Senior Product Development Manager

Summit Staffing Partners; New York (NY); Hybrid; USD 140,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Summit Staffing Partners is assisting a premier skincare and cosmetics brand in New York City in hiring a hands‑on Senior Manager, Product Development. You will own the full lifecycle from concept and formula to testing, approval and launch.

You will shape the pipeline, work with contract manufacturers, and coordinate with Marketing, Packaging, Operations and Regulatory to deliver differentiated body care and skincare products.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of hands-on product development experience in beauty, skincare, suncare, body care or cosmetics.
• Experience working with contract manufacturers and labs from brief to commercialization.
• Strong knowledge of formula development, testing, claims, documentation and launches.
• Exposure to cosmetics regulations, labeling requirements and regulatory coordination (not a regulatory specialist role).
• Prestige beauty experience is strongly preferred.
• Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry, Cosmetic Science, Regulatory Affairs or related field preferred.
• Excellent project management, communication and stakeholder collaboration.
• Highly organized with meticulous formula and testing documentation.

Responsibilities

• Own the formula development process from concept to final launch.
• Translate consumer needs, product positioning and claims into development briefs for manufacturers.
• Manage day-to-day with contract manufacturers and labs, timelines and pricing discussions.
• Evaluate ingredients, textures, fragrances and technologies for innovative products.
• Coordinate testing: stability, safety, efficacy and claims testing.
• Maintain organized formula specifications and testing results.
• Partner with Packaging Development to ensure formula-packaging compatibility and aligned timelines.
• Collaborate with Product Marketing, Creative, Operations and Sales to drive launches.
• Support product claims, labeling and regulatory requirements with external specialists.
• Strengthen development briefs, trackers and testing protocols as the business grows.

Skills

Product development

Cosmetics industry experience

Project management

Communication skills

Interpersonal skills

Documentation and testing

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry / Cosmetic Science / Regulatory Affairs

Job description

Midtown Manhattan, NYC (Hybrid - 2 Days In-Office | 3 Days Remote / Work from Home)

OVERVIEW

Our client, a premier and rapidly growing skincare and cosmetics brand based in New York City, is seeking a hands‑on Senior Manager, Product Development to play a highly visible role within its product innovation team. This is an outstanding opportunity for someone who is passionate about bringing innovative beauty products to life and enjoys seeing them through from the original concept and formula stages all the way through testing, approval and launch. The Senior Manager will have tremendous ownership over the product development process, working directly with Contract Manufacturers and their chemistry labs while helping shape an exciting pipeline across the company’s body care and skincare lines.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Own the formula development process from the initial product concept and technical brief through sampling, testing, revisions, final approval and launch.
• Translate consumer needs, product positioning, marketing claims, target costs, ingredient preferences and performance expectations into clear product development briefs for Contract Manufacturers.
• Serve as the day‑to‑day partner to Contract Manufacturers and their chemistry labs, managing formula questions, feedback, redirects, pricing discussions, timelines and final formula approval.
• Evaluate ingredients, actives, textures, fragrances and emerging technologies to support innovative and differentiated products across suncare, body care and skincare.
• Coordinate formula testing, including stability, compatibility, shelf‑life, safety, efficacy, clinical and claims‑related testing.
• Maintain organized formula specifications, ingredient statements, safety information, testing results and other critical product documentation.
• Partner closely with Packaging Development to confirm formula and packaging compatibility while aligning timelines across both workstreams.
• Collaborate with Product Marketing, Creative, Operations, Sales and other internal partners to keep development priorities and product launches moving forward.
• Support product claims, labeling and broader regulatory requirements in partnership with external regulatory specialists.
• Strengthen product development briefs, trackers, testing protocols, documentation standards and other processes as the business continues to grow.

QUALIFICATIONS

• At least 5 years of hands‑on product development experience within beauty, skincare, suncare, body care, cosmetics or personal care.
• Direct experience working with Contract Manufacturers and their chemistry labs to take formulas from the initial brief through commercialization.
• Strong understanding of formula development, testing, product claims, documentation and launch processes.
• Exposure to cosmetics regulations, labeling requirements and regulatory coordination. This position does not require a career regulatory specialist.
• Prestige beauty experience is strongly preferred.
• Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry, Cosmetic Science, Regulatory Affairs or a related field is preferred.
• Excellent project management skills with the ability to independently manage multiple products and development workstreams.
• Outstanding communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to build strong relationships across technical, creative, operational and commercial teams.
• Highly organized, detail-oriented and comfortable maintaining extensive formula and testing documentation.
• Resourceful, proactive and solutions-oriented, with the energy and enthusiasm to thrive in a lean, fast-moving and highly collaborative environment.