Senior Manager – New Product Development

Job Title:
Senior Manager – New Product Development (NPD) – Food & Cosmetics Brand

Location:
Mumbai

Salary:
Open to negotiate for the right candidate

Experience:
4 to 10+ years

Employment Type:
Full-Time

About the Role

We are seeking a highly driven, innovative, and technically strong
Senior Manager – New Product Development (NPD)
to lead the creation of breakthrough
food and cosmetic products
. This role spans ideation, formulation, testing, packaging, and commercialization of new product lines that blend science with consumer lifestyle needs.

From developing functional foods to designing high-performance skincare, you will play a pivotal role in turning bold ideas into successful market launches. If you thrive on building future-ready products at the intersection of nutrition, beauty, and wellness—this role is for you.

Key Responsibilities

Product Ideation & Conceptualization

• Identify consumer trends across nutrition, skincare, and beauty to propose new product concepts.
• Lead cross-functional ideation workshops to build a strong pipeline of innovative launches.
• Conduct market, technical, and financial feasibility studies for both food and cosmetic products.

Recipe & Formula Development

• Develop new
  food formulations
  balancing taste, nutrition, and cost objectives.
• Create
  cosmetic formulations
  (skincare, haircare, and body care), ensuring efficacy, safety, and sensory appeal.
• Ensure compliance with regulatory standards for FSSAI (food) and FDA/BIS (cosmetics).
• Optimize formulations for scalability, stability, and consumer satisfaction.

Prototyping & Product Testing

• Manage kitchen/lab trials and pilot batches for both food and cosmetic ranges.
• Collaborate with QA, R&D, and regulatory teams to design robust testing protocols.
• Conduct sensory evaluations, stability studies, dermatological safety tests, and shelf-life analysis.

Packaging Innovation

• Partner with packaging and design teams to develop functional, aesthetic, and sustainable packaging.
• Stay ahead of global packaging trends in
  food safety
  and
  cosmetic luxury design
  .
• Oversee compatibility and stability testing of formulations with packaging materials.

Nutritional, Efficacy & Compliance

• For food products: Ensure all products meet nutritional targets (e.g., clean label, high protein, low sugar).
• For cosmetics: Ensure formulations deliver proven efficacy (hydration, repair, anti-aging, etc.) backed by claims substantiation.
• Liaise with regulatory and legal teams for labeling, compliance, and documentation across categories.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Work closely with marketing, sales, supply chain, and procurement for smooth go-to-market launches.
• Collaborate with third-party labs, manufacturers, and co-packers across both verticals.
• Provide technical expertise during consumer trials and marketing campaigns.

Qualifications & Skills

• Bachelor's or master's degree in food technology,
  cosmetic science, chemistry, biotechnology, or related fields
  .
• 4–10+ years of NPD experience in
  FMCG, food & beverages, health foods, skincare, or cosmetics
  sectors.
• Proven track record of end-to-end product development (concept → formulation → market launch).
• Strong understanding of functional ingredients, actives, sensory science, and safety protocols.
• Hands-on experience with
  R&D trials, stability/shelf-life studies, and efficacy testing
  .
• Project management skills with the ability to balance creativity and technical rigor.
• Consumer-first mindset, curiosity, and passion for both wellness and beauty.

What You'll Get

• Opportunity to shape innovations across
  nutrition and beauty categories
  in a high-impact brand.
• Exposure to global ingredient trends, food tech, cosmetic actives, and packaging design.
• Collaborative, fast-paced work culture with cross-functional leadership opportunities.
• Competitive compensation, a strong growth path, and flexibility for learning and development.

Location:
Mumbai (On-site role with occasional travel to R&D centers, plants, and vendor facilities).