Director, Packaging - San Francisco - TATCHA

Description

Who We Are

Tatcha is a skincare brand rooted in timeless Japanese wisdom, offering transformative yet kind‑to‑skin formulas that marry Japanese botanicals with clinical ingredients. Our formulation philosophy is informed by the Japanese concept hinou dokon, which means "skin‑mind same root"—an acknowledgement of the powerful connection between the skin and the brain. Guided by the mission to care for people through their skin, Tatcha takes a holistic approach to skincare from concept to formulation to clinical evaluation, offering skincare rituals that benefit both skin and mind, while emphasizing the importance of mindfulness to skin health.

Job Summary

Tatcha is looking for a Director, Packaging & Sustainability, with experience in the FMCG/beauty industry, working with luxury brands. You will provide overall packaging leadership for Tatcha in the USA and globally and manage strategic growth & cost optimization projects from design through commercialization. You will be responsible for material evaluations, data management, supplier management, sustainability assessments, process and quality improvements. You'll also lead industrial design innovation, and provide packaging direction and solutions while working closely with R&D, Product Development, Creative, and Marketing.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead research and drive execution on sustainable packaging substrates, feasibility, testing criteria & supplier capabilities.
• Collaborate on packaging sustainability technical training to other functions.
• Ideate, explore and co‑design a process for driving innovation into our new product design process.
• Design, select and prepare technical reports for primary, secondary and tertiary packaging components for suppliers to follow.
• Support and work with suppliers to provide rapid turn‑around of credible prototypes for technical evaluation, feasibility and internal sell‑in.
• Create design guides and internal standards to ensure lessons learned are captured and embedded back into the process for all new products and/or category launches.
• Generate imaginative and innovative ideas to the unique opportunities associated with delivering our brand values in our products.
• Develop internal quality metrics and interface with suppliers to conduct testing of shipping qualifications, label adhesion, packaging materials and packaged components to minimize product damage and ensure compliance with regulatory guidelines.
• Troubleshoot packaging issues arising from designs, materials and processes; identify root cause and implement creative, timely and cost‑effective solutions.
• Ensure all data related to packaging performance is accurate, current and meets the needs of customers.
• Analyze specifications of products and consumer needs to design and deliver the best materials, form and packaging design.
• Develop and maintain strong relationships with suppliers, plants, co‑manufacturers and other sources of applicable technologies, as well as internal partners.
• Work closely with Packaging Procurement and Regulatory to optimize supply base and ensure suppliers comply with customer, regulatory and internal requirements.
• Organize and conduct trials and scale‑ups in a manufacturing environment.

Who You Are

• Display passion and creativity for sustainable packaging, from source reduction to new materials.
• Demonstrate ability to manage multiple projects in a fast‑paced environment.
• Ability to meet critical project milestones.
• Ability to prioritize risks and quickly issue resolution options and action plans.
• Ability to coordinate projects at various levels in the organization.
• Maintain and share knowledge of the developments and trends in packaging, including sustainability and innovation.
• Be a strong collaborator and represent packaging engineering across and outside the company.

Qualifications

• 10+ years' experience in the consumer products industry, preferably beauty (or a combined 15+ years' between work experience and education).
• Bachelor's Degree in Packaging Engineering, Materials Science, or Industrial Design. Higher educations such as Masters Degree is a plus.
• Excellent mechanical ability with understanding of manufacturing equipment and processes.
• An understanding of component printing/decoration techniques.
• Knowledge of components: product/material interaction/compatibility, quality testing of components and functionality of container closure systems, sourcing of suppliers, brokers, sustainability and life cycle of materials.
• Knowledge of packaging, labeling, printing and decoration technologies.
• Ability to provide creative and technical expertise to Marketing and Manufacturing.
• Excellent communication skills; ability to listen and understand what is being said. Ability to communicate concepts and ideas to a multicultural team. Ability to understand and appreciate cultural nuances.
• Demonstrable leadership skills; holistic approach to staff development with a multicultural team, providing direction, motivation, ensuring cross‑training, and building technical expertise.
• Ability to travel to Japan and Asia when required.
• Japanese and/or Mandarin language skills are a plus.

Technical Skills

• Experience in primary and secondary packaging development, and innovative application of sustainable packaging materials. A thorough understanding of the concept of packaging environmental impacts.
• Experience in assessing and driving needed technical attributes of packaging materials.
• Knowledge of competitive industry technology available for cosmetics/beauty packaging.
• Ability to design prototype new packaging formats.
• Knowledge and understanding of packaging design validation standards (ISO, ASTM, etc).
• Design & develop innovative delivery systems with potential application in other categories.
• Experience with 3D printing techniques.

The Details

The expected base salary range for this position is $160,000 to $170,000. The exact base pay is determined by various factors including experience, skills, education, geographic location, and budget. This position is also eligible for participation in the company discretionary bonus plan based on personal performance and company results. Tatcha offers a competitive benefits package to eligible employees, including medical insurance, dental insurance, vision insurance, life insurance, accident insurance, critical illness insurance, disability insurance, retirement savings plans and company match, paid family leave, education‑related programs, paid time off, and paid holidays.

Tatcha is committed to diversity and inclusion to drive its business results and create a better future for all employees, global consumers, partners, and communities. If you are an individual with a disability and need an accommodation in order to apply for a job listing, please contact us at

Applicants and employees are protected from discrimination under Federal law. The Protected Veterans or Individuals with Disabilities AAP narratives are available for inspection by any employee or applicant for employment during normal business hours at establishment by appointment.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disability.

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