Senior Manager, Innovation - Packaging & Equipment

Job Description Summary:

Manager: Senior Director, Innovation
Role Type: Individual Contributor
Language: Fluent English & Mandarin
Relocation Provided: limited relocation available (domestic location).

Please note: This role is not a fully remote position. The selected candidate will need to be based in Shanghai and follow our hybrid work setup.

Job Summary

The Senior Manager, Innovation - Packaging & Equipment supports the Operating Unit’s end‑to‑end innovation agenda by developing and delivering practical, ready‑to‑scale packaging and equipment solutions. Reporting to the Senior Director, Innovation, this role focuses on bringing forward feasible pack formats, new materials, and equipment solutions that enhance consumer experience and strengthen in‑market execution. The role requires strong collaboration with GDI, Technical, Supply Chain, Marketing, and bottling partners to ensure solutions are deliverable, cost‑efficient, and aligned with system capability.

What You’ll Do for Us

1. Deliver Packaging & Equipment Solutions

• Support the development and validation of new packaging formats, materials, and equipment technologies, ensuring they meet consumer needs and system capability.
• Conduct feasibility checks and collaborate with Technical and R&D on prototypes and testing.

2. Ensure Commercial & Technical Readiness

• Work with bottlers and technical teams to ensure pack/equipment solutions meet quality, safety, manufacturability, and cost requirements.
• Support commercialization processes for packaging and equipment in line with established innovation stages. (Aligned with commercialization responsibilities across Technical roles)

3. Strengthen System Execution Capability

• Provide guidance and technical inputs to bottlers to ensure smooth deployment of new pack formats and equipment.
• Troubleshoot launch‑related issues and support market teams to enable consistent execution. (Derived from system‑support responsibilities in Technical functions)

4. Coordinate Suppliers & External Partners

• Work with packaging suppliers, equipment vendors, and co‑packers to ensure readiness, quality, timelines, and smooth scale‑up.
• Monitor supplier technical performance and support risk mitigation when needed. (Aligned with supplier‑related roles such as Supplier Management)

5. Support Sustainability & Cost Efficiency Initiatives

• Contribute to packaging sustainability efforts, including light‑weighting, recyclability, and material optimization.
• Identify cost‑effective equipment or packaging solutions without compromising quality or safety.

6. Contribute to the Innovation Pipeline

• Provide input into future packaging and equipment needs based on consumer insights, category direction, and competitive audit.
• Help maintain a 24–36‑month pack/equipment innovation pipeline supporting the OU’s priority categories.

Skills:

Autodesk AutoCAD, Automation Engineering, Communication, Control System, Food Processing, Food Production, Leadership, Lead Times, Lean Manufacturing, Materials Handling, Packaging Supplies, Process Engineering, Project Engineering, Research and Development Operations (Inactive), Six Sigma, Supply Chain, Timeline Development

Location(s):

China

City/Cities:

Shanghai

Travel Required:

00% - 25%

Relocation Provided:

No

Job Posting End Date:

April 25, 2026

Our Purpose and Growth Culture:

We are taking deliberate action to nurture an inclusive culture that is grounded in our company purpose, to refresh the world and make a difference. We act with a growth mindset, take an expansive approach to what’s possible and believe in continuous learning to improve our business and ourselves. We focus on four key behaviors – curious, empowered, inclusive and agile – and value how we work as much as what we achieve. We believe that our culture is one of the reasons our company continues to thrive after 130+ years. Visit Our Purpose and Vision to learn more about these behaviors and how you can bring them to life in your next role at Coca-Cola.