New Product Development Manager

NPD Manager | Beauty & Cosmetics | London💄💅An established, innovation-led international Beauty & Cosmetics business are seeking an experienced New Product Development Manager to take ownership of an exciting, high-volume product innovation pipeline as they grow globally.Working across a portfolio of well-loved consumer beauty brands, you'll lead end-to-end NPD projects from initial concept through to final production and launch, with genuine autonomy over project delivery, supplier management, product quality and commercial timelinesThis is a fantastic opportunity for a confident, commercially minded NPD professional who wants to lead a team, influence product innovation and take real ownership within a fast-paced beauty business.

Key Responsibilities

📝Product Development & InnovationOwn and manage a high-volume NPD pipeline from concept to launch, across multiple beauty and cosmetics categories.Lead product development across formulations, packaging, sampling, testing and production.Identify emerging beauty trends, ingredients, technologies and consumer insights to inform innovation.Ensure products meet the highest quality, performance and regulatory standards.Project & Commercial ManagementTake ownership of critical paths, launch calendars, project budgets and commercial timelines.Lead weekly project meetings, providing clear updates on milestones, risks and deliverables.Proactively resolve costing, supplier, technical and production challenges.Partner with Supply Chain, Sales, Regulatory and wider commercial teams, confidently managing competing priorities.Team Leadership & Supplier ManagementLead, mentor and develop two NPD Executives, managing workloads, performance and project delivery.Act as a trusted senior point of contact across the NPD function, taking ownership of day-to-day decisions.Manage international suppliers and manufacturers, including cost negotiations, quality and development timelines.Drive accountability, structure and continuous improvement across the product development process.What We're Looking For:🙌4–5+ years' experience within Beauty, Cosmetics or Personal Care NPD.Proven experience managing multiple products and launches simultaneously, ideally across colour cosmetics, fragrance, lip, body or wider beauty categories.Strong technical understanding of formulations, packaging, product testing, manufacturing and quality standards.Experience managing or mentoring NPD professionals.Excellent project management, organisation and commercial awareness.Confidence managing suppliers, negotiating costs and challenging deadlines.A proactive, solutions-focused individual who can hit the ground running.The Ideal Person:🥇✓ A confident and autonomous NPD leader who can manage projects without constant supervision.✓ Product quality comes first — you understand what great looks like and won't compromise on standards.✓ Highly organised, commercially aware and comfortable managing a fast-moving innovation pipeline.✓ A natural people leader who can develop others and hold stakeholders accountable.✓ Comfortable challenging senior stakeholders and balancing quality, cost and speed to market.✓ Passionate about Beauty, Cosmetics and Consumer Product Innovation.Why Join? 📈Genuine autonomy across a diverse beauty product development portfolio.Lead and develop an established NPD team.Broad exposure across product innovation, technical development, commercial decisions and international suppliers.Significant opportunity to influence product quality, launch strategy and delivery.Join an established business with an ambitious, fast-paced innovation culture.Potential to develop into a more senior NPD leadership position.Package: 💸£45-50k+ Base Salary DOE + Bonus + Private Healthcare30+ Holidays + 'Work from anywhere' Travel OpportunityFlexible Working: 3 days in office & 2 WFHStrong Long Term Development OpportunitiesInterested in taking genuine ownership of NPD within an established beauty business? Get in touch for a confidential conversation!