Global R&D Head

Job Purpose:

• Govern the leadership, mission and vision for the research and development for all product categories and all markets. This will involve the development of new products, bringing innovation into product portfolios, re-engineering & improving existing products and working on blue sky innovation ideas. It will include the leadership of the overall global R&D function.
• Responsible for improving overall product portfolio globally by identifying customer needs, providing and coordinating product development actions in conformance with budgeted objectives and regulatory compliance.
• Leads the teams that define, develop and oversee the implementation and maintenance of the R&D methodologies as well as resources dedicated to R&D Operations.
• The job is required to think beyond the existing solutions, assumptions or current knowledge of the existing product portfolio to build a unique and exclusive range of Personal Care/Colour Cosmetic/Perfumes products across the world.
• The use of groundbreaking and innovative methods is an important part of the role as well as the ability to influence business leaders across all divisions and ultimately develop products that ultimately increase companys market share in the global market space.

Responsibilities

R&D Strategy & Design Set up

• Build and Drives R&D strategy to ensure product formulations are developed for maximum compatibility across the global market and synergy opportunities being capitalized.
• Leverages deep understanding of upcoming technology in the R&D space and amongst competitors to enhance and develop new product formulations which will cater to next 2 to 3 year’s trends specially in personal care market
• Formulates and directs overall R&D program and SOPs in accordance with organization’s growth deliverables and key project objectives.
• Administers overall R&D deliverables with high technical competence and judgment and ensures sound technical expertise are applied while achieving them.
• Design and set up critical R&D projects that are completed within cost and schedule objectives.
• Prepares and correlates short- and long-term R&D plans and programs for design, construction or alteration of activities.
• Ensures research and development of new technologies/ products to support growth of business.
• Sets overall departmental vision, goals and priorities based on the financial/ objectives of the business.

Product formulations

• Design product formulations across all the product categories that we operate in.
• Working on product formulations for our own brands, as well for private label brands.
• Design/upgrade SOPs and guidelines for new/existing product characteristics, technical concepts and ingredients composition. Research & develop starting and finishing formula for new/existing batches.
• Research and identify formulations of benchmark products to trigger the requisite end-to-end development of product formulations.
• Direct and Guide R&D team in Reformulation or improvement process of existing formulas through NPD trials / batch trials.
• Explore market and competitor’s product innovation space to bring in varied options for compatible raw materials to drive innovative formulations for niche products.
• Set unique cost-effective Product formulation model and define requisite SOPs/guidelines for team to work on the same including new vendors and material sources, cost optimization while maintaining product quality standards
• Define/Upgrade SOPs/Guidelines for Product trials, test data, lab observations and Documentation process to support the formulator during product formulation process.

Product specifications

• Direct and guide the team while defining specifications for new or reformulated products.
• Ensure the product specifications are fully complied with describe values assigned, technical aspects, aesthetical concepts of raw materials, other ingredients, finished goods, packing materials.

Product Testing

• Research and Innovate new product testing protocols/guidelines to build a strong and unique product testing methods for an appropriate stability/compatibility testing for performance, penetration tests, moisture %, pH range, viscosity tests etc.
• Ensure the robust testing procedures for toxicology assessments, accelerated stability and preservative efficacy testing, microbial investigations are developed with a global product standards.

Product Registrations

• Lead conformity assessments, patent support, and global regulatory requirements applicable to respective statutory legislations to ensure all the regulatory requirements are fulfilled for product registration in respective market zones.
• Define/Upgrade new/existing standards/guidelines Product information file, ingredients review, full formula, specifications, cautions / warnings, instructions, storage conditions, and the label and bar codes.
• Approve dossier for notifications of innovated or modified products.
• Direct & Guide legal team for CPSS certifications and adhere to country specific regulatory needs. Approve reviewed renewals for the validity of registrations.
  

Technical Documents & Regulatory Compliance

• Ensure technical data sheets and safety data sheet, Product information File, safety assessments, labelling, claims are properly authorized and all quality tests and reports are properly recorded
• Ensure all the control data relevant to all cosmetic product/ ranges/ SKU’s are properly documented and stored in controlled manner.
• Ensuring regulatory compliance of all products that are developed for global markets that we export to (70 countries).

Process Improvements

• Develop concepts for innovations based on global trends, benchmark standards.
• Keep abreast of scientific literature, raw materials technology, processing methodology and marketing trends required to efficiently develop innovative products on time.
• Work on customer/ in-house complaints and do root cause analysis to take corrective and preventive steps.
• Ensure quality standards are met for accreditations and certifications of the product, specific to countries and customers.

People Development

• Build and nurture strong and independent R&D team who is technically strong and creative enough to manage overall critical deliverables
• Trains, mentors and coaches others in functionally related topics.
• Directs & guide other functions like Quality Control, Production, NPD during overall product development/scale up/technology transfer/new product launch and ensure the Product Design & Specification are complied with requisite high-quality standards.
• Encourage and motivate team to be in line with business needs.
• Review team’s performance and provide constructive feedback.
• Facilitate necessary trainings, monitor non-compliances, and take corrective actions.

Skills Required:

• Must have extensive experience in R&D of Personal Care & Colour Cosmetic product basket. Experience in R&D of perfumes/aerosol will be added advantage.
• Experience of dealing with Domestic & International Customers with demonstrate ability to build relations with a strong Business acumen.
• Experience of Personal Care OTC (non-ingestible products) product will be added advantage
• Export Formulation Product experience specially for US/UK/European markets
• Must be able to work on formulation development and benchmark matching independently.
• Ready and able to work on multiple product formulations at the same time, with a view to develop potentially hundreds of new products per year.
  

Competencies Required:

• Creativity & Innovation in developing formulations.
• In depth Industry understanding & knowledge –what works / what doesn’t.
• Strong interpersonal skills & internal & external stakeholder Management.
• Problem solving.
• Adaptability to change.
• Business Acumen (Looking at the big picture and not restricted to only Product and related development)
• Team building skills.
• Diligence to ensure they find the lowest cost-quality ration for raw materials.

Experience Required:

• 25 – 35 Years

Educational Qualifications Required

• PHD in cosmetic Chemistry/Chemical Engineering/Organic Chemistry

Additional Qualifications Required

• International Certifications/recognition/ Publications in formulation space for Personal Care/ Colour Cosmetics/ Perfumes

Reporting Structure

• These positions will directly reports to Chairman & Director.
• Teams that report directly into the role holder
• R&D
• Regulatory
• Instrumentation
• QC