Senior Director, New Product Development Project Management

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. 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), manage component and bill of materials (BOM) processes, 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)