Senior Manager, Quality (Microbiologist)

Purpose of Job

This role is designed to establish and execute the company’s microbial risk and product safety control system, implement standardized risk management across the full product lifecycle, and build unified microbial risk governance capabilities for multi-region OEM suppliers. The position leads the implementation of company microbial strategies, cross-functional risk assessments and closed-loop improvement initiatives. Serving as the company’s microbiology technical expert, it provides technical support and capability training for internal and external teams, and coordinates the investigation and on-site resolution of critical quality deviations. In addition, it builds a global quality knowledge base and replicates proven best practices to strengthen preventive quality management, systematically reduce recurring quality risks, and sustain consistent and compliant product quality for the brand.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities

Establish e.l.f.’s global microbial risk management and product safety strategy

• Lead the development and iteration of company’s global microbial risk control and product safety management strategies, ensuring the framework align with quality objectives, cosmetic regulations, regional market compliance requirements and brand quality standards.
• Build standardized, actionable global product safety control baselines with full awareness of regional implementation variances.

Develop end to end microbial risk control plans across the full product lifecycle

• Design, deploy and maintain systematic microbial risk control plans covering new product development formula screening and safety verification, process & equipment assessment, OEM manufacturing process control, product transportation & storage risk management, and post-launch quality monitoring.
• Continuously refine control measures in response to business needs, changes of key influencing factors and market feedback, to achieve effective microbial safety oversight throughout the entire product lifecycle.

Lead cross functional microbial risk assessment and closed loop improvement

• Own microbial risk assessment across business and manufacturing workflows; proactively identify potential microbial hazards, process vulnerabilities and systemic quality risks.
• Develop targeted risk mitigation plans, coordinate cross functional resources to implement corrective and preventive actions (CAPA), track execution progress and verify improvement effectiveness to sustain reduction of product quality risks.

Act as e.l.f.’s microbiology subject matter expert to deliver technical consultation and capability enablement

• Serve as the in house subject matter expert for microbiology and product safety; provide technical consultation, standard interpretation and problem-solving solutions for internal quality, R&D, sourcing teams and global external OEM partners.
• Deliver regular standardized training sessions covering microbial control requirements, risk prevention and deviation handling, to continuously elevate quality awareness and technical competence of e.l.f. employees and supplier personnel.

Supplier manufacturing process control, on site troubleshooting and major quality incident management

• Lead manufacturing process quality control for cosmetic finished goods suppliers; organize on site quality support and technical troubleshooting for critical production abnormalities.
• Drive investigation, root cause analysis, CAPA development and cross functional alignment for major and recurring quality incidents, to ensure timely resolution of quality issues.

Build and update the quality knowledge pool to enable preventive quality management

• Establish and continuously update the quality knowledge base, including microbial control specifications, typical failure modes, manufacturing process troubleshooting experience and proven best practices.
• Systematically document global quality cases; replicate validated control methods and improvement learnings across all OEM sites to implement standardized preventive quality management and proactively reduce recurrence of similar quality issues.

Education/Knowledge/Experience

Minimum request:

• Bachelor's degree or above in microbiology, chemistry, pharmacy, biology, food science, or related fields; Master's degree preferred.
• 8+ years of quality management experience in the cosmetics or related FMCG industry, including 3+ years in a quality manager or equivalent management role.
• Be familiar with cosmetics regulations and standards, and quality management tools (FMEA, 8D, 5Whys, SPC).
• Strong data analysis, problem-solving, and root-cause analysis capabilities; excellent communication and cross-functional coordination skills.
• Proficiency in English (reading, writing, listening, speaking) for global collaboration; able to travel for onsite supplier support.

Competency:

• Strategic thinking and quality system design capability.
• Leadership and cross-functional team coordination.
• Expert-level microbiology knowledge and risk assessment proficiency.

Relevant knowledge demand:

• Cosmetic manufacturing processes, raw-material properties, production equipment and facility environmental requirements.
• Cosmetic microbial hazards, preservation-system-related risks, clean-manufacturing controls, and packaging-material microbial risks.
• Microbial-safety-related clauses under major cosmetic regulations in China, Europe and the United States.