B&W Packaging Designer

Review: Beauty & Wellbeing Packaging Designer at Unilever

This opportunity for a Beauty & Wellbeing Packaging Designer within Unilever's R&D team at their Port Sunlight Research Lab presents a compelling chance for a creative and strategic individual to shape the future of globally recognized brands.

Advantages for the Candidate:

• Impactful Brand Exposure: You'll have the privilege of working on brands that "brighten people's lives all over the world." This means your design contributions will reach a massive consumer base, offering a significant sense of accomplishment and brand visibility.
• Innovation at its Core: This role is deeply embedded in innovation and capability projects, directly reflecting Unilever's packaging strategy. You'll be at the forefront of developing new packaging ideas and bringing them to life in inspiring and brand-relevant ways.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: The position emphasizes collaboration with a wide array of internal and external teams, including Brand, Consumer Insights, Supply Chain, Technical Packaging, Design Engineering, and external partners. This extensive interaction fosters a holistic understanding of product development and provides invaluable networking opportunities.
• Design Thinking Leadership: You will be expected to lead projects, contributing meaningfully to design thinking and approach. This signifies an opportunity for growth and influence within the design process, moving beyond pure execution to strategic ideation.
• Hybrid Working Model: The role offers hybrid working arrangements, providing flexibility and a healthy work-life balance, which is a significant draw for many professionals today.
• Career Development: Unilever is a global, purpose-led business with a commitment to diversity and inclusion. This environment offers exciting career opportunities and the potential for growth and development within a large, reputable organization.

Key Considerations for Your Career Path:

• Passion for Beauty: A genuine passion for the beauty industry and brands is highlighted as a significant asset. If you are deeply interested in this sector, you will likely find the work more engaging and fulfilling.
• Comprehensive Design Skillset: The role requires proficiency in a range of design tools, including sketching, rendering, 3D CAD, and prototyping, along with experience in the Adobe Suite. Strong candidates will have a well-rounded technical design foundation.
• Consumer-Centric Approach: Understanding the consumer experience of packaging and identifying opportunities for improvement is a core responsibility. This emphasizes the need for a consumer-focused mindset and the ability to translate consumer insights into tangible design solutions.
• Strategic and Project Management Abilities: The description mentions supporting the development of briefs, co-creating concepts through workshops, and working closely with technical partners to "land new innovations." This suggests a need for strong project management skills and the ability to translate strategic ambitions into actionable design plans.
• Influencing and Communication: As a packaging designer, you'll need to be a strong communicator and influencer, capable of articulating your ideas and gaining buy-in from diverse stakeholders. This is crucial for navigating cross-functional teams and driving projects forward.
• Adaptability and Learning: The desire to learn and willingness to develop new skills are explicitly mentioned. The dynamic nature of innovation means candidates who are adaptable and eager to acquire new knowledge will thrive.

In summary, this role offers an exceptional platform for a talented packaging designer to make a substantial impact within the Beauty & Wellbeing sector, working with iconic brands and collaborating within a diverse and forward-thinking organization. It's an excellent opportunity for those looking to advance their career in a stimulating and globally recognized environment.