Design Manager

Position Profile

Location: Southeastern Wisconsin

Position Title: Structural Designer

The Opportunity:
This is a rare and highly impactful opportunity to join a market‑leading corrugated packaging organization at a pivotal moment. The designer hired into this role will step into a business that is performing at a high level while navigating an important transition within the design function. With an upcoming retirement and an internal move creating immediate need, this role offers visibility, influence, and the chance to shape how design supports sales, operations, and customers across multiple facilities. The individual in this role will play a critical part in helping the organization continue to differentiate itself through speed, creativity, and customer‑focused solutions—directly impacting customer retention, new business wins, and long‑term plant performance.

The Company:
The organization is a large, integrated corrugated packaging manufacturer with a national footprint and a reputation for operational strength and customer responsiveness. The business is known for investing in its facilities, equipment, and people, enabling fast turnaround times, broad manufacturing capabilities, and reliable execution. Designers are exposed to a wide range of work—from high‑volume e‑commerce and brown box packaging to high‑graphic retail displays—making this an environment where design has real commercial impact rather than being siloed or transactional.

The Boss:
This position reports to an experienced industry leader with a collaborative, high‑expectation management style. The leader values accountability, ownership, and teamwork, while empowering designers to take initiative and grow professionally. There is a strong emphasis on partnership between design, sales, and operations to ensure customer success and smooth execution.

The Position:
The Designer will support corrugated packaging design efforts across multiple facilities within a regional manufacturing complex. The role is focused on structural design, customer‑facing solutions, and close collaboration with sales to develop packaging that meets performance, cost, and timeline requirements. For the right candidate, there is flexibility to expand the role into a senior designer or design manager capacity, including leadership of additional resources and broader responsibility across facilities.

Essential Functions (Other duties may be assigned):

• Design corrugated packaging solutions that meet customer specifications, performance requirements, and manufacturing capabilities
• Collaborate closely with sales representatives to support new business development and growth of existing accounts
• Develop designs for a wide range of applications, including brown box packaging, high‑volume e‑commerce, beverage trays, and graphic retail displays
• Support rapid‑turn and short‑run projects in a fast‑paced manufacturing environment
• Work with operations to ensure designs are manufacturable, cost‑effective, and aligned with plant capabilities
• Participate in continuous improvement efforts related to design efficiency, standardization, and best practices
• For senior‑level candidates, potentially mentor additional design resources and help coordinate design support across multiple facilities

Qualifications:

• Proven experience in corrugated packaging design, preferably with exposure to structural and customer‑facing design work
• Ability to work in a fast‑paced, customer‑driven environment with changing priorities
• Strong collaboration skills and comfort working cross‑functionally with sales, operations, and leadership
• Willingness to be flexible on work location within the regional footprint

Education and Experience:

• Education in packaging science, engineering, design, or a related field is preferred
• Several years of experience in corrugated packaging design or a closely related packaging discipline
• Experience supporting manufacturing operations or multi‑plant environments is a plus

Competencies:

• Strong customer‑focused mindset with a sense of urgency
• Technical curiosity and practical problem‑solving ability
• Clear communicator who can translate customer needs into executable design solutions
• Adaptable and resilient during periods of change or transition
• Leadership potential for candidates interested in a senior or managerial career path

Work Environment:
This role operates in a manufacturing‑support environment with regular interaction with sales teams, operations, and plant personnel. The pace is dynamic, with an emphasis on responsiveness, teamwork, and delivering high‑quality solutions that support customer commitments and operational performance.

Compensation:
Competitive and aligned with market expectations, with flexibility based on experience and scope of responsibility.