R&D and New Product Development Project Manager

We are seeking a highly organized and proactive New Product Development Project Manager to lead cross-functional global product development initiatives from concept through commercialization. This role is responsible for driving timelines, aligning stakeholders, managing budgets, mitigating risk, and ensuring the successful execution of omni-channel skincare and wellness product launches in a fast-paced, highly collaborative environment. The ideal candidate combines strong project management discipline with experience supporting regulated consumer product development, contract manufacturing coordination, and commercialization execution. This individual will serve as a central leader across R&D, Marketing, Regulatory, Operations, Supply Chain, and external partners to bring innovative, high-quality products to market efficiently and effectively.

Responsibilities

Lead and manage omni-channel new product development initiatives from ideation through commercialization and global launch; Facilitate internal & external project meetings, track action items, and ensure accountability across teams; Develop, maintain, and drive detailed project plans, timelines, milestones, risks, and deliverables; Coordinate and manage cross-functional teams including R&D, Marketing, Operations, Supply Chain, Quality, Regulatory, Manufacturing, Packaging, and Commercial teams; Drive omni-channel global commercialization readiness activities including packaging readiness, artwork approvals, inventory timing, launch planning, and production coordination; Coordinate pilot runs, scale-up activities, and manufacturing transfer processes; Manage relationships with external contract manufacturers, suppliers, testing labs, and vendors to ensure successful project execution; Coordinate product testing activities including stability, compatibility, microbiological, claims substantiation, and consumer testing; Partner closely with R&D, Regulatory and Quality teams to support compliance with FDA, OTC, Skin Cancer Foundation, cosmetic, and international requirements; Monitor project budgets, resource needs, timelines, and overall project performance; Identify project risks proactively and develop mitigation plans to minimize impact to timelines, cost, and quality; Provide clear and concise project updates to stakeholders and executive leadership; Support portfolio planning, prioritization, and Stage Gate governance processes; Balance multiple concurrent projects while maintaining strong attention to detail and organizational excellence; Support continuous improvement of project management processes, governance, and best practices

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Business, Engineering, Life Sciences, Chemistry, Cosmetic Science, Project Management, or related field; 10+ years of project management experience within skincare, cosmetics, OTC, wellness, personal care, or regulated consumer product environments; Demonstrated experience managing cross-functional product development programs from ideation through commercialization and omni-channel global launch; Strong organizational and prioritization skills with the ability to manage multiple initiatives simultaneously; Excellent verbal, written, and presentation communication skills; Experience developing and managing project plans, schedules, budgets, and risk mitigation plans; Proven ability to influence and drive alignment across diverse stakeholder groups; Experience operating within Stage Gate or structured product development frameworks; Experience working with external contract manufacturers, suppliers, and vendors; Strong problem-solving skills and ability to anticipate and mitigate project risks; Proficiency with project management tools and Microsoft Office applications

Nice to have

Portfolio management experience; PMP or other project management certification; Experience in regulated manufacturing environments; Experience with OTC, SPF, mineral sunscreen, dermatologist-dispensed, or clinically tested skincare products; Experience with Smartsheet, Asana, Monday.com, Jira, Microsoft Project, or PLM systems; Strong sense of ownership and accountability; Ability to operate effectively in dynamic and evolving environments; Collaborative mindset with strong relationship-building skills; Detail-oriented while maintaining focus on broader strategic objectives; Ability to communicate effectively with both technical teams and executive leadership; Ability to influence without direct authority; Strong sense of urgency and execution focus; Comfortable navigating ambiguity and evolving priorities; Ability to balance strategic thinking with operational execution; Data-driven decision making and risk assessment mindset