Product Development Manager (Operations)

The Unmarked Group; Melbourne; On-site; AUD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

The Unmarked Group is a multi-brand business group spanning consumer products, sourcing services and digital ventures. The Product Development Manager owns how products across our portfolio get made, launched and kept on shelf, from formulation to finished goods.

You’ll ensure compliant, cost-effective, on-time launches and manage the range through its life. You’ll be the operational owner of each product: the formula, pack, cost, supplier, timeline and risk, reporting to the Product Director

Qualifications

• 4+ years in product development, product management or technical commercialisation.
• Hands-on experience managing contract manufacturers and packaging suppliers.
• Working knowledge of cosmetic regulations and claims rules (AICIS, ACCC, TGA, MoCRA).
• Strong project management: multiple launches at once, critical paths and dependencies.
• Commercial confidence with costings, MOQs and margin.
• Desirable: tertiary qualification in cosmetic science, chemistry, food or materials science, engineering or supply chain.
• Desirable: experience with export markets (EU, UK, US, NZ) and their notification requirements.
• Desirable: ERP / PLM systems, and knowledge of sustainable packaging and recyclability standards.

Responsibilities

• Run products through the NPD stage-gate process from brief to launch.
• Translate briefs into technical requirements: formulation targets, pack specs, fill weights, shelf life.
• Lead briefing, sampling and approvals with contract manufacturers and suppliers.
• Build and maintain product costings and COGS to hit margin targets.
• Own launch readiness: specs signed off, artwork approved, first production scheduled.
• Act as day-to-day product contact for contract manufacturers and packaging suppliers.
• Work with Supply Chain on MOQs, lead times, forecasting and first orders.
• Support supplier selection and issue resolution.
• Identify cost-down, packaging and sustainability improvements.
• Partner with Regulatory & QA to meet market requirements.
• Coordinate technical file inputs: ingredient lists, safety assessments, tests.
• Check artwork and pack copy for regulatory accuracy.
• Support product notifications and registrations for export markets.
• Maintain product master data and specifications.
• Manage reformulations and discontinuations end to end.
• Track range performance with Marketing and Sales.
• Keep Marketing, Sales, Customer Care and retail partners updated on timelines.
• Provide accurate product information for retailer listings and training materials.
• Flag risks early and propose options.

Education

Desirable: tertiary qualification in cosmetic science, chemistry, food or materials science, engineering or supply chain.

Job description

Product Development Manager (Operations)

The Unmarked Group is where strategic expertise meets entrepreneurial innovation. We are a multi-brand business group spanning consumer products, sourcing services and digital ventures. Across our portfolio including brands in pet care, beauty and health. We combine creative marketing, performance-driven digital execution and advanced technology to drive scalable growth.

Growing a portfolio of beauty brands, including iconic Australian brands frank body and al.ive body, takes someone who knows exactly how a product gets from idea to shelf, and isn't afraid of a critical path. This role sits on the operational side of product: you won't be writing the campaign, you'll be making sure there's a compliant, on-cost, beautifully made product for it to launch.

About Us:

The Unmarked Group is where strategic expertise meets entrepreneurial innovation. We are a multi-brand business group spanning consumer products, sourcing services and digital ventures. Across our portfolio including brands in pet care, beauty and health. We combine creative marketing, performance-driven digital execution and advanced technology to drive scalable growth.

Growing a portfolio of beauty brands, including iconic Australian brands frank body and al.ive body, takes someone who knows exactly how a product gets from idea to shelf, and isn't afraid of a critical path. This role sits on the operational side of product: you won't be writing the campaign, you'll be making sure there's a compliant, on-cost, beautifully made product for it to launch.

Job Summary:

The Product Development Manager owns how products across our portfolio get made, launched and kept on shelf, from formulation to finished goods. The role turns approved product ideas into compliant, cost-effective, on-time launches, and manages the range through its life.

You'll be the operational owner of each product: the person who knows the formula, the pack, the cost, the supplier, the timeline and the risk. You'll report to the Product Director and work closely with Regulatory & QA, Supply Chain, Marketing, Finance, and our contract manufacturers and suppliers.

Key Responsibilities:

• New Product Development and Commercialisation

  • Run products through the NPD stage-gate process, from approved brief to launch, keeping critical paths and gate decisions on track.

  • Translate briefs into technical requirements: formulation targets, pack specifications, fill weights, shelf life and testing needs.

  • Lead briefing, sampling and approvals with contract manufacturers and component suppliers, including lab samples, stability and compatibility results.

  • Build and maintain product costings and COGS, working with Finance to hit margin targets.

  • Own launch readiness: specifications signed off, artwork approved, first production scheduled, stock in DC by launch date.

• Supply Chain and Manufacturing Partnership

  • Act as day-to-day product contact for contract manufacturers and packaging suppliers.

  • Work with Supply Chain on MOQs, lead times, forecasting inputs and first-order quantities.

  • Support supplier selection and assessments, and help resolve production issues, deviations and non-conformances.

  • Identify cost-down, packaging and sustainability improvements across the existing range.

• Regulatory and Quality

  • Partner with Regulatory & QA so every product meets requirements in each market it is sold in.

  • Coordinate technical file inputs: ingredient lists (INCI), safety assessments, stability and challenge testing, claims substantiation.

  • Check artwork and pack copy for technical and regulatory accuracy before sign-off.

  • Support product notifications and registrations for export markets.

• Range and Lifecycle Management

  • Maintain accurate product master data and specifications across systems.

  • Manage reformulations, renovations, component changes and discontinuations end to end.

  • Track range performance with Marketing and Sales, recommending SKU additions, changes and deletions.

• Cross-Functional Communication

  • Keep Marketing, Sales, Customer Care and retail partners briefed on timelines, product details and any changes.

  • Provide accurate product information for retailer listings, new-line forms and training materials.

  • Flag risks early and bring options, not just problems.

Qualifications:

• 4+ years in product development, product management or technical commercialisation, ideally in cosmetics, skincare, or personal care.

• Hands-on experience managing contract manufacturers and packaging suppliers.

• Working knowledge of cosmetic regulations and claims rules (e.g. AICIS, ACCC, TGA, MoCRA) and how they shape product decisions.

• Strong project management: multiple launches at once, critical paths and dependencies.

• Commercial confidence with costings, MOQs and margin.

• Desirable: tertiary qualification in cosmetic science, chemistry, food or materials science, engineering or supply chain.

• Desirable: experience with export markets (e.g. EU, UK, US, NZ) and their notification requirements.

• Desirable: experience with ERP / PLM systems, and knowledge of sustainable packaging and recyclability standards.

Key Competencies:

• Operational Ownership: Knows the formula, pack, cost, supplier, timeline and risk for every product.

• Attention to Detail: Accurate across specifications, artwork and master data.

• Commercial Acumen: Keeps launches on time and on margin.

• Compliance Mindset: Works with Regulatory & QA, not around them.

• Collaboration: A clear, warm communicator who brings creative and technical teams together.

Key Measures of Success:

• Launches delivered on time and in full against the agreed critical path.

• COGS and margin at or better than approved costings.

• Zero product recalls or compliance breaches linked to process gaps.

• Accurate, current specifications and master data for every SKU.

• Measurable cost-down or improvement delivered on the existing range each year.

What We Offer:

• A small, close-knit team where your work is seen and matters.

• A portfolio of much-loved brands, including frank body and al.ive body, with plenty still to build.

• Real ownership of how products are developed across the group.

If a well-run launch and a clean spec sheet sound like your kind of thing, we'd love to hear from you!

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