Director, Product Development (NYC)

HOURGLASS COSMETICS — DIRECTOR, PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT (NYC - Hybrid Role) 

Connected by creativity and driven by purpose. Hourglass Cosmetics is a vegan and cruelty-free beauty brand, redefining luxury cosmetics with high-performance products, innovative formulas, and award-winning franchises. Recognized by Forbes, Fast Company and Time Magazine as one of the most inventive beauty companies, Hourglass leads the industry with its breakthrough products and its commitment to animal welfare. Founded in 2004, Hourglass is globally available in 32 markets and nearly 4,600 doors including Sephora, Ulta, Neiman Marcus, Selfridges, Space NK and more. Hourglass became part of the Unilever Prestige division in 2017. Discover more about the Hourglass brand story and mission on our website hourglasscosmetics.com.

Reporting to the VP, Product Development, this role is a key leader in the Product Development Department, responsible for the concepting, development and execution of products, consistent with the brand’s vision and commitment to innovation, high performance and luxury position.  The Director, Product Development owns the end-to-end development process, proactively engaging with, and managing, external as well as internal stakeholders/partners, from collaborative product ideation through all stages of development and testing, to successful, on-time product launches.  The scope of this role includes management and/or oversight of calendarized NPD projects, seasonal programs, product extensions and other innovation initiatives, as identified.  This role is expected to manage and mentor 1-2 direct reports and collaborate closely with cross-functional teams, including Packaging, Marketing, Operations, Regulatory, Quality, Artistry, and others as appropriate. 

The ideal candidate has solid experience in color cosmetics and a strong understanding of textures, ingredients, technologies and performance, especially as it relates to the luxury segment.  This person is a critical thinker, strategic problem solver, passionate about product and the beauty industry, and thrives in fast-changing environments.

WHAT YOU DO:

• Manage and execute all aspects of the product development process while ensuring adherence to timelines and quality standards
• Collaborate with cross-functional team members as appropriate and partnering closely with external vendors throughout the entire product development lifecycle
• Work closely with PD Project Manager to set timelines and critical milestones; provide regular project updates and proactively communicate foreseen challenges and schedule risks to the team while identifying and working through solutions
• Partner with VP Product Development, VP of Package Development and PD Project Manager on troubleshooting challenges in formulation, stability, and compatibility, ensuring timely resolutions without compromising product quality
• Lead conversations with Product Marketing to ideate new product concepts and align on assortment and category strategies and related PD initiatives; contribute to long-term NPD roadmap by bringing compelling product concepts to the discussion
• Collaborate with Product Marketing on product positioning and claims objectives, including alignment on target performance and ingredient claims to inform development/formulation
• Own and execute robust user testing processes throughout the PD lifecycle to support project efficiency and in-market success; partner with VP Product Development of ongoing definition of testing protocols and objectives; develop, field and analyze surveys and share insights
• Partner with Regulatory to define and execute all necessary regulatory testing and help manage testing processes towards timely completion; closely monitor product safety and stability testing while communicating updates and challenges to cross-functional teams and working toward resolutions
• Own development of product briefs and shade proposals, including coordination of input from cross-functional stakeholders, to guide vendors
• Develop and maintain thorough understanding of Hourglass portfolio and target consumer; perform regular analysis of assortment and product performance to identify opportunities for future improvement and development
• Continually analyze the category, competitive landscape and evolving consumer needs and preferences to determine innovation white space and inform shade and formula direction; share findings and insights with cross-functional team regularly
• Stay abreast of new/emerging ingredients, textures, technologies and other relevant industry developments and innovations while staying informed on manufacturing capabilities, testing protocols, and regulatory compliance
• Establish and maintain close working relationships and proactive communications with all vendors; coordinate