Product Development Manager - Beauty

About the role

An innovation team in Cape Town is looking for an experienced Product Development Manager to join its permanent, 40-hour week, on-site role reporting directly to the Head of Innovation. The company develops personal care, beauty and FMCG products across skincare, haircare, body care and fragrance, partnering with retail chains and brand owners. You will act as the main project lead across the full new product development pipeline.

Key responsibilities

• Lead relationships with retail chains and brand owners, present market trends, drive new beauty product concepts and provide post-launch support and problem solving.
• Manage several concurrent new product projects from customer brief and feasibility assessment through tender submission, development, pilot production and commercial launch.
• Partner with the R&D team to brief, review and progress formulations against customer benchmarks, cost targets and timelines.
• Source and develop primary and secondary packaging with local and international suppliers, assessing cost, MOQs, lead times, functionality and aesthetics.
• Compile project costings and profitability analyses to meet required profit margins and commercial P&L parameters.
• Coordinate artwork and label/carton design, obtain customer sign-offs and keep records.
• Hand over completed developments to Supply Chain, tracking procurement, first samples and resolving practical bottlenecks.

Required profile

• Degree or diploma in business, marketing, finance, science or a technical discipline.
• At least 4 years of relevant product development experience.
• Proven track record of end-to-end product development in the FMCG sector.
• Ability to manage products across the full development lifecycle, not just one discipline.
• Desirable: direct experience or detailed technical understanding of the personal care and beauty industry.

Required skills

• Strong numerical ability with product costings, margins, profitability and P&L reading.
• Project leadership and coordination across R&D, supply chain, quality and production.

What we offer

• Permanent employment.
• 20 days annual leave.
• Flat, interactive team structure with career development and visible individual impact.