About the Role:
We are currently looking for Quality and Technical Lead to join our Packaging Division. You will strive to continuously improve the Quality and Service performance to our key customers and demonstrate high levels of service, agility, transparency and proactivity.
In this role, you will be the customer’s key central point of contact for Quality Management and Technical (packaging products) performance matters across the network of our supplying countries.
You will lead internally a very close cooperation between our Divisional Operations and Quality functions and the Quality leads in countries and sites, to ensure we have best in class and one harmonised Quality Management towards the customer. The role calls for very active and on the ground involvement with our supplying countries and plants, on quality control planning, quality control, quality assurance, and quality improvement.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:
Quality Control Planning - Jointly set the direction with our supplying plants, on what we will do to ensure our products meet the customer’s quality expectations, identifying what our quality standards should be, the requirements necessary to meet these standards, and what procedures will be used to check that these criteria are being met
Quality control – Ensure, with the Quality leads in countries and sites, that the quality control processes we use in the different supplying plants are consistent across countries and fit for purpose to ensure the customer receives products that are free from defects and meet their needs
Quality assurance - Be the central point of contact for the continued roll out and maintenance of the quality assurance plan across the network. Carry out relevant internal quality audits on our supplying plants, to ensure the preventive components of our quality management processes are effective and being adhered to
Quality improvement - Regularly review with our internal network our findings and jointly plan how to improve our Quality Management
Relationship Management - Understand our contractual obligations with associated KPIs and act to minimise risks or impact of non-conformances; act as EMEA lead point of contact for customers on our quality performance and data, managing customer communication and building relationships with customer stakeholders for quality
Compliance – Coordinate activity related to client audits and reporting (SMETA, Sustainability, Food & Product Safety). Be up to date with regulatory requirements in each supplying countries, working closely with local leads. Be ready to oversee quality aspects of any requirement to switch supply sites due to unforeseen capacity issues
Customer projects and Value opportunity development – Support with developing value opportunities for the customer, providing key input on quality and impact. Identify and deliver ongoing improvement projects and other quality excellence initiatives. Keep on top of technical innovations and be proactive in identifying and influencing the evolution of the customer’s technical strategy.
About You:
University degree within Quality Assurance course or an appropriate discipline (Sciences, Engineering, Business)
Previous experience in Quality Management roles in an international environment; having been involved in the creation, roll-out and management of quality assurance with end customers
Good understanding of packaging manufacturing processes preferred
Experience in conducting plant/process audits and problem-solving workshops, managing end customer complaints, audit programs & quality expectations
Strong knowledge and skills in Quality management components, control techniques and process improvements
Skilled in 8D, PPAP, ISO 9001, TS 16949, Quality tools etc.
Demonstrated leadership skills from previous roles, with high credibility, experience and tangible results from driving and managing various quality projects
Ability to lead, negotiate and sustain networking relationships, fostering a collaborative spirit
An analytical, independent, and methodical international people leader with solid judgement; high levels of resilience and a holistic and positive attitude
Strong presentation skills and Super User level in Microsoft Office applications – particularly in PowerPoint and Excel (Pivots, Vlookups, etc.)
Fluent English, spoken and written; additional European languages are an advantage.
Travel: High flexibility required - must be willing to undertake occasional travel within Europe for on-site meetings
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.
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Skills Required
- University degree in Quality Assurance, Sciences, Engineering, or Business
- Previous experience in Quality Management roles in an international environment
- Understanding of packaging manufacturing processes
- Experience conducting plant/process audits, problem-solving workshops, and managing end-customer complaints
- Strong knowledge of quality management components, control techniques and process improvements
- Skilled in 8D, PPAP, ISO 9001, TS 16949 and other quality tools
- Demonstrated leadership driving and managing quality projects
- Ability to lead, negotiate and maintain cross-functional and cross-country relationships
- Analytical, independent, methodical international people leader with strong judgement and resilience
- Strong presentation skills and Super User level in Microsoft Office (PowerPoint, Excel including pivots and VLOOKUP)
- Fluent English, spoken and written
- Additional European languages
- Willingness to undertake occasional on-site travel within Europe
DS Smith Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about DS Smith and has not been reviewed or approved by DS Smith.
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Fair & Transparent Compensation — Pay is considered okay to good across many roles, with some plants indicating competitive or above‑market hourly rates for operators and similar positions. This supports a broadly fair perception of base pay even as experiences vary by site.
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Healthcare Strength — U.S. offerings include day‑one medical/vision and dental, employer HSA contributions, and 100% company‑paid life and short/long‑term disability, alongside an EAP. Some role descriptions also highlight mental‑health and fertility options.
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Retirement Support — Packages commonly reference a 401(k) with company match and, in some locations, pension eligibility or company‑funded retirement contributions. This positions retirement benefits as a meaningful component of total rewards.
DS Smith Insights
What We Do
DS Smith provides innovative packaging solutions, paper products and recycling services with a commitment to sustainability and a circular economy. Our core purpose is to Redefine Packaging for a Changing World, and our expert teams work closely with like-minded partners to incorporate renewable resources for products that minimize our environmental impact, reduce complexity and increase profitability through supply chain optimization
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