Product Development Manager, Core Optimization

hi there, we’re amika. a friend to hair, hairstylists, her, him, them, + you. amika means friend in the language esperanto and is a symbol of our belief in the power of community + the beauty of diversity.  
 
brooklyn-born + salon raised: where creativity + culture is a way of life. we’re a collective of creatives, hairstylists, chemists, + product enthusiasts that like to bend the rules.  

we created 11 collections for every hair type, texture + style - all hair is welcome. 

the job:

as Product Development Manager or Senior Manager, Core Optimization you will lead the product development for all amika haircare formulas that are in-market, and proactively drive post-market surveillance, reformulations, and improvements on our most valued SKUs that are core to the business. This is a critically important role intended to continuously drive amika’s product formulary to meet the highest standards for performance, safety, efficacy, and alignment with consumer needs. This position requires clear communication and coordination with many departments within the office – Product Development, Quality Control, Regulatory, Sales, Design, Marketing, Planning, Purchasing, etc.  

location: Brooklyn, NY (can work remotely, must be willing and able to come into office when needed)

salary: $127,000 - $150,000 + benefits (depending on experience) 

what you'll do

• Manage amika core optimization product development, following through to production  
• Identify opportunities for continuous optimization of amika’s core revenue drivers to improve performance, stability, market value, claims, and innovation 
• Operate with urgency and set clear timelines for core optimization; build process for amorphous projects 
• Strong quality mindset & chemistry training to quickly resolve needed reforms and proactively drive optimizations 
• Autonomous CAPA reporting and process-driven surveillance of in-line performance 
• Implementation of change control SOPs 
• Leverage consumer insights, ratings and reviews, & market opportunities to drive formula & claims optimization 
• In collaboration, develop a clear cadence for auditing in-line products to proactively identify innovation opportunities
• Utilize Asana in the correct way to ensure all project information is transparent, recorded and easy to understand  
• Work with Director of PD to ensure timelines for all product developments are set, communicated and met  
• Together with Director of PD, spearhead product ideation and conceptualization for new launches that iterate upon and improve our core products (market research, competitive analysis, innovation research, mood boards, creative copy, evaluating benchmarks, product briefs)  
• Manage the communication with labs to quickly batch, test, or re-direct formulations in order to meet timelines; quickly change gears and alert cross functional team, Director and labs if projects increase or change priority  
• Work closely with cross functional teams (Production, Design, Marketing and external labs) to make sure that timelines, costing, testing, etc. is on track  
• Stay abreast of hair and beauty industry news, patents, new launches, new technology, raw materials and scientific literature to create differentiated, high performing products for amika  
• Prepare new product briefs, F+B and PK sheets   
• Coordinate with all major departments; Marketing, Brand, Sales, Design, Production etc. to make sure all parts of 360 developments are on track and on time; communicate any issues or delays to product launches or testing, etc.  
• Attend trade shows, events and excursions for inspiration and learning to feed into innovation and ideation  
• Meet with salon and stylists to test products, receive feedback and make edits to products for launch  
• Travel to suppliers, factories and offices as needed; attend and manage production of new launches  
• Research and communicate latest ingredient and product trends, including latest product developments from competitors 

must haves:

• bachelor's degree in a scientific field, masters or PhD preferred 
• 4+ years of PD in beauty (hair preferred) or equivalent formulation experience  
• 1+ year cosmetic formulation experience 
• quality management experience is a plus 
• strong regulatory mindset and knowledge of global + sephora clean requirements 
• experience executing CAPAs, SOPs, and root cause analyses 
• project management, organization, communication, analytical, & strong leadership skills both externally and internally with teams 
• strong sense of urgency, ability to prioritize, detail-oriented, problem solving, and time management skills  
• can work in a fast-paced environment 
• excellent problem-solving and conflict management skills 
• good knowledge of computer software including Asana, Word and Excel 

ready to apply?

Please click the link that will bring you to our careers page through Greenhouse. Submit a cover letter describing yourself and why you’d be the perfect fit, along with your resume.