Manager NPD (Skincare & Haircare)

Job Title: Manager NPD (Skincare & Haircare)

Location: New Delhi, India

Company: MARS Cosmetics

About MARS Cosmetics:

MARS Cosmetics is a globally recognized beauty brand that thrives on innovation, diversity, and empowering individuals through high-quality beauty solutions. Headquartered in New Delhi, MARS Cosmetics is committed to offering groundbreaking products that meet the ever-evolving needs of consumers worldwide.

Role Summary

Own end-to-end skincare and haircare product development from concept to launch, driving formulation, packaging, claims, costing, timelines, and cross-functional execution with internal teams and 3P manufacturers.

Key Responsibilities

1. Lead the NPD pipeline across skincare (serums, gels, emulsions) and haircare (shampoos, conditioners, masks, oils, scalp treatments, styling): identify opportunities, build briefs, define hero claims/USPs, and execute launch plans.
2. Manage formulation development with 3P labs/OEMs, from prototypes and performance benchmarks through stability, finalization, and scale-up.
3. Translate consumer problems into measurable product targets (e.g., hydration, brightening, anti-hairfall, anti-dandruff, frizz control, scalp oil control).
4. Drive packaging development: component selection (pumps, droppers, flip-tops), compatibility and leakage/transport testing, artwork readiness, and vendor coordination.
5. Own product quality and performance: sensorial targets (texture, foam, slip, rinse feel), fragrance direction, efficacy and claims substantiation inputs, safety, and QA handover.
6. Build and control timelines using stage-gates; manage risks, iterations, and stakeholder alignment.
7. Own product costing (COGS/BOM): target pricing, value engineering, MOQ planning, and margin guardrails.
8. Coordinate regulatory readiness for India, including labeling/claims compliance and documentation with RA/QA partners.
9. Benchmark competitors and global trends (actives, delivery systems, textures, formats) and convert them into actionable specs.

Requirements

1. 4–8 years in skincare and/or haircare NPD (brand side or OEM/ODM), with multiple launches shipped.
2. Strong formulation and packaging understanding: emulsions/gels/serums for skincare; surfactant systems, conditioning polymers, silicones, and oils for haircare; compatibility and stability basics.
3. Experience running vendor cycles with Indian/China/SEA partners, including iteration discipline, negotiation, and scale-up execution.
4. Strong project management; comfortable with BOM, COGS, MOQ, margin targets, and launch scorecards.
5. High ownership, fast execution, and strong cross-functional communication.