Senior Manager, Product Development & Regulatory

Kopari Beauty; San Diego (CA); Hybrid; USD 115,000 - 155,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Product discount

Health insurance

Job summary

Kopari Beauty in La Jolla, California, seeks a Senior Manager of Product Development & Regulatory to own formula development and global regulatory compliance across suncare, body care, and skincare. Translate brand concepts and consumer insights into technical direction, partnering with CM labs and driving claims substantiation and testing before launch.

You’ll lead MoCRA regulatory strategy and international requirements, maintain documentation, and align with Marketing, Creative, Operations

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Chemistry, Cosmetic Science, Regulatory Affairs, or related field.
• 6–8+ years in product development and/or regulatory affairs in beauty/cosmetics.
• Deep knowledge of MoCRA and FDA regulations; sunscreen expertise preferred.
• Experience managing formula development directly with Contract Manufacturers.
• Strong project management and cross-functional communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Own end-to-end formula development with CM labs from brief to final sign-off.
• Lead global regulatory compliance, including MoCRA and FDA requirements.
• Review labels and claims for regulatory readiness before launch.
• Build and maintain regulatory documentation systems and SOPs.
• Partner with Marketing, Creative, Operations and Sales to scale the portfolio.

Skills

Regulatory affairs

Product development

Project management

Cross-functional collaboration

Documentation

Attention to detail

Self-starter

Contract manufacturers

Education

Bachelor's degree in Chemistry, Cosmetic Science, Regulatory Affairs, or related field

Tools

Smartsheet

CM labs coordination

Job description

Kopari Beauty, located in the heart of La Jolla, California, is a leading brand in the beauty industry. We deliver the feeling of a Southern California day, made wearable: the warmth, the ease, and the lit-from-within radiance our customer carries from sunrise to sunset. We make sun, body, and skin care under one idea: Protect. Restore. Glow.

JOB DESCRIPTION:

Kopari is built on the belief that sun, body, and skin care should feel as good as they perform. Delivering on that promise starts in the formula, and this role owns it.

The Senior Manager, Product Development & Regulatory is the single dedicated owner of formula development and global regulatory compliance across our suncare, body care, and skin care portfolio. You'll carry products from a blank brief to a finished formula on shelf: translating brand concept, consumer insight, and target cost into clear technical direction, partnering hands-on with our Contract Manufacturers' (CMs) chemistry labs, and driving formulas until they've earned every claim on the carton. You'll also be the company's authority on the regulations shaping our category — the Modernization of Cosmetics Regulation Act (MoCRA), the OTC sunscreen monograph, and the international requirements that come with growth — so the brand can move quickly without ever guessing.

You’ll have real ownership and the room to build this function the way it should be built — setting the standards and systems the business will scale on, and sitting at the center of Marketing, Creative, Operations, and Retail/Sales as the person who makes the product possible. This role reports directly to the Head of New Product Development.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSINILITIES:

Product Development & Formula Management

• Author comprehensive new product development briefs that translate brand concept, marketing claims, target cost, and consumer insights into clear technical direction for Contract Manufacturer chemistry labs.
• Own the end-to-end formula development process with CM labs from brief through final formula sign-off, including review and approval of formula iterations, bench samples, and compatibility results.
• Evaluate ingredient technologies, actives, and emerging trends across suncare, body care, skin care, and fragrance to guide formula innovation and category differentiation.
• Manage claims substantiation, determining the efficacy, safety, and clinical testing required to support marketing claims and managing execution with CMs and third‑party labs.
• Direct stability, compatibility, and shelf‑life testing in partnership with CM labs to ensure formulas meet quality and performance standards prior to launch.
• Manage CM relationships, timelines, and formula pricing to ensure development milestones support cost and launch‑date targets.
• Maintain formula documentation — specifications, QQs, Certificates of Analysis, safety data sheets, and ingredient statements — ensuring records are complete, current, and audit‑ready.
• Partner with the Packaging Development team to ensure formula‑packaging compatibility and align timelines across formula and packaging work streams.
• Own the continuous improvement of the product development and regulatory function — refining briefs, trackers, testing protocols, and documentation standards as the portfolio and the business scale.

Global Regulatory Compliance

• Serve as the company's subject matter expert and sole owner of global regulatory compliance for the entire product portfolio.
• Own full compliance with MoCRA, including facility and product registration, safety substantiation files, adverse event reporting processes, and required recordkeeping.
• Monitor and interpret evolving domestic (FDA, state‑level requirements such as California Proposition 65) and international regulatory requirements affecting formulas, claims, labeling, and packaging.
• Manage compliance with the FDA OTC sunscreen monograph, including active ingredient limits, SPF/broad-spectrum/water‑resistance testing, and required labeling.
• Review and approve all product labels, packaging copy, and marketing claims for regulatory compliance prior to launch.
• Manage relationships with third‑party regulatory consultants supporting international product registrations.
• Build and maintain regulatory documentation systems and standard operating procedures to ensure ongoing inspection‑ and audit‑readiness.
• Proactively assess regulatory risk on new formulas, ingredients, and claims, advising New Product Development, Marketing, and leadership on compliance implications and mitigation strategies.

Cross-Functional Leadership & Strategy

• Act as the primary point of contact for all product development and regulatory matters, providing subject matter expertise to New Product Development, Marketing, Creative, Operations, and Retail/Sales.
• Partner with the Head of New Product Development to set formula development timelines, prioritization, and resourcing across the innovation pipeline.
• Manage the NPD pipeline calendar in Smartsheet, creating & updating milestone tracking, formula development status, regulatory risks, and timelines to leadership on a regular basis.
• Continuously evaluate and improve processes, systems, and documentation for formula development and regulatory compliance as the company scales.
• Manage budgets related to lab testing, regulatory consultants, and third‑party registration costs.

REQUIRED SKILLS

• Bachelor's degree in Chemistry, Cosmetic Science, Regulatory Affairs, or a related field required.
• 6-8+ years of experience in product development and/or regulatory affairs within the beauty, personal care, or cosmetics industry; prestige beauty experience strongly preferred.
• Deep working knowledge of MoCRA and FDA cosmetic/OTC drug regulations; experience with the sunscreen/SPF monograph strongly preferred given the suncare portfolio.
• Proven experience managing formula development directly with Contract Manufacturers and their chemistry labs.
• Strong project management skills, with the ability to independently manage multiple concurrent formula development and regulatory work streams.
• Excellent cross-functional communication skills; comfortable representing Product Development and Regulatory to Marketing, Creative, leadership, and external partners.
• High attention to detail and strong organizational and documentation skills.
• Self‑starter who thrives operating as the sole owner of a critical function with minimal oversight.
• Office location — San Diego, CA or New York, NY hybrid 2 days in office 3 days remote.

BENEFITS:

• The estimated annual pay range for this role is $115,000–$155,000 annually. Actual placement within the compensation range may vary depending on multiple factors including. experience, education, skills, location, etc.
• Product Discount: We love our products as much as you do! That's why we offer a generous product gift program and brand discount.
• Health & Well-Being: Eligible Employees and Dependents receive Medical, Dental and Vision Insurance and FSA (in accordance with plan guidelines).

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER:

• Kopari Beauty is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other status protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.