Manager - Packaging

Location - Bangalore

Manager - Packaging

Exp : 8 - 12

About bigbasket:

bigbasket, a Tata Enterprise, is one of India's pioneers in online grocery, transforming the way millions of Indians shop every day.

With 60,000+ employees and a presence across 100+ cities and towns, we operate across grocery, fresh retail, quick commerce and B2B. Our ecosystem includes 7 business verticals - bigbasket, bbnow, bbdaily, bbinstant, Fresho, bbmandi and bbsaathi. From pioneering online grocery to building next-generation commerce, we continue to innovate at scale. Backed by the Tata Group, we combine the trust of a legacy brand with the agility and ambition to build what's next.

Join bigbasket. Build what's next.

Role Details:

Reporting To - Head - Projects

Location - Bangalore (Corporate Office) Work Model - Onsite

What would you be doing?:

We are looking for an experienced Packaging professional to drive packaging efficiency and standardization across our Fruits & Vegetables (F&V) business.

The role will be responsible for developing and implementing packaging solutions that balance product quality, freshness, protection, customer experience, operational efficiency and cost. The incumbent will work closely with F&V, Procurement, Supply Chain, Operations, Quality, Product and other cross-functional teams to establish robust packaging standards across the function.

This is a hands-on role requiring strong understanding of fresh produce packaging, packaging materials, pack design, testing, vendor development and packaging optimization in a high-volume, fast-paced environment.

Packaging Standards & Standardization:

- Develop and implement standardized packaging specifications for F&V products across categories and formats.

- Establish packaging guidelines covering material, dimensions, strength, ventilation, stacking, labeling and handling requirements.

- Identify gaps in existing packaging practices and drive corrective actions across the network.

- Create packaging SOPs and ensure adoption across stores, warehouses, dark stores and fulfilment centres.

Packaging Efficiency & Cost Optimization:

- Drive reduction in packaging cost through material optimization, pack-size rationalization, design improvements and alternate materials.

- Evaluate packaging consumption and identify opportunities to reduce material usage without compromising product quality.

- Develop benchmarks for packaging cost per SKU / kg / order and track improvement.

- Work with Procurement and vendors to identify cost-effective packaging solutions.

F&V-Specific Packaging Solutions:

- Develop packaging solutions based on the specific characteristics of different F&V categories, including perishability, sensitivity, moisture and ventilation requirements.

- Improve packaging to minimize damage, bruising, leakage, shrinkage and product wastage during storage, picking, transportation and last-mile delivery.

- Evaluate packaging requirements based on product journey from source/FC to the customer's doorstep.

- Work towards improving freshness and shelf life through appropriate packaging interventions.

Packaging Innovation:

- Identify and evaluate new packaging materials, technologies and designs relevant to fresh produce.

- Conduct pilots and trials for new packaging solutions and assess their commercial and operational viability.

- Benchmark packaging practices across leading retailers, quick-commerce players and global fresh-food businesses.

- Drive innovation in sustainable, recyclable and reusable packaging solutions wherever commercially and operationally viable.

Testing & Quality:

- Establish appropriate packaging testing protocols and acceptance standards.

- Conduct trials to evaluate packaging performance under different handling and transportation conditions.

- Partner with Quality teams to address packaging-related customer complaints and product-quality issues.

- Analyze packaging failures and implement root-cause-based corrective actions.

Vendor Development & Management:

- Identify and develop packaging suppliers capable of meeting quality, cost and scale requirements.

- Work with Procurement to evaluate vendors, negotiate specifications and ensure supply continuity.

- Establish vendor quality and performance benchmarks.

- Drive vendor-led innovation and continuous improvement.

Cross-Functional Execution:

- Work closely with F&V, Procurement, Supply Chain, Operations, Quality, Finance and Category teams to implement packaging initiatives.

- Build business cases for packaging interventions, including cost-benefit analysis and expected operational impact.

- Lead packaging-related projects from concept and pilot through scale-up and implementation.

- Ensure packaging initiatives are implemented consistently across the network.

Key Success Metrics / KPIs:

- Packaging cost reduction - Rs/ kg / order

- Reduction in packaging material consumption

- Packaging standardization across F&V categories

- Reduction in product damage / wastage / shrinkage

- Improvement in freshness and shelf life

- Adoption rate of defined packaging standards

- Successful implementation of packaging improvement projects

- Packaging-related customer complaints

- Sustainability metrics - recyclable/reusable material adoption

- Vendor quality, cost and service performance

Who are we looking for?:

- Education: Degree/Diploma in Packaging Technology, Packaging Science or a related field.

- Candidates from the Indian Institute of Packaging (IIP) will be strongly preferred.

- Experience: 8 - 12 years of relevant experience in packaging, preferably with exposure to FMCG, fresh food, fruits & vegetables, food processing, retail, e-commerce or quick commerce.

- Strong understanding of packaging materials such as corrugated boxes, plastics, films, trays, punnets, crates and other fresh-produce packaging formats.

- Experience in packaging optimization, standardization, testing, vendor development and cost reduction.

- Exposure to fresh produce packaging and perishability-related challenges will be an advantage.

- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to use data to drive packaging decisions.

- Ability to manage multiple projects and work effectively with cross-functional stakeholders.

- Strong execution orientation with the ability to move from concept - pilot - scale-up.

Preferred Strengths:

- The ideal candidate would be a packaging specialist who combines strong technical knowledge with commercial and operational thinking. The person should be comfortable working in a high-growth quick-commerce environment where packaging decisions need to balance product protection, freshness, customer experience, operational practicality and cost efficiency.

Key Competencies:

- Always-On Alliances: Transition from one-off campaigns to building sustainable, always-on programs with tier-1 payment and enterprise partners.

- Target Optimization: Hit new-customer acquisition velocity targets while holding blended M3 CAC strictly within internal benchmarks.

- Framework Automation: Deploy a unified partner quality scorecard, structured fraud parameters, and an active brand-funded offer pipeline.

- Packaging Technology & Design

- Fresh Produce Packaging

- Cost & Material Optimization

- Packaging Standardization

- Quality & Testing

- Vendor Development

- Sustainability & Packaging Innovation

- Project Management

- Data-driven Problem Solving

- Cross-functional Stakeholder Management