Senior Manager, Packaging Development

About Us:

Salt & Stone is skincare and self-care for a life lived in motion. Founded in Los Angeles, Salt & Stone is built on and from a connection to the natural world. We combine active ingredients from the sea and mountains with skin science and intoxicating fragrances, for a sensorial experience that soothes and restores.

At Salt & Stone, we are driven by a shared commitment to excellence and innovation. Our cultural values (Passionate Execution, Thoughtful Urgency, Competitive Mentality, Creative Brilliance, Empowered Collaboration, and Humbled Excellence) define who we are and how we work. We are dedicated to delivering exceptional products and experiences, operating with a sense of thoughtful urgency to ensure impactful progress while maintaining integrity in our decisions. Our competitive spirit fuels our ambition to be the best in our field, and we cultivate a culture where creativity thrives, valuing diverse perspectives and innovative thinking. We empower every team member to take ownership of their roles, fostering collaboration and trust throughout our organization. With a focus on excellence tempered by humility, we create an engaging and high-performing environment where everyone is encouraged to express themselves. Join us in our mission to be trailblazers in our industry, and help us make a meaningful impact together.

Position Overview:

Salt & Stone is looking to add a Senior Manager, Packaging Development to build and lead our Packaging Development function, establishing the standards, processes, and supplier relationships needed to support our growing product portfolio, while also running hands-on packaging development for active launches. The ideal candidate has deep, hands-on packaging development experience in prestige beauty, is energized by building long-term infrastructure, and can move fluidly between owning a function, establishing new ways of working, and executing day-to-day development work. Reporting to the SVP, Product, the Senior Manager, Packaging Development will partner closely with Product Development, Creative, PM, Operations and external suppliers and contract manufacturers, and will build out the Packaging Development team over time as the function matures.

Duties & Responsibilities:

• Establish and uphold packaging development standards and ways of working, including but not limited to FMEA reports, test plans (compatibility, fill weight, UV light, function, transit, etc), artwork tracking, first production checklist, and more
• Establish and uphold a single source of truth for packaging specifications across the portfolio
• Develop and manage relationships with packaging suppliers and vendors, domestic and international, and building a pipeline of new supplier options.
• Create packaging briefs that define pack and formula requirements, and lead new project kickoffs with suppliers and the internal Creative team.
• Evaluate launch feasibility across cost, lead time, technical function, design aesthetics, and manufacturability, and flag risk early with clear options and recommendations.
• Own the packaging budget, including new tooling and comps.
• As the function grows, build and develop a Packaging Development team, establishing clear roles, standards, and career pathways.
• Run packaging development end to end for active launches, from concept through production, partnering with Product Development and Creative on design intent, formula compatibility, and technical execution.
• Own artwork and proof approvals between internal teams and suppliers, providing component codes, dielines, and UPCs as needed, and ensuring brand and regulatory accuracy across every touchpoint.
• Communicate with packaging suppliers and contract manufacturers on project status, resolving issues related to timing, technical capability, capacity, or cost as they arise.
• Coordinate sample, standard, and range board approvals across cross-functional teams, suppliers, and contract manufacturers.
• Provide feasibility assessments for new packaging concepts, covering function, manufacturability, component cost, tooling estimates, and development lead time.
• Track project status and timelines across all active packaging workstreams, flagging risk and proposing solutions before they affect launch dates.
• Partner cross-functionally with Product Development, Creative, Regulatory, and Operations to keep packaging aligned with formula, design, and compliance requirements across every launch.

Requirements:

• 5+ years of experience in packaging development or a related field, concentrated in the prestige beauty industry, with experience across fragrance and body care categories
• Bachelor's degree in Packaging Engineering, Industrial Design, or a related field
• Comprehensive knowledge of materials used in the construction and manufacturing of primary, secondary, and tertiary packaging
• Comprehensive knowledge of test methods used to validate component and package performance
• Proven experience evaluating and managing supplier and vendor relationships, domestic and international, from sourcing through production and beyond
• Working knowledge of PLM systems for component code and bill of materials management
• Excellent cross-functional communication skills, organization, and attention to detail
• A commitment to fostering a culture of support and accountability
• Excellent time management skills with a proven ability to meet deadlines
• You are comfortable using data to tell a story and can speak confidently to the metrics of your role.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced startup environment and flexibility to adjust plans as needed

Compensation & Benefits:

• Base Annual Salary of $150k
• Annual Performance Bonus
• Medical, Vision, and Dental Insurance
• Flexible Spending Account
• 401(k) with 3% match
• Flex PTO
• Paid Leave
• Company Discounts

Additional Information:

Salt + Stone provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.