Head of Innovation, Research & Development

RBW Consulting; United Kingdom; On-site; GBP 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

RBW Consulting is seeking an experienced innovation leader to shape the future of beauty and wellness products in the UK. This strategic role drives development across topical and liquid consumer products, at the intersection of science, partnerships and commercial strategy, with visibility across the business.

You will lead formulation, manage diverse projects, mentor technical teams, and build capabilities to sustain growth. Travel to sites across the UK and Europe as required.

Qualifications

• Degree in a scientific discipline related to cosmetics/chemistry.
• Experience leading product development in beauty/personal care.
• Track record of bringing innovative products to market.
• Experience leading technical teams and building capability.
• Knowledge of formulation performance, stability and manufacturing requirements.
• Familiarity with quality systems and regulatory requirements.

Responsibilities

• Lead innovation strategy and new product development across beauty, personal care and wellness categories.
• Develop and execute commercially relevant innovation pipelines aligned with market opportunities and customer needs.
• Drive formulation development from concept through scale‑up, validation and commercial launch.
• Provide technical leadership across formulation science, product optimisation and manufacturing support.
• Build partnerships with commercial, marketing, operations, quality and regulatory teams to accelerate delivery.
• Manage a diverse portfolio of development projects balancing innovation, timelines and budgets.
• Lead, mentor and develop high‑performing technical teams and foster a culture of innovation.
• Act as a recognised technical leader to shape category strategy and future growth opportunities.

Skills

Stakeholder management

Project leadership

Communication skills

Team leadership

Education

Chemistry degree

Cosmetic Science

Pharmaceutical Sciences

Chemical Engineering

Job description

Location - UK, with flexibility to travel to sites in South East and North-West, as well as in Europe.

A rare opportunity for an experienced innovation leader to shape the future of a growing beauty and wellness portfolio.

This is a strategic leadership position responsible for driving innovation, product development and commercialisation across a diverse range of topical and liquid consumer products. Working at the intersection of science, customer partnerships and commercial strategy, you will lead the development of market-leading products while building the innovation capabilities needed to support future growth.

The role offers significant visibility across the business and the opportunity to influence innovation strategy, category growth and customer engagement within a dynamic and entrepreneurial environment.

The Opportunity

• Lead innovation strategy and new product development across beauty, personal care and wellness categories.
• Develop and execute commercially relevant innovation pipelines aligned with market opportunities and customer needs.
• Drive formulation development from concept through scale-up, validation and commercial launch.
• Provide technical leadership across formulation science, product optimisation and manufacturing support.
• Build strong partnerships with commercial, marketing, operations, quality and regulatory teams to accelerate innovation delivery.
• Manage a diverse portfolio of development projects, balancing innovation, timelines, budgets and commercial priorities.
• Lead, mentor and develop high-performing technical teams while fostering a culture of innovation and continuous improvement.
• Act as a recognised technical leader internally and externally, helping shape category strategy and future growth opportunities.

About You

We're looking for a proven R&D and innovation leader with extensive experience developing and commercialising beauty, personal care or wellness products.

You will bring:

• A degree in Chemistry, Cosmetic Science, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chemical Engineering or a related scientific discipline, with postgraduate qualifications advantageous.
• Significant experience in product development within beauty, skincare, personal care or topical wellness environments.
• A strong track record of bringing innovative products successfully to market.
• Experience leading technical teams and developing scientific capability.
• Strong formulation expertise and a broad understanding of product performance, stability and manufacturing requirements.
• Knowledge of quality systems, regulatory requirements and good manufacturing practices within regulated consumer product categories.
• Excellent stakeholder management, project leadership and communication skills.
• The ability to combine scientific rigour with commercial awareness and strategic thinking.

Why Consider This Role?

This is an opportunity to lead innovation within a growing and ambitious organisation where R&D sits at the heart of the business strategy. You'll have genuine influence over product pipelines, category development, customer engagement and future growth, while building and leading a team capable of delivering market-leading products across multiple consumer sectors.

Research, development, cosmetic, beauty, wellness, wellbeing, supplement, healthcare, skin, hair, product. R&D, personal, care