Senior Manager, Product Development - amika

amika means friend. we're a fearless, Brooklyn-born, salon-raised haircare brand + a friend to all hair, hairstylists, the planet + you. 

we're rooted in clinical results. each product is infused with our intoxicating scent + powered by our superfruit soul, sea buckthorn. known as one of earth's most omega-rich plant sources, this potent berry nourishes your skin, scalp + strands. 

we're a proud pal to the planet + certified B-Corp. from sustainably sourced ingredients + recyclable packaging to our energy-saving production processes, we pledge to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions, waste + energy to reach Net Zero by 2030. 

having grown up in salons, we know better than anyone how important stylists are—they're our confidantes + community. Think of us as your at-home hairapist, here to empower self-expression + bring joy to your haircare experience. all hair is welcome™. 

the job:

As the Senior Manager, Product Development, you will lead the new product development and professional launches for all amika haircare formulas. You will communicate and coordinate with many departments within the brand – Product Development, Quality Control, Sales, Design, Marketing, Planning, Purchasing, etc. 

location: Brooklyn, NY (hybrid work environment)

salary: $140,000 + benefits

what you'll do:

• Manage amika new product development, following through to production  
• Support all new innovation, A launch projects, with a focus on professional treatments and styling  
• Lead new PD <> Pro stylist testing initiatives to inform product development and validate submissions, operationalize stylist testing within the PD lifecycle  
• Collaborate with the pro-education team to build assets, instructions, and service guides for pro and consumer treatments and stylers  
• Together with the Director of PD, lead quarterly innovation sessions to drive ideation and support pipeline build, share ingredient innovation, product concept ideas, and latest research 
• Work with product marketing to define biannual professional + back bar launches  
• Execute competitive ingredient analyses to ensure we are delivering the most competitive and innovative ingredients  
• Onboard new pro-specific formulation partners to support back-bar development and pro-expansion  
• Correctly utilize Asana to ensure all project information is transparent, recorded, and easy to understand  
• Work with the Director of PD to ensure timelines for all new developments are set, communicated, and met Together with the Director of PD, spearhead product ideation and conceptualization for new launches (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 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. are 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 Assist with blue-sky initiatives and testing as needed to foster innovation  
• Travel to suppliers, factories, and offices as needed; attend and manage the production of new launches  
• Research and communicate the latest ingredient and product trends, including the 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.