Head - Research & Development

The Head of R&D will be responsible for crafting year-on-year plans for the department, overseeing the entire product lifecycle from concept to commercialization, ensuring innovations are built on efficacy, safety, and regulatory compliance. The ideal candidate shall possess a deep understanding of cosmetics chemistry, industry trends, and a proven track record of successful product launches.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute relevant Business imperatives, R&D projects, technology development, and improvement initiatives, with a particular focus on improving quality and First Time Right innovation
• Identify new technologies, ingredients, and drive innovations, and continuously maintain a competitive edge
• Oversee the R&D and optimization of diverse cosmetic formulations (skin care, color cosmetics, and body care, etc.)
• Constantly seek from the external environment's cutting-edge technology, equipment, systems, and processes for improving efficiency, quality, and reducing costs, or for future business requirements
• Build an innovation plan collaborating with the Marketing team to build innovations and trend-driven formats, and technologies
• Prepare annual budget for the R&D Department and allocate resources and approval for R&D initiatives and capital expenditure proposals by evaluating ROI and payback periods
• Lead the team and build a culture of creativity, collaboration, and continuous improvement within the R&D team
• Identifying areas of improvement in product development and suggesting methods for improving the cost, quality, and product positioning to significantly mitigate risks
• Plan consumer insights studies to map consumer needs for new product development, proactively identify best-in-class technologies among competitors, and develop an innovation and product development roadmap
• Monitor team performance and build skills and knowledge to enhance individual performance

Profile

• Ability to adapt to new technologies and build skills for teams
• Comprehensive understanding of Global/India regulations relevant to the products and GMP
• Demonstrated ability to identify consumer insights and convert them into relevant innovation concepts for launch
• Experience in leading a large team (> 10 people) and working collaboratively with extended teams to drive and contribute to team commitments and growth
• Exposure to showcasing innovations in Cosmetic exhibitions and trade fairs would be an added advantage
• Extensive experience with various cosmetic categories and formulation types

Qualifications

• Post Graduate in Pharmacy/Chemistry/Cosmetology/ Chemical Engineering
• Minimum 15-20 years of experience in R&D /new product development with at least 5 to 7 years in a leadership or managerial role in the Skin Care/Color cosmetics industry
• Proven record of designing successful innovations in the Indian market by leading innovations from concept to commercialization
• Strong project management skills, including the ability to manage multiple projects, priorities tasks, and meet client commitments