UK Design Specialist

About the role

We are looking for a fresh thinking UK Design Specialist to join our existing Central Design & Innovation team and support the UK Design network and activities across the country.

Reporting to the UK Design Manager, this role will co-ordinate the management, development, and deployment of Design & PackRight tools and processes, driving consistent ways of working within the country and supporting alignment with Divisional teams. You will support the UK Design Manager and UK Head of Design & Innovation for onward reporting, as well as manage, develop, and deploy strategic initiatives that drive efficiency's enabling the delivery of our core D&I performance metrics.

Key Responsibilities will include:

• Work with Country, Cluster, and local teams to promote, support and develop consistent ways of working, usage of technical tools and service offering.
• Strategically identify, assess, and quantify tools, efficiency processes and integration opportunities across the County & Clusters
• Manage & report project development and deployment against agreed KPI's.
• Co-Ordination of Divisional KPI's and Monthly Reporting
• Working with both Country and Cluster resources, lead and co-ordinate strategic workgroup activities with the D&I network.
• Development and deployment of Design & PackRight tools training framework and modules

About you

Minimum requirements

• Recognised Packaging industry qualification - or equivalent experience
• Demonstrates a clear understanding of Performance Packaging
• Strong knowledge of Design tools and processes
• Strong technical knowledge of materials, products, and manufacturing processes.
• A proactive team player - who can demonstrate energy and enthusiasm to inspire customers and colleagues.
• IT literacy (MS Packages essential, Adobe beneficial)
• Effective communication skills
• Great attention to detail
• Problem solving abilities in tight timescales.
• Ability to work under pressure in peak times.

Desired requirements

• Experience of using CAD but are open to other design tools.
• Previous working experience in a similar role, but not essential.

Benefits

• Competitive salary
• Discretionary bonus
• 25 days holiday plus bank holidays?
• Car allowance
• Pension scheme, life assurance and income protection
• Sharesave scheme
• Salary sacrifice electric car scheme
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Employee Discounts
• Cycle to work scheme

Location: This is a remote based with travel across the UK

About us

We're DS Smith, the FTSE100 company who are redefining packaging for a changing world. We believe a better, more sustainable tomorrow is possible with the right people, who challenge and support one another to enact positive change. Today, we operate in more than 30 different countries, proudly employing over 30,000 people, and supporting customers across sectors like FMCG, industrial, and e-commerce. We deliver on quality, service, innovation, and added value to deliver market-leading sustainable packaging solutions our customers need. Our industry needs to transform, and we're building the team to drive change across Europe and North America.

To fulfil our purpose of redefining packaging for a changing world, we aim to build a diverse, motivated, and engaged workforce. Our goal is to create a culture of inclusion where everyone is treated fairly, differences are valued, and everyone has an equal opportunity to succeed.

Our people come from diverse backgrounds, bring different perspectives, ideas and experiences to generate unique solutions focused on present and future sustainability challenges. We welcome all candidates to apply, even those not meeting all criteria