New Product Development Executive

Veblen International; Manchester; Hybrid; GBP 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

25 days holiday

Discretionary bonus

Enhanced maternity/paternity leave

Vitality health insurance

Hybrid working

Flexi start and finish times

Cycle to Work scheme

Training and development budget

Charity day

Job summary

Veblen International is seeking a Product Development Executive to join its Manchester team. You will drive end-to-end beauty product development, coordinating formulation, packaging, components and merchandise to bring innovative products to market.

You will manage timelines, costings, testing strategies and cross-functional collaboration with Marketing, Packaging and Quality to deliver market-ready launches in a fast-paced environment.

Qualifications

• Experience in beauty/cosmetics product development and end-to-end launches.
• Ability to manage multiple projects from concept to production.
• Strong commercial awareness, including costings and supplier management.
• Proactive, solutions-focused mindset with excellent stakeholder communication.

Responsibilities

• Lead product development from concept to first production with brand alignment.
• Track timelines, critical paths and milestones across workstreams.
• Own product costings and support supplier negotiations for margins.
• Plan testing strategies ensuring inclusive, consumer-led market relevance.
• Leverage feedback and trends to drive improvement and innovation.
• Collaborate with Marketing to support launch claims and messaging.
• Manage supplier relationships and lead project meetings.
• Work cross-functionally with Packaging, Technical, Quality and Marketing.
• Identify and mitigate risks related to development, quality, timelines and costs.
• Create development updates and decks for stakeholders.
• Stay informed on ingredients, technologies and competitor activity.

Skills

Project management

Stakeholder management

Strategic thinking

Communication

Cross-functional collaboration

Costings & supplier relations

Quality & launch execution

Job description

A fast growing beauty brand is looking to appoint a Product Development Executive to join its expanding Product Development team based in Manchester. This is an exciting opportunity for an ambitious product developer to play a key role in bringing innovative, category defining beauty products to market, working across formulation, packaging, components, and merchandise.

The business has built a strong reputation for creating innovative, consumer led products and fostering a highly engaged community. With a commitment to simplifying beauty and delivering best in class products, the company continues to challenge industry standards through creativity, authenticity, and a customer first approach.

Reporting to the Product Manager, the Product Development Executive will support the end to end development of new product launches, transforming innovative concepts into commercially successful products. This role combines technical understanding, project management, commercial awareness, and strategic thinking, making it ideal for someone looking to further develop their career within beauty product development.

Responsibilities

• Lead product development projects from initial concept through to first production, ensuring alignment with brand objectives, quality standards, and commercial goals.
• Manage project timelines, critical paths, and key development milestones across multiple workstreams.
• Own product costings and support supplier negotiations to achieve target margins while maintaining product quality and performance.
• Plan and execute product testing strategies to ensure products are inclusive, consumer-led, and market relevant.
• Leverage consumer feedback, testing results, market trends, and industry insights to drive product improvements and innovation.
• Partner closely with Marketing teams to ensure product performance supports launch claims, messaging, and commercial objectives.
• Manage supplier relationships and lead project meetings throughout the product development process.
• Collaborate cross functionally with Packaging, Technical, Quality, and Marketing teams to deliver high quality products.
• Proactively identify and mitigate risks related to product development, quality, timelines, and costs.
• Create engaging product presentations, development updates, and recommendation decks for key stakeholders.
• Stay informed on emerging ingredients, technologies, trends, and competitor activity to identify future product opportunities.

Experience Requirements

• Experience within a beauty, cosmetics, or skincare product development role.
• Strong understanding of the end to end product development process.
• Experience leading and delivering multiple projects simultaneously.
• Commercial awareness and an understanding of product costings and supplier management.
• Formulation product development experience and technical knowledge would be highly advantageous.
• Experience in shade development is preferred.
• Strong project ownership, accountability, and delivery focus.
• Strategic thinker with a proactive and solutions-focused mindset.
• Excellent communication, collaboration, and stakeholder management skills.
• Adaptable, agile, and comfortable operating within a fast-paced environment.

The Package

• 25 days holiday.
• Discretionary bonus scheme.
• Enhanced maternity and paternity leave.
• Vitality health insurance.
• Flexi start and finish times.
• Hybrid Working (4 days a week in office)
• Flexible public and religious holidays.
• Training and development budget.
• Cycle to Work scheme.
• Charity day.