Sr. Manager, Packaging Design Execution

Relocation Assistance Offered Within Country
Job Number #170185 - Topeka, Kansas, United States

Who We Are

Colgate-Palmolive Company is a global consumer products company operating in over 200 countries specializing in Oral Care, Personal Care, Home Care, Skin Care, and Pet Nutrition. Our products are trusted in more households than any other brand in the world, making us a household name!

Join Colgate-Palmolive, a caring, innovative growth company reimagining a healthier future for people, their pets, and our planet. Guided by our core values—Caring, Inclusive, and Courageous—we foster a culture that inspires our people to achieve common goals. Together, let's build a brighter, healthier future for all.
 

Sr. Manager, Packaging Design Execution

Owning the entire design-to-print workflow , you will be the global leader for Hill's Pet Nutrition's packaging graphics translation, production, and print quality. You will serve as the critical link between creative design and commercialized packaging, driving the efficiency, compliance, and quality for our global portfolio. In this role, you will lead a team of execution specialists , govern brand standards across all printed assets , and manage key external vendor relationships to deliver flawless packaging launches on-time.

Responsibilities:

• Accountability for Hill’s Pet Nutrition Global packaging graphics, print execution, and final output quality across all regions.
• Drive project timing to meet timeline deliverables, ensuring seamless connection and alignment among Design Managers, Artwork Coordinators, and internal partners (Marketing, Package Engineering, Network Operations, Regulatory Affairs) and external partners (Design/Premedia Agencies & Print Suppliers) for regional adaptation and execution.
• Manage and govern the global library of packaging mechanicals, dielines, and specifications to ensure structural, graphic, and material compliance across all SKUs.
• Drive continuous improvement in Hill’s end-to-end artwork process, including internal workflow and external agencies/printers. Serve as the Subject Matter Expert and governance lead for the artwork management system (AMS/PLM), including user training and compliance.
• Lead the technical troubleshooting and resolution for complex artwork and print-related issues (e.g., color shift, registration, material limitations) with pre-media and print partners.
• Ensure a clean, compliant hand-off from design & adaptation into the formal artwork approval process, ensuring all mandatory elements and regulatory labeling requirements (e.g., FDA/AAFCO) are correctly implemented.
• Coordinate Global Artwork Budget creation and tracking for the division. Manage cost tracking, invoicing, and lead performance evaluation feedback for external pre-media/artwork agencies, including Quarterly Business Reviews and Service Level Agreement adherence.
• Partner with Packaging Engineering to ensure graphic designs are executed successfully on sustainable or new packaging material formats (e.g., recyclable films, post-consumer recycled content).
• Mentor and develop a high-performing team of execution and process specialists, fostering a culture of excellence and continuous improvement.

Required Qualifications:

• Minimum of a Bachelor's degree, preferably in Graphic Design, Printing Technology, Packaging Science, Engineering, or a related technical field.
• Minimum of 10 years of progressive experience in project management with focus on artwork execution  (Corporate or Agency)
• Minimum of 5 years of direct people management experience, including formal supervision, performance management, and team development.
• Proven, hands-on working experience with industry-standard Artwork Management Systems, prepress process and commercial printing technologies (e.g., flexography, gravure, offset, etc.). 

Preferred Qualifications:

• Proven experience managing packaging execution/graphics for a global brand portfolio within the CPG, Pet Nutrition industry or other highly regulated industry (e.g., Food, Pharma).
• Demonstrated track record of leading and implementing continuous improvement initiatives to optimize the design-to-print workflow and improve KPIs.
• Exceptional skills in Global Stakeholder Management, Conflict Resolution, and Change Management, with a history of driving alignment across diverse cross-functional teams (R&D, Regulatory, Legal,  Marketing, Supply Chain)
• Experience with advanced color control, quality management, and sustainable packaging graphic execution (e.g., managing print quality, substrates, inks, finishes).
• Proficiency in leveraging a