Associate Manager / Manager, Product Development, Fragrance

About The Role

We are looking for a passionate fragrance innovator with proven experience in beauty to join our Blue Sky & Product Development team. This role helps to build the strategy & development of new products from ideation to launch for the largest brand in our fragrance portfolio. It offers a unique opportunity for someone wanting to leave their mark in the industry by supporting product development for a key fragrance brand. The ideal candidate is a trend savvy, product guru that can help define & steer innovation pipeline. This candidate is social savvy, obsessed with beauty products and brings a mix of creativity and love for data. This role will work closely with cross-functional teams including Sales, Packaging, Design, R&D, Supply Chain, Operations and the Go-To-Market brand team. This role is for someone who thrives in an entrepreneurial environment with the ability to work both independently as well as collaboratively with key cross-functional stakeholders and leaders.

Responsibilities

• Retailer Management:
• Partner with cross-functional sales team to ensure customer service is utmost
• Help build decks for customer/retailer meetings
• Organize comps/product mockups and formula samples for all retailer meetings when required
• Innovation Strategy:
• Support creation, development & execution of innovation strategy + products for fragrance innovation, ensuring alignment with brand objectives
• Manage all aspects of product development lifecycle from concept to counter
• Utilize data-driven insights to identify opportunities for product innovation and market differentiation
• Product Development & Production:
• Olfactive knowledge and ability to evaluate fragrance submissions
• Identify white space opportunity & translate into meaningful NPD concepts
• Present product concepts & development stages to cross functional counterparts
• Support creation of compelling product concepts, applying sharp copywriting skills to articulate unique selling propositions & brand narrative
• Manage the cross-functional team and processes, ensuring project stays on-time and hits GM targets
• Collaborate closely with design to ensure aesthetics align with brand identity & resonate with consumers
• Lead all artwork mechanical efforts with production teams including copy, legal needs, color matching, finishes, etc.
• Market Research:
• Expert in fragrance category trends and market dynamics
• Lead & present ongoing category trends, competitive intelligence and market analysis
• Collect & organize necessary product documentation to support go to market needs
• Partner with suppliers for innovation, trends, new technologies
• Ensure internal documents have most updated & accurate product information
• Leverage data analysis to inform product development decisions, ensuring that each product aligns with market demands and preferences.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration:
• Foster a collaborative environment by working closely with cross-functional teams & key stakeholders, including marketing, project management, packaging, R&D, regulatory, sales, operations & buyers to ensure seamless execution of product launches.

Qualifications And Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in a relevant field of study (business, marketing, product development, etc.); MBA strongly preferred
• 3-5 years of experience in product and fragrance development or beauty industry (2-3 years of experience for Associate Manager level)
• Data savvy: proficient in data-driven decision-making and utilizing data analytics tools (IRI, Nielsen…)
• Flexibility & resilience to work collaboratively in a dynamic, fast-paced environment
• Strong strategic, analytical, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills
• Exceptional project management and organizational skills with acute attention to detail
• Excellent oral & written communication
• Creative thinker with a passion for driving innovation and staying ahead of market trends in the beauty industry
• Able to convert product/customer feedback into insights that drive development of new products
• Social media aware
• Creative, innovative & organized
• A team player & aspiring team leader
• Curious & passionate about products & the consumer
• A self-starter with the ability to operate independently
• Flexible & open to take on additional responsibilities when needed
• A problem solver who can deal with ambiguity
• Action and results oriented
• PASSION FOR ALL THINGS FRAGRANCE!

Pay And Benefits

The expected compensation range for this position is $75,000-105,000. Maesa also offers a variety of benefits to eligible employees. Employees can choose to enroll in health insurance coverage, wellness programs, life and disability insurance, and retirement savings plans. Through generous paid time off, a hybrid office setup, and paid leave options, Maesa encourages wellness and balance among employees.