Product Development Manager - Beauty

RecruitMyMom; Wes-Kaap; On-site; ZAR 900,000 - 1,200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

20 days annual leave

Flat team structure

Job summary

RecruitMyMom in Cape Town is seeking an experienced Product Development Manager to lead end-to-end FMCG projects across skincare, haircare, body care and fragrance. This permanent role reports to the Head of Innovation and requires hands-on leadership from concept through to pilot, scale-up and commercial launch.

You will manage customer relationships with retail chains and brand owners, coordinate formulation, packaging development, costings and cross-functional handovers to supply chain, while

Qualifications

• Degree or diploma in business, marketing, finance, science or a technical discipline.
• Minimum 4 years of experience in product development.
• Demonstrated track record in end-to-end product development within FMCG.
• Strong ability to manage product progression across the full development lifecycle.

Responsibilities

• Lead relationships with retail chains and brand owners, presenting trends and driving concepts.
• Manage multiple concurrent product development projects from brief to launch.
• Coordinate formulation developments and review progress against benchmarks, cost targets and timelines.
• Source and develop packaging with suppliers, evaluating MOQs, lead times and aesthetics.
• Prepare project costings and profitability analyses to ensure margins.
• Coordinate artwork development and obtain customer sign-offs for labels and cartons.
• Handover developments to Supply Chain and support procurement and first-sample production.

Skills

Product development

Project management

Costing & profitability

P&L understanding

Education

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

Job description

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.

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.

Essential 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.

Desirable Requirements

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

Benefits & Culture

• 20 days annual leave per annum.
• Interactive, flat team structure offering career development and visible individual impact.

Work Arrangement

• On-site / In office (Cape Town).

Employment Type

• Permanent.