Beauty | NPD Leadership | Category Strategy

Talent Lab Co is partnering exclusively with a powerhouse that is home to some of Australia’s fastest‑growing beauty brands. As the business scales, we’re searching for a commercially‑savvy, strategically‑minded Head of Product to lead the NPD function, shape category direction, and operate as a developing 2IC to the Director of Operations.

This is a rare, high‑impact role for an experienced NPD leader ideally with international market experience, who can balance hands‑on product development with long‑term category strategy while guiding a growing team and influencing across the business.

You’ll operate with genuine strategic and commercial authority, influence founders directly, and play a pivotal role in the next phase of the organisational growth.

The Role

As Head of Product , you’ll own the end‑to‑end NPD pipeline across all brands, lead two Senior NPD Specialists, manage supplier relationships, and drive category strategy that informs future innovation. As capability builds, you’ll also step into a defined deputising capacity for the Director of Operations across procurement and cross‑brand operational projects.

Key Responsibilities

- Lead the NPD pipeline across all brands, allocating workload across two Senior NPD Specialists
- Stay hands‑on in development — reviewing formulations, managing key suppliers and stepping into execution where needed.
- Chair stage‑gate reviews and own go/no‑go recommendations for SLT.
- Set quality, cost and timeline standards and ensure consistent delivery across brands.
- Act as escalation point for supplier, regulatory or timeline issues.
- Maintain the NPD pipeline dashboard and present progress at S&OP;
- Lead commercial negotiations with labs, manufacturers and packaging suppliers.
- Own COGS, MOQs, lead times and quality standards within agreed commercial thresholds.
- Manage supplier performance and onboard current partners as pipeline growth requires.




- Chair WIP sessions with manufacturers and formulators to resolve technical or supply chain challenges

Cross‑Functional Collaboration

- Pressure‑test briefs and business cases with Brand Managers before development begins
- Partner closely with Regulatory, Finance, Demand Planning and Production & Logistics
- Provide pipeline visibility to Retail and Digital Directors and chair weekly internal WIP sessions

Product & Category Strategy

- Build and maintain 3‑year category strategies for each brand
- Conduct ongoing market, trend and competitive analysis to identify white space and portfolio opportunities
- Define hero SKU priorities and range architecture, and lead portfolio rationalisation where needed
- Present category strategy and recommendations directly to Founders and Directors

Acquisition Support

- Lead NPD integration for future acquired brands, supplier audits, spec reviews and pipeline onboarding

2IC Development (Growing Component)

- Build procurement capability and progressively take on supplier negotiation responsibilities
- Represent the Director of Operations on cross‑brand operational projects as required and act as a trusted sounding board on operational matters

About You

- 8-10+ years in NPD/product development within beauty, personal care or FMCG
- Experience working across multiple markets and channels an advantage
- Proven experience owning multi‑year category strategy and range architecture
- Strong commercial negotiation experience with manufacturers and suppliers is a must
- Experience leading and developing NPD practitioners
- Skilled in trend forecasting, competitive analysis and translating insights into product direction
- Advanced project management and cross‑functional leadership capability
- High ownership, structured, calm under pressure and commercially astute

If this sounds like you or someone you know- apply now or get in touch with Georgie Cash directly.

Talent Lab Co- 'An edit of Beauty & Wellness's finest talent'

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📌 Head of Product (City of Sydney)
🏢 Talent Lab
📍 City of Sydney