Job Summary:
We are looking for an Assistant Manager, Personal Care Product Development who is passionate about Personal Care Product Development (PD) research.
What you will do:
- Support development of Personal Care Bar Soaps products for global markets.
- Lead the Bar Soaps Product Development team by identifying and developing new technical leads based on technological and consumer insights as well as providing technical guidance and supporting the team´s development.
- Develop PD formulations that address the challenges of shipping across global borders/divisions by staying abreast of latest regulatory/legal directives. Including lab batching, stability, robustness in-vitro testing, consumer & clinical testing ensuring accurate documentation such as lab notebooks, SOPs and claims dossiers.
- Develop and execute methods for validation and scale-up and complete technology transfer of product prototypes to the various Implementation & Support teams.
- Support claim substantiation; Develop demos and provide “white coat” communication to Customer Development/ Retailers
- Conduct competitive landscape and consumer trends research to help build innovation roadmaps, including patent, scientific papers and marketed products across the globe
- Lead & support collaboration efforts with external partners/suppliers
- Collaborate with cross-functional teams to achieve project goals including R&D partners: Cross Category Research & Innovation, Fragrance, Microbiology, Packaging, Quality, Regulatory, Statistics, Safety, and Technology Insights. Marketing, Consumer Insight, Procurement, Quality and Supply Chain across divisions.
- Communicate results of research, both internally as well as via external publications/presentations and patents/Invention Records
- Ensure assigned Quality and Environmental Affairs and Occupational Health and Safety actions and responsibilities are properly addressed and completed; investigate potential safety problems early in the research process.
- Ensure personnel under his/her responsibility support and comply with Quality requirements, initiatives and systems; monitor progress on implementation of systems and actions; regularly supervise, coach, guide and train personnel under his/her responsibility on Quality requirements and systems.
- Ensure accurate documentation such as notebooks, necessary Standard Operating Procedures (SOP's), claims dossiers, and bundle books are maintained to support Global Regulatory registration and audits.
- Ensure successful transfer of the leads to respective Implementation & Support teams.
- Collaborate with the patent department to understand the current patent situation so proprietary rights and intellectual property can be protected, and to define areas where we can improve.
- Oversee team's collaboration with other functions, including Safety, Process Development & Innovation, Packaging Development, Micro, Analytical, Statistics, Technology Insights, Regulatory and other groups as needed.
- Actively participate on cross-functional task forces.
- Participate in “on the ground” consumer observational studies.
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry, Biochemistry, Physical Sciences, Chemical Engineering or related science.
- 8+ years laboratory experience Product Development and/or Implementation & Support
- Good knowledge in Product Development based research, evaluation, testing and scale-up; Knowledge in surfactant chemistry, GMPs, general lab instruments (pH meter, rheometer, mixers etc), microbiology fundamentals.
- Good knowledge of computer systems and software
- Very good written and verbal communication and presentation skills in English, for both technical and business professionals
- People Management experience
- Excellent teamwork and collaboration skills
- Strong problem solving skills
- Strong project management and execution skills
- Preferred Qualifications
- Preferred experience in Bar Soaps Development and/or Manufacturing
- Master's or PhD sciences degree preferred