Packaging Strategy & Sourcing Lead

Who we are Saxco International, LLC is the premier value-added supplier of rigid packaging solutions across the United States and Canada, providing innovative and cost-effective packaging and service solutions that help customers turn their passion into marketplace success. Saxco serves as a one-stop domestic and global provider, with a culture rooted in customer focus, collaboration, innovation, and operational excellence. Role overview The Packaging Lead is a critical subject-matter expert responsible for designing, pricing, and governing Saxco's corrugated and related packaging solutions across Big Dollar Opportunities (BDOs) and core customer programs. This role ensures that packaging quotes, item setups, pricing, and supplier standards are aligned with customer requirements, internal margin targets, and Saxco's corrugated supplier strategy. The Packaging Lead partners closely with Sales, Commercial Project Leaders, Packaging Buyers, Quality, and Supplier Partners to drive cost savings, improve accuracy, and strengthen the customer experience. Key responsibilities BDO ownership: Lead the packaging solution design for all BDOs, collaborating with customers and sales reps to ensure quoted solutions meet functional, branding, and cost needs while setting clear expectations with customers. Cost and value: Identify and quantify packaging cost-savings opportunities or value trade-offs, partnering with Sales and Commercial leadership to protect margin while delivering a compelling customer value proposition. CRM pricing: Own all packaging-related pricing inputs in CRM for BDOs and ongoing programs, ensuring pricing reflects approved packaging specs, supplier quotes, and commercial strategy. Pricing governance: Maintain clear documentation of pricing assumptions, changes, and approvals so Sales, Finance, and Supply Chain can rely on CRM as a single source of truth. NIR management: Review and approve New Item Requests (NIRs) for packaging SKUs to ensure that the Packaging Buyer has complete and accurate specifications when the order is signed. Quote-to-order alignment: Confirm that NIRs and sales orders match what was quoted and proactively resolve discrepancies with Sales and the customer before execution. Managed Artwork (MA): Initiate and review Managed Artwork entries for packaging components as required, partnering with the Packaging and Graphics teams to ensure artwork, structural design, and supplier capabilities are aligned. PC team partnership: Support the Project/Packaging Coordination (PC) team by helping prioritize MA and packaging-related tasks that impact customer timelines and BDO milestones. Quality standards: Maintain and communicate packaging supplier quality standards and customer-specific requirements to internal stakeholders and suppliers. Inspection documentation: Work with the Quality team to update and maintain incoming inspection sheets and online inspection sheets for packaging items; ensure customer quality expectations that differ from supplier standards are documented and actionable. Supplier strategy ownership: Own and maintain Saxco's corrugated supplier strategy, including supplier segmentation, preferred partners, and rationalization recommendations. Contracts and pricing: Lead corrugated supplier contract and pricing negotiations in partnership with Procurement and Finance, aligning cost structures with commercial pricing strategy and BDO needs. New supplier onboarding: Manage corrugated supplier onboarding, ensuring capabilities, standards, certifications, and data are captured and communicated to relevant teams. Cross-functional alignment: Collaborate with Sales, Procurement, Operations, Planning, and Customer Care to ensure packaging decisions support service levels, inventory strategy, and on-time delivery performance. Measures of success Accuracy and timeliness of packaging quotes, NIRs, and CRM pricing for BDOs and key accounts. Achieved cost savings and margin protection through packaging optimization and supplier negotiations. Reduced quote-to-order discrepancies and rework, resulting in smoother handoffs to Purchasing, Operations, and Planning. Improved packaging-related quality performance, including fewer defects, returns, and customer complaints. Strengthened corrugated supplier performance and adherence to Saxco's supplier strategy. Qualifications 5+ years of experience in packaging engineering, packaging development, supply chain, or category management, ideally within corrugated or rigid packaging for beverage or consumer products. Strong understanding of corrugated packaging design, performance requirements, and cost drivers, with the ability to translate customer needs into practical solutions. Demonstrated experience partnering with Sales on quoting, pricing, and customer-facing solution development. Proven ability to work cross-functionally with Procurement, Quality, Operations, and Planning to execute packaging strategies at scale. High attention to detail and strong organizational skills; able to manage multiple projects and deadlines simultaneously. Proficiency in Microsoft Dynamics AX, CRM systems, and Excel; familiarity with Power BI and artwork/MA systems is preferred. Strong communication and negotiation skills, including experience interacting with both customers and suppliers.

Created: 2026-03-06