Quality Manager

ALLIES OF SKIN; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Health, dental, and vision insurance

Hybrid options

401(k) plan with company match

Exclusive product perks

Collaborative, innovative culture

Job summary

Allies of Skin is seeking a Quality Manager to own and drive the QA/QC program for cosmetic and OTC skincare products. You will partner with contract manufacturers and laboratories to ensure release readiness, batch integrity, and compliant documentation across development through commercialization.

The role requires leading QA/QC activities, managing external partners, ensuring GMP compliance, and implementing a robust QMS.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Biology, Pharmacy, Life Sciences, or related discipline or equivalent experience
• 5+ years of quality experience supporting skincare products, including cosmetic and OTC formulations, in a contract manufacturing environment
• Hands-on QA/QC leadership across manufacturing and release processes
• Knowledge of cosmetic GMP and OTC drug quality requirements for skincare
• Experience with deviations/nonconformances, investigations, CAPA, change control, audits
• Strong analytical and microbiological testing understanding for skincare release and stability
• Proven ability to manage external partners (CMOs, labs, suppliers)
• Excellent written and verbal communication and technical writing for SOPs and quality documents
• Ability to work independently in fast-paced, ambiguous environments
• Risk-based decision making and proactive problem-solving
• Ability to perform essential duties with/without accommodation

Responsibilities

• Own QA/QC program for all products from tech transfer through commercial production
• Lead CMO quality oversight, onboarding, quality agreements, audits
• Ensure formulas manufactured to approved specifications and batch records
• Review batch records, deviations, investigations, CAPAs; ensure timely closure
• Own release readiness and ensure all release testing is completed on time
• Maintain specifications, test methods, sampling plans, COAs for materials and finished goods
• Oversee third-party lab relationships, data integrity and turnaround times
• Establish and maintain a QMS with SOPs, document control, training, change control
• Partner with Operations for in-process controls at CMOs
• Collaborate with Regulatory Affairs to align quality with regulatory requirements
• Oversee stability and shelf-life activities with R&D/Operations/Regulatory
• Lead quality risk assessments for new products and supplier/CMO changes
• Manage post-market quality processes: complaints, recalls readiness
• Create quality metrics and report to leadership
• Provide quality training to internal and external stakeholders
• travel 10–25% for audits and validations
• Performs other duties as assigned

Skills

QA Leadership

GMP & OTC Knowledge

Regulatory Compliance

CAPA & Deviation Management

SOP Writing & Documentation

CMO/Lab Oversight

Quality Metrics & Reporting

Audits & Inspections

Vendor/Contractor Management

Data Integrity & QC testing

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry or related field

Tools

QMS software

LIMS / COA management

Job description

About the role

The Quality Manager owns and continuously improves the QA/QC program for the Allies of Skin brand, ensuring that all cosmetic and OTC skincare products are manufactured, tested, and released in full compliance with internal specifications and applicable regulatory and quality requirements. This role partners directly with contract manufacturers and third-party laboratories to maintain batch-to-batch consistency, release testing integrity, and end-to-end documentation readiness. The Quality Manager collaborates cross-functionally with Regulatory Affairs and Operations and serves as a key quality leader from development through commercialization and post-market.

What you’ll do

• Own the quality strategy and day-to-day QA/QC execution for all Allies of Skin cosmetic and OTC products, from tech transfer through commercial production and ongoing supply
• Lead contract manufacturer (CMO) quality oversight, including qualification, onboarding, quality agreements, performance monitoring, and periodic audits
• Ensure all formulas are manufactured to approved specifications (raw materials, bulk, finished goods) and to approved manufacturing instructions/batch records
• Review and approve batch production records, deviations/nonconformances, investigations, product disposition decisions, and CAPAs; drive timely, root-cause-based closure
• Own release readiness and ensure all required release testing is executed correctly and on time (e.g., identity, assay where applicable, pH, viscosity, appearance/odor, fill weight, microbiology, preservative efficacy testing where applicable, and other product-specific requirements)
• Manage and maintain product specifications, test methods, sampling plans, acceptance criteria, and Certificates of Analysis (COAs) for raw materials, bulk, and finished goods
• Oversee third-party laboratory relationships, including method transfer/verification expectations, data integrity, and turnaround-time performance
• Establish and maintain a right-sized Quality Management System (QMS): SOPs/work instructions, document control, training, change control, CAPA, deviation/OOS/OOT management, supplier quality, complaint handling, and internal audit programs
• Partner with Operations to ensure strong in-process controls at CMOs (line clearance, reconciliation, in-process checks, packaging controls, labeling/lot coding controls)
• Partner with Regulatory Affairs to ensure quality requirements are aligned to regulatory expectations for cosmetics and OTC products (including labeling, claims support where quality documentation is required, and inspection readiness)
• Own stability and shelf-life support activities in collaboration with R&D/Operations/Regulatory, including stability protocol review, sample pulls, trending, and final report review
• Lead quality risk assessments for new products, changes, and supplier/CMO transitions; ensure changes are assessed, approved, and implemented with appropriate controls
• Own post-market quality processes: complaints triage/investigation, adverse event escalation pathways (as applicable), trending, and corrective actions; support recall readiness and execution if needed
• Create quality metrics (e.g., right-first-time, deviation/CAPA cycle times, release lead times, complaint rates) and provide regular reporting to leadership
• Provide quality training and guidance to internal stakeholders and external partners to reinforce a culture of compliance and continuous improvement
• Travel as needed to CMOs, suppliers, and labs for audits, investigations, and process validations (estimated 10–25%)
• Perform other duties as assigned

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Biology, Pharmacy, Life Sciences, or a related discipline or equivalent relevant experience

• 5+ years of quality experience supporting skincare products, including both cosmetic and OTC formulations, in a contract manufacturing environment

• Hands-on experience leading QA/QC activities across manufacturing and release, including batch record review and disposition decisions

• Working knowledge of cosmetic GMP expectations and OTC drug quality/manufacturing requirements as applicable to skincare products (including documentation rigor, testing controls, and inspection readiness mindset)

• Experience with key quality systems: deviations/nonconformances, investigations/root cause analysis, CAPA, change control, supplier quality, complaint handling, and internal/external audits

• Strong understanding of common analytical and microbiological testing used for skincare release and stability, and the ability to evaluate results, trends, and data packages critically

• Proven ability to manage external partners (CMOs, labs, suppliers) with clear expectations, follow-through, and accountability

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; strong technical writing capability for SOPs, specifications, protocols, and quality agreements

• Ability to work independently in a fast‑paced, ambiguous environment with strong self‑management, prioritization, and ownership of outcomes

• Proactive problem‑solving, sound judgment, and a risk‑based decision‑making approach

• Ability to perform essential duties, with or without reasonable accommodation

Preferred Qualifications

• ASQ certification (e.g., CQA, CQE) and/or ISO lead auditor training
• Experience implementing or scaling a QMS within a high-growth consumer goods or skincare organization
• Experience supporting FDA/other regulatory inspections or third-party audits for OTC programs
• Familiarity with global market quality/regulatory expectations for cosmetics and OTC skincare (e.g., US, EU, UK, Canada) and working with multi-market product requirements
• Six Sigma/Lean training and demonstrated continuous improvement leadership
• Experience with electronic QMS tools and data/metrics dashboards

Why Allies of Skin?

• Competitive salary
• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance
• Flexible work environment offering hybrid options, generous paid time off, paid holidays, and a paid day off to celebrate your birthday
• 401(k) plan with company match
• Exclusive product perks for Allies employees
• A collaborative, innovative, and inclusive company culture