Product Innovation Manager

KJ Talent & Partners; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

Join a pioneering global luxury beauty brand as a Product Innovation Manager, where your expertise will influence the Skin Care category. This role offers the chance to work in a dynamic environment that values creativity and innovation, allowing you to execute ideas swiftly without bureaucratic hurdles. You'll collaborate with cross-functional teams, engage in product development, and contribute to sustainability efforts. If you're passionate about skin care and eager to make a significant impact in a rapidly evolving industry, this is the perfect opportunity for you. Embrace the challenge and thrive in a culture that celebrates product expertise and innovation.

Qualifications

• Experience in creating successful, innovative products and formulations.
• Strong project management experience within consumer goods and/or beauty industry.

Responsibilities

• Synthesize customer market insights and product trends for innovation.
• Drive cross-functional ideation sessions for new product opportunities.
• Manage product design and claims testing budgets.

Skills

Product Development

Project Management

Market Insights

Formulation Expertise

Cross-functional Collaboration

Problem Solving

Communication Skills

Education

Degree in Business

Degree in Science

Marketing Qualification

Job description

Direct message the job poster from KJ Talent & Partners

Director- KJ Talent & Partners, Executive Recruiter for Beauty, Wellness and Indie Brands

Product Innovation Manager, Skin Care - Iconic Global Luxury Beauty Brand

• Hybrid working London HQ
• International travel twice a year

KJ Talent & Partners are delighted to be exclusively partnering with our client in the search for a Product Innovation Manager to play a key role in influencing and bringing to life its Skin Care category.

This truly remarkable global luxury brand has enjoyed phenomenal growth to date and has further global expansion plans. One of the world’s most desirable luxury brands, our client is a pioneer in bringing exciting, category disrupting luxury skin care, fragrance, and haircare to market. Our client does not test on animals and all products are vegan. The brand is also on a journey to reduce its footprint on the planet that so generously sustains us. Progress so far has resulted in B CorpTM certification.

Throughout its growth, the brand has maintained a true SME culture at its heart. In this role, you can be sure that you will be heard as a trusted voice of product expertise across the business. You’ll be able to execute ideas quickly and really feel like you’re moving the needle – no red tape!

This demanding role offers highly rewarding long-term opportunities for an individual with confidence, gravitas, and an ability to calmly think on their feet to perform well under pressure within a rapidly evolving working environment.

Reporting to the Senior Manager, Product Innovation, Skin Care, you will bring a balance of creativity, strong project management skills, commercial acumen, and a passion for Skin Care product development and evaluation to create products that are undeniably of the brand.

If you are a product expert with an obsession for ‘what’s inside the jar’ and the ability to think differently to translate trends and market opportunities into product innovation, then this is an ideal role.

Responsibilities:

• Actively seek, synthesise, and share customer market insights, product trends and innovation
• Support cross-functional teams with product line reviews, making recommendations for product improvement, reformulation, and reinforcement opportunities
• Own product master data classification and PLC status for Skin care product portfolio
• Consult with R&D on reformulation opportunities for enhanced efficacy and/or repositioning
• Make the most of forced reformulations by working with R&D to understand the further improvements and elevations that can be driven
• Engage with R&D to identify future generation efficacy, ingredients and materials and proactively share findings with senior Skin Care stakeholders
• Drive and actively contribute to cross-functional ideation sessions for new product opportunities in line with category strategic frame
• Partner with R&D to identify formula and ingredient opportunities to increase key sustainability metrics and measure and report on product portfolio sustainability gains and improvements
• Work with Senior Manager, Product Innovation to support the Skin Care product innovation strategy in line with category strategic frame
• Ensure feasibility and profitability; manage product design and claims testing budgets and manage legal aspects of product development
• Work closely with Regulatory Affairs and R&D to understand global product compliance requirements
• Make fact-based recommendations for product range rationalisation
• Prepare comprehensive briefs for R&D and Packaging on required product benefits, claims, ingredients of interest and sensorial features, including definition and delivery of brand-aligned desired claims and visuals
• Align with R&D on relevant formula testing to deliver revised claims and positioning
• Partner with Marketing on Skin Care concept development and alignment
• Support development of training and communications for Product Consultants

Experience & skills required:

• Experience in creating successful, innovative products and formulations
• ‘Hands-on’ technical product development experience, from concept ideation to execution
• Proven product concept development and briefing skills
• Formulation expertise; sound technical capability in the assessment and validation of skin care and/or other cosmetic formulations
• International work experience for global, multi-channel business
• Strong understanding of regional and global market needs and dynamics, customer product preferences and practices, nuances, product innovation, and trends forecasting
• Strong project management experience within consumer goods and/or beauty industry
• Experience in collaborating with cross-functional teams across geographies; driving positive engagement and innovative thinking, and leading from within the team
• Well-honed communication skills
• Proactive problem-solving capability
• Experience managing cost/budget, scope, schedule, and risk
• Degree qualification in business, science or marketing (skin care evaluation, science, and/or technical communication qualification highly regarded)

The nature of this role requires flexibility in working arrangements to accommodate work across multiple regions and time zones.

Seniority level

• Mid-Senior level

Employment type

• Full-time

Job function

• Marketing, General Business, and Product Management

Industries

• Personal Care Product Manufacturing, Retail Luxury Goods and Jewelry, and Wholesale Luxury Goods and Jewelry