Product Development Manager
Welcome to IBG!
IBG (Innovative Beauty Group) is a global one-stop beauty shop. By partnering with our clients as an extension of their teams, we bring beauty visions to life. IBG consists of more than 300 colleagues spread over 13 locations worldwide.
IBG North America specializes in turnkey solutions, private label and packaging in the beauty industry. Together, we are concept builders and boosters with global opportunities for well-known retailers and brands.
We are currently seeking a Category Manager to join our Product Development and Innovation team! This is an exciting opportunity for someone who is looking to drive strategy and help build a culture of innovation, accountability, and continuous improvement across the NPD function. In this role, you will be responsible for overseeing the full product life cycle - from concept through commercialization within the assigned category (Bath and Body). In addition, this role will lead and mentor Product Innovation Specialists and Product Developers.
This is for an existing vacancy.
Requirements
In this role, you will:
Own and manage the strategic direction, development, and performance of the assigned beauty and personal care product category - defining the category roadmap and ensuring IBG remains competitive, innovative, and commercially excellent.
Analyze market trends, competitor activity, and cost structures to inform decision-making and maintain category competitiveness.
Analyze category performance to assess product viability, pricing strategy, and lifecycle management.
Own NPD stage-gate governance, compliance, and decision-making processes across the assigned category portfolio.
Lead category reviews evaluating portfolio performance, innovation opportunities, competitive activity, and market trends.
Develop annual category growth strategies and category roadmaps aligned with business objectives and customer opportunities.
Own category-level KPI performance, including innovation conversion, development cycle time, stage-gate compliance, margin improvement, and revenue from new product launches.
Present regular category business reviews and KPI dashboards to leadership, highlighting performance trends, risks, and improvement actions.
Coordinate with IBG's global sourcing teams in China and Korea to secure best pricing, materials, and manufacturing solutions for the category.
Collaborate, build, and maintain IBG's global supplier network - supporting innovation speed-to-market and supplier competitiveness for the category.
Work with the AI Beauty Intelligence team (where applicable) to integrate data-driven insights into the category's product and innovation strategies.
Serve as a backup to the product development team - directly managing active development programs when team capacity requires senior coverage
About you:
Bachelor's degree in Product Development, Business, Marketing, or a related field - advanced degree preferred.
5+ years of experience in product development, category management, global sourcing, or merchandising - with at least 2 years in a leadership or category ownership role.
Strong understanding of global sourcing, cost management, and category innovation processes - particularly in China and Korea supplier markets.
Experience collaborating with Sales teams and clients to develop tailored beauty and personal care product solutions.
Proven ability to lead and mentor cross-functional teams to deliver business objectives.
Proficiency in data analysis and ERP/PLM systems (e.g., PMOne).
Strong organizational and analytical skills - able to manage category performance data, cost structures, and development timelines.
Effective communicator capable of influencing across teams, functions, and regions.
Collaborative and decisive, with a results-oriented leadership style.
Creative eye for market trends, design, and consumer behaviour in beauty and personal care.
Ability and willingness to travel regionally and internationally for supplier visits and product development reviews.
What we offer:
You will enjoy being part of an energetic and hands-on team, excited about beauty and home care. You will work with passionate and talented colleagues who inspire and support each other. We have fun and celebrate successes together, but we are also not afraid to roll up our sleeves and get the job done. We work hard and play hard!
On top of that you will get:
A competitive total rewards package with a salary range of $70,000-$90,000 depending on experience
A comprehensive health/dental and retirement savings plan with employer match
To work in a hybrid environment with the opportunity to work 2 days remotely
An international working environment full of energy, beauty and growth
Opportunities to grow, both personally and professionally.
Of course, a great bunch of colleagues.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) enabled tools may be used to support certain aspects of the recruitment process. While these tools assist our teams, our use of AI does not replace human decision making, and all final hiring decisions are made by authorized human personnel.
We are committed to creating an inclusive environment where diverse perspectives are valued and all employees have the opportunity to thrive. We welcome candidates from all backgrounds and experiences, and encourage applications from individuals of all races, ethnicities, religions, genders, sexual orientations, ages, abilities, and other identities. If you require accommodation at any stage of the hiring process, please let us know by contacting us at [email protected] so we can work with you to meet your needs.