Job Summary
Marcom is the creatively-led global team that oversees Apple’s consumer facing marketing. We ensure the flawless development and execution of world-class communications across all medias and platforms. Every day, hundreds of millions of Apple customers around the world interact with our products. We drive the strategy and creative work that provide both new and existing customers with simple, engaging and inspiring marketing experiences.
The Marcom Packaging R&D team leads and/or participates in print related development projects that supports the Packaging graphic design vision, taking new materials and innovative print technologies to production qualification. The Marcom Packaging R&D Print Production Program Manager works with the team’s Print Experts and technical partners outside the team to drive print related projects forward and assist in technical documentation and problem solving.
Job Description
- Manage the scoping out of project requirements, creative development, validation, and final solution launch.
- Execute identified, approved initiatives, create briefs, engage cross-functional teams. Ensure project visibility and track deliverables.
- Collaborate and manage projects with cross-functional team members, generate print design of experiment and implement the plan with print suppliers. Generate proof of concept samples for design team approval.
- Facilitate meetings with external partners and suppliers to trouble shoot print related workflow or press issues concerning the interaction of packaging elements such as papers, inks and coatings, overseeing implementation and processes.
- Assist in the creation of print and material specification documents.
- Lead and manage the development and implementation of software/tools for the print production workflow to generate packaging print content. Facilitate communications between technical and creative teams to ensure the software product meets all stakeholder needs, including regulatory and compliance requirements.
- Clearly communicate technical strategies and results to gain key stakeholder alignment and/or approval through presentations and verbal review forums, maximizing co-operation. Build and deliver effective presentations to leadership and cross-functional teams.
- Responsible for project success from start to finish. Produce thorough documentation of developed materials and processes to ensure consistent future deployment.
- Challenge and influence partners to drive innovation. Collaborate to identify risks and mitigations. Think outside the box to achieve excellence.
Conduct early morning and late evening calls with counterparts in Europe and Asia. - Work with the finance team to set up new vendors, process PO requests and vendor invoices.
Key Qualifications
- BA/BS degree in Packaging, Printing, Graphic Communications, or equivalent. 10+ years of relevant experience in print production. Experience in consumer electronics and/or consumer goods packaging/labeling, and software engineering and/or software project management for print production preferred.
- Deep understanding of prepress and printing processes, such as offset, flexography, gravure, and/or digital printing, especially on fiber based materials. Experience applying and qualifying new materials to final print applications.
- Possess deep knowledge and hands-on experience in packaging and label manufacturing and quality systems. Ability to resolve print related issues pertaining to inks, coatings, adhesives, print decoration (foil) and other paper and print finishing methods.
- Excellent problem solving skills and ability to critically think through problems from different perspectives. Ability to see around corners, identify risks and mitigations. Demonstrated ability to use statistical and data analysis tools and processes to guide data driven decisions.
- Strong organizational, interpersonal, and communication skills capable of interfacing effectively with both technical and creative teams. Experience working with Asian manufacturing and localization processes is a plus.
- Ability to focus on the message, creating clear, succinct presentations, tailoring to different audiences. Comfortable presenting to Senior leadership team on a regular basis.
- Thrives in a fast paced and collaborative environment and invested in producing excellence; a proactive, adaptive and perpetual learner onboarding new technologies with ease. Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously.
- Strong interpersonal communication skills; able to handle ambiguity with grace and stay flexible with shifting priorities.
Excellent project management skills with a meticulous attention to detail. Proven track record of driving packaging projects requiring close collaboration with multiple internal and external stakeholders to meet and exceed expectations. Ability to handle ambiguity with grace and stay flexible with shifting priorities. - Understand the principles of color management and global industry standards, like ISO 12647, 15339 and GRACoL2013 color methods. Experience with color measurement instrumentation, such as Konica Minolta or X-Rite spectrophotometers, and gloss meters.
- Proficiency with Mac applications, Microsoft Office Suite, database software and Adobe Creative Cloud apps including Illustrator, Photoshop and InDesign. Experience with statistical and data analysis tools, and technical expertise in software development for print production, are preferred.
