Creative Data Inc. is seeking a highly organized, proactive, and results-driven Director of Packaging Programs & Operations to support packaging, purchasing, supplier coordination, IT application development, and continuous improvement initiatives within an automotive supplier environment. This role serves as a key connection point between Packaging Engineering, Purchasing, IT, suppliers, internal teams, customer stakeholders, and customer management. Experience working directly with an OEM and interfacing with them on a regular basis is strongly preferred.

The right candidate has strong project management skills, automotive packaging experience, supplier-facing communication ability, and the capability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment. This role requires someone who can lead projects, prepare executive-level presentations, manage documentation, coordinate cross-functional teams, and drive packaging process improvements and cost savings.

Responsibilities

Project Management & Packaging Coordination

• Serve as the Purchasing/Packaging project coordinator
• Manage daily one-off projects that come into the department
• Act as liaison for customer packaging-related concerns, questions, and issue resolution
• Lead and manage new packaging-related projects from planning through execution
• Maintain and manage the department project list, including status updates, action items, timelines, and escalation points
• Meet regularly with the customer's Packaging Manager to review project status and priorities
• Lead packaging standardization initiatives and support global packaging alignment

Supplier, IT & Documentation Management

• Manage PPWR documentation, including IT support and supplier compliance documentation
• Coordinate supplier documentation requirements, follow-up, compliance tracking, and issue resolution
• Manage new internal and external PO and amendment requests, including documentation, approvals, and tracking
• Manage IT-related projects involving customers, suppliers, and internal IT staff
• Collaborate with internal IT to define requirements for new applications
• Help identify web-application opportunities with the customer to improve workflow, reporting, and packaging processes

Team, Staff & Training Coordination

• Manage internal staff activities at various customer-support locations
• Coordinate onboarding, training, and task assignment for newly hired employees
• Track staff responsibilities, project ownership, deliverables, and performance expectations
• Support internal process improvements and ensure departmental alignment

Meetings, Presentations & Reporting

• Develop slides and presentations for customer dealer meetings
• Prepare for QBR meetings, including agenda development, slide creation, data collection, and report-out materials
• Attend customer management meetings and provide updates on project status, new tasks, action plans, and proactive improvement options
• Attend daily supplier, customer, and internal meetings
• Support OEM benchmarking meetings and related follow-up activities
• Develop project slides, leadership updates, and executive-level reporting
• Report out on project status and continuous improvement opportunities

Required Qualifications

• Experience in packaging engineering, project management, purchasing, supply chain, logistics, or automotive supplier operations
• Strong understanding of automotive packaging processes, supplier coordination, and packaging documentation
• Proven ability to manage multiple projects, tasks, meetings, and deadlines simultaneously
• Strong communication skills with the ability to work with suppliers, customers, IT teams, management, and cross-functional internal groups
• Experience developing professional presentations, project updates, meeting slides, and leadership report-outs
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail
• Ability to track project documentation status, PO/amendment requests, supplier compliance, and project deliverables
• Strong problem-solving skills with a proactive, continuous improvement mindset
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment with frequent meetings and shifting priorities
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, especially Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and project tracking tools
• Automotive industry experience
• Experience working directly with an OEM and interfacing with them regularly (strongly preferred)
• Experience working with IT teams to define application requirements and support system development
• Experience with packaging cost savings, packaging material transitions, carton consolidation, material studies, and damage reduction initiatives
• Experience with supplier compliance documentation and packaging standardization
• Experience conducting dealer visits and benchmarking activities

Work Locations

• Work locations alternate between Livonia, Monroe, and Dearborn, MI
• Travel required
• Full-time

Benefits

• 401(k) with 4% company match
• Paid vacation

Salary: Negotiable, based on experience

Pay: $100,000.00 - $175,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k) matching
• Paid time off

Application Question(s):

• Tell us about your hands-on packaging knowledge or experience. A packaging engineering title isn't required, but real exposure to packaging materials, specs, damage analysis, or supplier compliance is. A few sentences is plenty

Work Location: In person