Senior Director, New Product Development Project Management - Kendo Brands

Job Description

ABOUT KENDO

Kendo Holdings, Inc. is a San Francisco-based beauty brand developer and wholesaler owned by LVMH Moët Hennessy - Louis Vuitton, the world's largest luxury group. A play on the words "can do", Kendo has become the hub of creativity and next generation beauty product development for global Sephora channels and selective retailers outside of Sephora.

Through original development, collaborations and acquisitions the Kendo stable of brands will always be creative, inspiring and innovative. A dynamic engine of speed, expertise and market-savvy, the Kendo team continues to redefine the beauty industry through great product, great storytelling, great retail and direct-to-consumer partnerships. This shows up in everything we do and in what we stand for:

• "Can Do" Spirit: We work together to make our wildest dreams a reality: As entrepreneurs, we embrace optimism and find creative ways to reach our goals
• Advocacy, Diversity, and Inclusion: We recognize and celebrate the full spectrum of personal identities. We create safe spaces so everyone's voice is heard. We listen with humility and act with courage.
• Storytelling: We tell authentic stories like no, one else. It's our key to inspire trust and build relationships, rallying, our people, partners, and consumers around our brands.
• Resilience: We embrace challenges as opportunities. Change is ever- constant, and agility is our strength.
• Product Excellence: We put the consumers first: We constantly raise the bar to create products of the highest quality that everyone just has to have.

The salary range for this position is $186,700 - $220,000 per year based upon a San Francisco location. Offered salary is dependent upon experience and location. Kendo Total Rewards offerings also include an annual bonus and a comprehensive benefits package including: medical, dental and vision insurance, flex paid time off program, parental leave, employee discount/perks, a retirement plan with employer contributions, Summer Fridays, opportunity to work from anywhere for two weeks in the summer and July and December wellness/shutdown weeks for applicable positions.

POSITION SUMMARY

Kendo Brands is seeking an innovative and experienced Senior Director of New Product Development Project Management to lead our global team in the creation and execution of groundbreaking beauty products (Fenty Beauty, Fenty Skin, Fenty Fragrance; OLEHENRIKSEN, KVD Beauty & Lip Lab.). In this influential position, you will expertly guide our Global NPD Project Management Team, ensuring that innovative beauty products are brought to market with precision and flair. Collaboration is paramount in this role as it requires seamless interaction with multiple departments-Brand, Product Development, Package Engineering, Merchandising Planning, Sourcing, Supply Chain, Design, and Manufacturing-to meet critical retailer deadlines. Your expertise will ensure cross-functional teams are aligned and focused on delivering exceptional results.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Principal Duties:

• Analyze NPD performance against key performance indicators (KPIs) and propose enhancements based on findings.
• Develop and Facilitate the Stage Gate Process in New Product Development initiatives
• Design and Implement Feasibility process
• Coordinate with Brand, Product Development, Package Engineering, Merchandising Planning, Sourcing, Supply Chain, Design, and Manufacturing teams throughout the NPD process to ensure timely product delivery to retailers
• Escalate critical issues to Senior Management with proposed resolutions for potential risks.
• Spearhead the business-side development and implementation of new IT systems to support PM process and team collaboration
• Cultivate a culture of growth and inclusivity within the team; mentor and develop team members using hard objectives and soft competencies as a guide

Decision-Making/Problem-Solving:

• Exercise strong analytical skills to resolve timing issues across packaging, formula creation, manufacturing, purchasing operations; provide alternative development schedules to guarantee 100% on-time product availability
• Utilize fact-based decision-making that prioritizes quality assurance, customer satisfaction, and expedited market delivery

Latitude of Action:

• The scope of this position covers all development areas which include; Brand, Design, Package Engineering, Product Development/R&D, Purchasing, Supply Chain, Sourcing, Manufacturing.

Impact of Action:

• Decisions have direct consequences on retailer launch success. Thorough timeline management involving all functional area inputs ensures products are developed promptly-meeting sales targets effectively

Scope of Information:

• Requires comprehensive knowledge of product development cycles along with an intricate understanding of cross-functional dynamics within Kendo Brands
• Requires strong leadership and coaching skills

REQUIREMENTS

• Proven leadership experience at an executive level within a dynamic cross-functional organization is essential.
• Demonstrated extensive project management and product development expertise specific to the beauty industry.
• Exceptional presentation skills coupled with formidable cross-functional team leadership capabilities are critical.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel), Project Management Tools (Microsoft Project, Smartsheet), Database Software (Access), Presentation Software (PowerPoint)