Packaging Manager

Location: Timaru, New Zealand

Function: Supply Chain

Type of Contract: Full time Permanent

As DB’s Packaging Manager at our DB Draught Brewery in Timaru, you’ll take the lead in shaping a high-performing, future-focused packaging operation. This is your chance to make a real impact — driving innovation, championing safety and sustainability, and delivering exceptional product quality to Kiwis across the country. You’ll lead a passionate team, foster a culture of continuous improvement through world-class practices like Total Productive Management (TPM), and be at the heart of a business that values bold ideas and collaborative leadership. If you're looking for a role where you can lead from the front, make things better every day, and be part of something truly special — this is it.

Key Accountabilities:

- Lead day-to-day packaging operations to ensure safe, efficient, and high-quality output that meets market and customer expectations.
- Champion health, safety, food safety, and sustainability standards, ensuring a safe work environment and driving continuous improvements in waste, water, and energy use.
- Drive quality excellence by embedding HEINEKEN and local standards, reducing rejects and rework, and ensuring seamless product launches in collaboration with the Quality team.
- Embed TPM and continuous improvement as a way of working, identifying losses, implementing solutions, and expanding best practices across the department.
- Manage equipment performance by aligning with maintenance teams, proposing improvements, and ensuring optimal reliability and cost efficiency.
- Lead, coach, and develop your team to build capability, drive engagement, and ensure a high-performing, future-ready workforce.
- Use data and reporting to inform decision-making, track performance, and support business planning and execution.
- Collaborate cross-functionally and with suppliers to deliver strong project outcomes, maintain material quality, and support innovation initiatives.

Your background and experience:

- Tertiary qualification (Level 4 or above) in Science, Maintenance, Engineering, or a related field.
- Minimum 3 years’ experience in operational leadership within FMCG operations or maintenance, with a strong focus on continuous improvement.
- Experience in packaging operations, quality management, or FMCG production, with good understanding of supply chain processes.
- Familiarity with continuous improvement methodologies such as TPM, Lean, or Six Sigma.
- Strong leadership skills with proven ability to manage teams, drive performance, and lead change.
- Strategic mindset with agility to adapt, build high-performing teams, and align with broader brewery and supply chain goals.
- Must have valid New Zealand work rights.

Joining DB Breweries means being part of a proud Kiwi legacy that’s passionate about brewing excellence. Here, your leadership will shape not just a department but a community that thrives on innovation, teamwork, and sustainability. If you want a role that challenges you, rewards you, and gives you the platform to lead something special — this is your moment.

When you join DB Breweries, you join the global HEINEKEN whanau, where everyone is encouraged to be themselves, contribute their ideas, learn, and grow as part of one of the largest beer and cider brewing companies in the world spanning 70 countries.

We believe diverse views make great brews, and the vibe in our team is very much reflected in our four values: PASSION for consumers and customers, CARE for people and planet, ENJOYMENT of life, and COURAGE to dream and pioneer.

We offer a great range of employee benefits and positive culture which includes:

- Free health, life and income protection insurances.
- 5% employer contribution to your KiwiSaver.
- Monthly allowance of beer, RTDs, cider or zero alcohol beverages.
- 50% employee discount at Star Hospitality venues in North Island
- ‘Enjoyment of Life' leave (an extra day each year to do something you enjoy).
- A range of other benefits including generous parental leave provisions, free confidential counselling support, digital wills, feminine hygiene products, retail discounts and more.
- Free learning and wellbeing tools and leadership development programmes.
- As a member of Mind The Gap, we’re committed to addressing gender pay gaps and we’ve also supported the Pacific Pay Gap Inquiry.
- Free parking.