Role reports to:
Global VP of Sustainability

Location:
North America, United States, New Jersey, Summit

Work Location:
Hybrid

What you will do

This role strengthens the company's license to operate by driving science-based advocacy on emerging packaging stewardship challenges across cosmetics, OTC medicines, and personal care products. Grounded in deep materials and packaging expertise and informed by business needs, the role develops credible technical analyses and leads external engagement to advance practical, evidence-driven approaches. Through conference leadership, scientific publications, and collaboration with industry peers, the role influences adoption of robust scientific principles that enable innovation, preserve flexibility, and support consistent global market access.

Key Responsibilities

Emerging Issues & Strategic Preparedness

• Identify, track, and assess emerging packaging-related stewardship issues across global markets, including regulatory, sustainability, safety, and circularity trends.

• Translate evolving scientific, technical, and policy developments into actionable insights, risk assessments, and preparedness strategies.

• Support development of proactive global approaches to manage packaging stewardship challenges impacting business continuity and innovation.

• Lead risk profiling and impact assessments for enterprise portfolio.

• Reduce downstream complexity by addressing scientific questions early, holistically, and consistently.

External Engagement & Thought Leadership

• Represent the company externally in expert working groups, academic partnerships and industry conferences related to packaging, sustainability, and product stewardship.

• Collaborate with peer companies to shape aligned, science-based industry positions.

• Contribute to external thought leadership by articulating technically sound, credible scientific perspectives on packaging stewardship topics, collaborating with external experts and peer organizations to shape credible, aligned industry narratives grounded in consensus science.

Science-Based Advocacy & Position Development

• Lead or support development of global internal positions grounded in sound science, risk-based principles, and lifecycle thinking. Ensure technical consistency across regions while allowing flexibility for local market context.

• Partner with regulatory and government affairs teams to apply deep subject-matter expertise to design technically rigorous, defensible scientific analyses that inform advocacy and engagement strategies.

• Build and maintain academic partnerships and author or co-author peer-reviewed publications, white papers, or technical position papers that advance science-based perspectives.

Internal Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Work closely with R&D, packaging development, sustainability, regulatory affairs, legal, quality, procurement, tech and data, and regional business teams.

• Enable alignment between technical assessments, external engagement strategies, and internal decision-making, by acting as a connector between global scientific developments and local or regional business needs.

• Serve as a trusted advisor on packaging stewardship implications for new materials, design changes, and innovation initiatives.

What We Are Looking For

Required Qualifications

• Advanced degree in materials science or engineering, polymer science, chemistry, chemical engineering, or a related discipline.

• Significant experience (typically 8-12+ years) in packaging stewardship, material design, sustainability or related roles within industry, consulting, or trade associations.

• Strong understanding of packaging systems for consumer products, including plastics, paper, glass, metals, or emerging materials.

• Demonstrated experience applying scientific and technical data in regulatory, policy, or advocacy contexts.

• Proven ability to engage externally with industry groups, regulators, or technical stakeholders.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to translate complex topics for diverse audiences.

Desired Qualifications

• Experience working in global or multinational organizations.

• Familiarity with international packaging-related regulatory and policy frameworks.

• Experience supporting circular economy, recyclability, or materials sustainability initiatives.

• Track record of influence in cross-functional, matrixed environments without direct authority.

Key Attributes for Success

• Strategic, forward-looking thinker with strong analytical judgment.

• Technically credible and comfortable representing the company externally.

• Collaborative, influence-driven leadership style.

• Able to operate effectively in areas of evolving science and regulatory uncertainty.

• Balances technical rigor with practical business needs.

What's in it for you

Annual base salary for new hires in this position ranges:

$166,600.00 - $235,200.00

This takes into account a number of factors including work location, the candidate's skills, experience, education level & other job-related factors.

• Competitive Benefit Package*
• Paid Company Holidays, Paid Vacation, Volunteer Time & More!
• Learning & Development Opportunities
• Kenvuer Impact Networks
• This list could vary based on location/region

*Note: Total Rewards at Kenvue include salary, bonus (if applicable) and benefits. Your Talent Access Partner will be able to share more about our total rewards offerings and the specific salary range for the relevant location(s) during the recruitment & hiring process.