in packaging formats, testing methodologies and supplier auditing

Applications are made through the company's online pre-application form, with a cover letter, certificates, testimonials and CV sent by email by 4 September 2026.