Packaging Manager About us DCK Group are a global leader in the design, supply of fashion jewellery and accessories. We work with many well-known retailers and high street fashion brands. Some of our hosts include River Island, M&S, Matalan, Next, Boots, and many more We offer a variety of benefits, including 25 days paid holiday plus bank holidays, flexible working hours - core hours of 10am - 4pm and 4pm finishes every Friday, hybrid working including WFH opportunities throughout the week and many more. Our Head Office is in Billericay, Essex with transport links to Central London, Stratford and Southend. We also offer free parking if you drive to us Role Purpose: Responsible for ensuring the efficient and cost effective delivery of DCK product packaging requirements across all brands. Owning the day to day processes of designing packaging, inventory and cost management as well as ensuring that DCK packaging is compliant and adhering to industry regulations and best practice. Main Tasks and responsibilities: • Responsible for developing an inventory management process that allows for maximum control for DCK, ensuring that write off costs are minimized and economies of scale are maximized with bulk production forecasts. • Accountable for implementation and day to day running of inventory management processes, escalating potential opportunities for further cost saving or if over stocks could lead to write off costs. • Work closely with the B&M teams on forecasting of packaging to minimize print to order scenarios, ensuring core carding is available as needed for the suppliers to ensure speed to market is maximized. • Accountable for ensuring that DCK is achieving the best possible cost its packaging requirements. • Negotiate product packaging costs with packaging supplier(s), utilizing forecasts to ensure that card costs are stable and consistent with full visibility of costs for DCK. • Explore further opportunities to increase cost price control for DCK, including a review of systematic changes that could support with improved visibility and control. • Utilise industry knowledge, including regular comp shops / market analysis, to ensure that DCK is always best in class on product packaging. • Work closely with the design / creative team to deliver on new product packaging concepts for DCK brands. • Provide insight to the Buying teams on what is achievable within their cost requirements. • Demonstrate an understanding of brand requirements and differences and how this can be translated in product packaging. • Responsible for ensuring the smooth ordering of packaging for reworks, working with the Supply Chain admins to ensure PO’s are placed on time and tracked through to delivery at the DC. • Responsible for ensuring DCK are compliant with all relevant laws, regulations and sustainability requirements. Keeping abreast of changes and what the competition are offering to their customers. • Build relationships with external packaging suppliers, ensuring key contacts are maintained and cultivated to maximise benefits to DCK. • Act as first point of contact for the brand teams, working closely with them on new packaging development and forecasting of card requirements. • Build relationships with the design / creative teams, working with them to deliver cost effective on brand best in class packaging. • Work closely with the Supply Chain admins to ensure that DCK systems are used correctly and accurately for all packaging administration. • An inspirational leader – empowers their colleagues to deliver consistent standards & improved performance through positive engagement. Champions team spirit and contributes to the wider supply chain team achieving their KPI’s celebrating success along the way. • Build solid relationships within the business and understands the importance of community, motivating and engaging colleagues to build a collaborative team, working together to meet the needs and goals of the business. • Be passionate about their own & their team’s development – role models a consistent PDP process that colleagues can trust by valuing the power of feedback. Raises the bar, builds succession, and grows talent. Skills, experience and qualifications: • Experience in either product packaging or DCK processes, systems and brands • Excellent at planning, organising and prioritising workload and tasks within a dynamic and fast paced environment • Hands on approach, entrepreneurial and “can-do” mentality • Highly analytical and logical with a big picture understanding of the impact packaging availability can have on sales • Attention to detail • Strong communication and interpersonal skills • Excellent communicator Please send an updated CV to be considered