Product Development Manager

RecruitMyMom; Elsiesriver; On-site; ZAR 900,000 - 1,100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

20 days annual leave

Career development opportunities

Visible individual impact

Job summary

RecruitMyMom is hiring a Product Development Manager to lead end-to-end development of beauty and FMCG products from concept through pilot to launch. You will bridge customers, packaging suppliers and internal teams to deliver on feasibility, cost targets and timelines.

The role requires a degree or diploma and a minimum of four years’ experience in product development, with strong numerical skills and direct experience in personal care/beauty. Office-based in Cape Town with a 40-hour week.

Qualifications

• An appropriate degree or diploma in business, marketing, finance, science, or a technical discipline.
• Minimum of 4 years' relevant professional experience in product development.
• Demonstrated end-to-end product development experience in the FMCG sector.
• Progression of products across the full development lifecycle, not limited to one discipline.
• Strong numerical ability with understanding of costings, margins, profitability, and P&L.

Responsibilities

• Lead relationships with retail chains and brand owners by presenting market trends and driving new beauty product concepts.
• Manage multiple concurrent new product development projects from initial customer brief, feasibility assessment, and tender submission through to development, pilot production, and commercial launch.
• Partner with R&D to brief, review, and progress formulation developments against benchmarks, briefs, cost targets, and timelines.
• Source and develop primary and secondary packaging with local and international suppliers, evaluating cost, MOQs, lead times, and aesthetics.
• Compile project costings and profitability analyses to ensure developments meet profit margins and align with P&L parameters.
• Coordinate artwork development and brief design teams regarding label and carton requirements, obtaining sign-offs.
• Execute structured development handovers to the Supply Chain, tracking procurement and first-sample production.

Skills

Project leadership

Customer relationship management

Formulation & R&D coordination

Packaging sourcing

Education

Degree or diploma in business/marketing/finance/science/technical discipline

Job description

Elsiesrivier, South Africa | Posted on 18/09/2026

Following an internal promotion, an opportunity has become available within an innovation team for an experienced Product Development Manager. Operating on a 40-hour work week from the office in Cape Town, this permanent position reports directly to the Head of Innovation. The company focuses on developing personal care, beauty, and FMCG products across skincare, haircare, body care, and fragrance categories in partnership with leading retail chains and brand owners.

You will serve as the primary Project Lead across the complete new product development pipeline . Acting as a central coordination anchor between customers, packaging suppliers, and internal cross-functional departments (including R&D Laboratory, Supply Chain, Quality, and Production), you will ensure that new product concepts progress through feasibility, formulation, packaging sourcing, costing, and pilot production to commercial launch .

Key Responsibilities

Customer Relationship Management: Lead relationships with retail chains and brand owners by presenting market trends, driving new beauty product concepts, and providing post-launch product support and problem-solving .

New Product Project Leadership: Manage multiple concurrent new product development projects from initial customer brief, feasibility assessment, and tender submission through to development, pilot production, and commercial launch .

Formulation & R&D Coordination: Partner closely with the R&D team to brief, review, and progress formulation developments against customer benchmarks, briefs, cost targets, and target timelines .

Packaging Sourcing & Development: Source and develop primary and secondary packaging alongside local and international suppliers, evaluating cost, minimum order quantities (MOQs), lead times, functionality, and aesthetic requirements .

Costing & Profitability Management: Compile comprehensive project costings and profitability analyses to ensure developments achieve required profit margins and align with commercial P&L parameters .

Artwork & Compliance Administration: Coordinate artwork development and brief design teams regarding label and carton requirements, obtaining customer sign-offs and maintaining records for internal and external requirements .

Supply Chain Handover & Operational Support: Execute structured development handovers to the Supply Chain department, tracking procurement, first-sample production, and operational execution to resolve practical bottlenecks .

Requirements

An appropriate degree or diploma in business, marketing, finance, science, or a technical discipline.

Minimum of 4 years' relevant professional experience in product development.

Demonstrated track record of success in end-to-end product development within the FMCG sector.

Proven capability in managing the progression of products across the full development lifecycle rather than experience limited to a single discipline.

Strong numerical ability with understanding of product costings, margins, profitability, and P&L reading

Direct professional experience in, or detailed technical understanding of, the personal care and beauty industry

Benefits and Culture

20 days annual leave per annum .

Interactive, flat team structure offering career development and visible individual impact.