Director - Product Development, Skincare - Kiehls DMI

Job Title : Director -  Product Development, Skincare - Kiehls DMI

Division: L’Oréal Dermatological Beauty
Location:  New York 
Reports To: AVP, Marketing 

Role Overview

Lead product development and innovation for the Derm Solutions and Age Management categories, developing skincare formulas that support brand strategy and meet high standards for quality, performance, and compliance. Serve as the product development expert for these categories, bringing deep knowledge of formulas, textures, claims, ingredients, and the global competitive landscape.

Partner closely with Marketing, Research & Innovation (R&I), Operations, Legal, Claims, and external vendors to identify innovation opportunities and deliver products from concept through launch. Build strong cross-functional relationships and communicate innovations clearly to generate excitement and alignment.

Key Responsibilities

Product Development & Innovation

• Lead innovation and formula strategy for Derm Solutions in collaboration with Marketing and R&I.
• Partner cross-functionally to define short- and long-term product innovation opportunities.
• Serve as the product development expert and primary contact for Derm Solutions, with expertise in formulas, claims, and textures.
• Define ingredient strategies that support innovation and elevated product efficacy.
• Develop clinical testing strategies, including test design, claims opportunities, visualization approaches, and representation across skin tones and types.
• Help facilitate discussions with Legal, Claims, and relevant partners on new claims territories within the franchise.
• Ensure that new and existing formulas meet brand performance and quality standards.
• Advocate for portfolio needs using trends, insights, and stakeholder feedback.
• Coordinate with R&I, Operations, and vendors on formula development and commercialization.
• Evaluate competitive formulas and products to inform innovation development.
• Promote external-partner innovations to the broader category team.
• Contribute to the market registration of new products.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Orchestrate end-to-end product development for new products and changes to existing products, partnering with relevant functions to support operational excellence.
• Collaborate with R&I to ensure formulas are developed on time and comply with applicable requirements.
• Incorporate beauty innovation trends into formula and product development.
• Support Marketing, Education, and Social teams with formula-related launch materials.
• Partner with Global Marketing to identify relevant consumer and market research insights.
• Share product information with relevant DMI team members.

Research, Innovation & White-Space Opportunities

• Inform pipeline ideas and innovation opportunities.
• Bring new product and formula ideas to the team.
• Use consumer, market, and competitive insights to identify category needs and whitespace.

Team Management & Development

• Support team growth, development, engagement, and positive morale; empower team members to make decisions.
• Foster collaboration across the brand and coach managers.
• Encourage 360-degree ways of working and a collaborative mindset.
• Ensure L’Oréal’s ethics principles are respected.

Qualifications

• Experience in skincare product development and innovation, including formula and texture development.
• Knowledge of claims strategy, clinical testing, ingredients, manufacturing processes, and product development.
• Experience collaborating with Marketing, R&I, Operations, Legal, Claims, vendors, and other cross-functional partners.
• Knowledge of skincare categories, competitive products, vendors, and industry trends.
• Ability to manage complex development work and support products from concept through launch.
• Strong communication, collaboration, and relationship-building skills.
• People-management and coaching experience.
• Familiarity with brand standards and market requirements, including vegan standards, claims alignment, and China compliance.

Key Performance Indicators

• On-time product launches.
• Formulas that meet high industry standards.
• Innovative clinical testing, visualization, and claims approaches.
• Product performance across skin tones and skin types.
• Effective collaboration with internal teams and external partners.

Expected Outcomes

• Innovative products developed to brief and ready for launch on time.
• Superior formulas, textures, and delivery systems.
• Product information communicated clearly to relevant DMI team members.
• Strong, transparent, and efficient collaboration with internal and external teams.

What’s In It For You?

What’s In It For You:

• Salary Range: $117,400-$167,300
• Competitive Benefit Package (Medical, Dental, Vision, 401K, Pension Plan)
• Hybrid Work Policy (3 Days in Office, 2 Days Work from Home)
• Flexible Time Off (Paid Company Holidays, Paid Vacation, Vacation Buy Program, Volunteer Time, Summer Fridays & More!)
• Access to Company Perks (VIP Access to L’Oréal’s Internal Shop for Discounted Products, Monthly Mobile Allowance)
• Learning & Development Opportunities (Unlimited Access to E-learnings, Lunch & Learn Sessions, Mentorship Programs, & More!)
• Employee Resource Groups (Think Tanks and Innovation Squads)
• Access to Mental Health & Wellness Programs 

Don’t meet every single requirement? At L'Oréal, we are dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive, and innovative workplace. If you’re excited about this role but your past experiencedoesn’t align perfectly with the qualifications listed in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyways! You may just be the right candidate for this or other roles!

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and take pride in a diverse environment. We would love to find out more about you as a candidate and do not discriminate in recruitment, hiring, training, promotion, or other employment practices for reasons of race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, marital or veteran status, medical condition or disability, or any other legally protected status.

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