Hardware Packaging Operations Manager

Since we opened our doors in 2009, the world of commerce has evolved immensely, and so has Square. After enabling anyone to take payments and never miss a sale, we saw sellers stymied by disparate, outmoded products and tools that wouldn’t work together.

So we expanded into software and started building integrated, omnichannel solutions – to help sellers sell online, manage inventory, offer buy now, pay later functionality, book appointments, engage loyal buyers, and hire and pay staff. Across it all, we’ve embedded financial services tools at the point of sale, so merchants can access a business loan and manage their cash flow in one place. Afterpay furthers our goal to provide omnichannel tools that unlock meaningful value and growth, enabling sellers to capture the next generation shopper, increase order sizes, and compete at a larger scale.

Today, we are a partner to sellers of all sizes – large, enterprise-scale businesses with complex operations, sellers just starting, as well as merchants who began selling with Square and have grown larger over time. As our sellers grow, so do our solutions. There is a massive opportunity in front of us. We’re building a significant, meaningful, and lasting business, and we are helping sellers worldwide do the same.

The Role

The Hardware Packaging team is part of Block Hardware Operations and is responsible for the end‑to‑end lifecycle of packaging programs across new product introduction (NPI) and sustaining work. We partner closely with Industrial Design, Product, Hardware Engineering, Supply Chain, Quality, and external suppliers/CMs to deliver packaging that meets experience, quality, cost, sustainability, and schedule goals for our global sellers.

We are looking for a Hardware Packaging Operations Manager to lead complex, multi‑region packaging programs across Block’s hardware portfolio. This role is modeled on the in‑region operational leadership demonstrated by our senior packaging program managers in Asia and will partner closely with leads in the US to turn strategy into execution.

You will own operational scope, schedule, budget, milestones, and deliverables for packaging, and act as the primary operational owner connecting packaging suppliers, contract manufacturers, and internal teams. You will also help define and improve the systems and frameworks that enable packaging programs to scale efficiently across products, suppliers, and regions.

You Will

• Own integrated packaging program plans across EVT/DVT/PVT/MP and sustaining, including supplier readiness, CM packout readiness, material availability, and validation/REL/ship testing for assigned hardware programs.
• Lead in‑region execution with suppliers and CMs, driving daily/weekly rhythms, build readiness, issue resolution, and change implementation (ECO/PCO) so that packaging is never a top issue or blocker on the line.
• Coordinate validation builds and packout trials at CMs, including SOPs, assembly guidelines, fixtures, carton and pallet configuration, labeling, and ship‑readiness for regional warehouses; report findings and drive closure on gaps.
• Partner with packaging leads and suppliers (e.g., Packaging Program Leads, supplier DRIs) who own deep structural/material design, ensuring their decisions are reflected in schedules, tests, and manufacturing plans.
• Drive cross‑functional alignment with Design, Product, Hardware Engineering, Quality, Factory Ops, and Supply Chain on packaging requirements, risks, and tradeoffs across cost, schedule, and seller experience.
• Lead regional and supplier transitions scoping packaging changes, coordinating material localization and capability ramp, and ensuring transitions meet quality, schedule, and cost targets.
• Manage risk and executional agility by identifying issues early, framing options with clear impact on schedule/cost/quality, and making principled recommendations that keep programs moving under tight timelines.
• Standardize and improve packaging operations by developing reusable tools, templates, SOPs, and checklists for builds, reporting, and supplier/CM engagement.
• Model Hardware Operating Principles in daily work (e.g., acting with urgency, valuing program speed and efficiency, bringing deep expertise, taking principled risks, and being transparent and straightforward) and help reinforce them across partners and programs.

You Have

• Significant experience in hardware packaging or hardware operations, typically 8+ years in packaging program management, packaging engineering, supply chain, or related operations roles, ideally in consumer electronics or comparable high‑volume hardware.
• Proven track record owning packaging programs end‑to‑end, from concept/development through mass production and sustaining, including managing multiple suppliers and CMs across Asia time zones.
• Deep understanding of packaging development and production, including development builds, tooling, construction/assembly, printing, REL/ship testing, packout, and change management.
• Strong program and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to build integrated schedules, track risks and issues, and drive alignment across cross‑functional teams and external partners with minimal oversight.
• Excellent communication skills (written and verbal), including experience running effective supplier/CM reviews, providing clear status and risk summaries, and influencing decisions across time zones and cultures.
• Demonstrated ability to operate with high autonomy in ambiguous environments, using sound judgment to balance speed, risk, and quality and to “unblock” programs without waiting for direction.
• Continuous improvement mindset, with examples of raising the bar on how packaging programs are run (e.g., standardizing processes, improving documentation, or implementing scalable tools/systems that increase quality or efficiency).
• Ability to travel internationally to packaging suppliers and CMs to support builds, audits, and critical milestones, as needed.

Nice to Have

• Experience working both brand‑side and supplier‑side (e.g., at packaging converters, CMs, or logistics providers), with a strong understanding of how to influence partners while respecting their constraints.
• Experience leading regional transitions (e.g., moving production from China to Vietnam/Malaysia or similar), including ramping new suppliers, aligning capabilities, and managing business continuity.
• Familiarity with sustainability and regulatory requirements for packaging (materials, recyclability, regional compliance, logistics constraints) and how to incorporate them into program decisions.
• Language skills relevant to our supplier base (e.g., Mandarin or other regional languages).

We're working to build a more inclusive economy where our customers have equal access to opportunity, and we strive to live by these same values in building our workplace. Block is an equal opportunity employer evaluating all employees and job applicants without regard to identity or any legally protected class. We will consider qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records for employment in accordance with state and local laws and “fair chance” ordinances.

We believe in being fair, and are committed to an inclusive interview experience, including providing reasonable accommodations to disabled applicants throughout the recruitment process. We encourage applicants to share any needed accommodations with their recruiter, who will treat these requests as confidentially as possible. Want to learn more about what we're doing to build a workplace that is fair and square? Check out our I+D page.

While there is no specific deadline to apply for this role, U.S. roles are typically open for an average of 55 days before being filled by a successful candidate. Please refer to the date listed at the top of this job page for when this role was first posted.