Purpose:
The Brand Manager, NPI & Product Lifecycle Management is a critical cross-functional leader responsible for orchestrating the end-to-end supply chain execution of new product introductions and managing the full lifecycle of the North America professional-grade cosmetics portfolio. This role serves as the primary supply chain liaison across brand management, R&D, Quality, regulatory, PDS&T, Packaging marketing, and Contract Manufacturing Organizations (CMOs) to ensure that products are commercialized on time, within budget, and to the highest quality standards.
Operating across a premium professional skincare portfolio — including brands such as SkinMedica and Diamond Glow — this position demands a highly analytical, detail-oriented, and strategically minded supply chain professional who can balance the complexity of multiple simultaneous product launches while driving continuous improvement across planning, procurement, and operations.
Key Responsibilities:
New Product Introduction (NPI) Execution
- Lead end-to-end NPI project management for the North America professional cosmetics portfolio, coordinating all supply chain workstreams from concept gate through commercial launch.
- Develop and maintain detailed NPI project timelines, critical path milestones, and supply chain readiness checklists in alignment with Stage-Gate or equivalent commercialization frameworks.
- Facilitate cross-functional NPI launch meetings, driving accountability across R&D, regulatory, packaging, marketing, finance, and operations teams.
- Support operations colleagues with procurement and qualification of components, raw materials, and finished goods required for clinical trials, scale-up batches, and initial production runs.
- Ensure launch inventory targets are met by coordinating build plans, safety stock strategies, and phased market rollout plans with commercial stakeholders.
Contract Manufacturing Organization (CMO) Relationship Management
- Serve as supply chain point of contact for external CMO partners supporting the North America professional skincare portfolio.
- Work with external manufacturing to develop & monitor CMO scorecards, tracking on-time delivery, quality compliance, capacity utilization, and cost performance.
- Support NPI onboarding activities at CMO sites, including capacity assessments, technology transfers, validation batch scheduling, and commercial scale-up readiness reviews.
- Align with global supply planning on production schedules, minimum order quantities (MOQs), lead times, and change order processes with CMO partners.
- Proactively identify and mitigate supply risks arising from CMO capacity constraints, raw material shortages, packaging issues or regulatory changes.
Demand Forecasting & Supply Planning
- Jointly with commercial develop robust demand forecasts for new product introductions in collaboration with brand managers, sales operations, and finance, incorporating market intelligence, historical analogs, and launch channel strategies.
- Wit global supply planning, translate approved demand forecasts into actionable supply plans, ensuring alignment between production capacity, inventory levels, and commercial requirements.
- Manage the Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) input process for all NPI SKUs, maintaining accuracy and version control of demand signals shared with CMOs and internal stakeholders.
- Execute supply rebalancing and phase-in/phase-out strategies to minimize excess and obsolete inventory risk during product transitions.
Product Lifecycle Management (PLM)
- Partner with brand and regulatory teams to assess the supply chain impact of formula updates, label changes, and regulatory submissions, ensuring continuity of supply throughout.
- Maintain accurate and current SKU master data, bill of materials (BOM), and supplier records within ERP and PLM systems.
- Contribute to portfolio rationalization initiatives, providing supply chain data and analysis to support brand and business decisions.
Cross-Functional Collaboration & Continuous Improvement
- Act as the supply chain representative in cross-functional brand and portfolio review meetings, providing insight on launch readiness, supply risk, and capacity constraints.
- Champion continuous improvement initiatives targeting NPI lead time reduction, CMO performance improvement, and planning process efficiency.
- Support the development and refinement of supply chain standard operating procedures (SOPs) and NPI playbooks.
- Collaborate with the quality team to resolve non-conformances, deviations, and CAPA actions involving CMO partners and NPI activities.
Key Competencies:
Strategic Thinking
- Ability to anticipate downstream supply chain implications of business decisions and develop proactive mitigation strategies.
Cross-Functional Leadership
- Skilled at aligning diverse stakeholders across brand, R&D, regulatory, operations, and finance without direct authority.
Results Orientation
- Demonstrates a consistent track record of delivering complex launches on time and within scope and budget.
Analytical Rigor
- Applies structured, data-driven approaches to forecasting, planning, and performance management.
CMO Partnership Management
- Builds trust-based, performance-driven relationships with external manufacturing partners.
Adaptability & Resilience
- Thrives in a dynamic, high-growth environment where priorities and timelines evolve rapidly.
Communication Excellence
- Conveys complex supply chain concepts clearly and concisely to both technical and non-technical audiences.
Continuous Improvement Mindset
- Actively identifies inefficiencies and drives process improvements across NPI and lifecycle management workflows.
Role Scope & Reporting Structure:
This role operates within the North America Supply Chain & Operations function and reports directly to the Senior Director, Supply Chain – North America. The Supply Chain Manager – NPI & PLM carries no direct reports at this time but is expected to lead and influence cross-functional project teams, external CMO partners, and junior supply chain analysts in a matrixed organizational structure.
Scope Dimension:
Geographic Scope
- North America (United States and Canada)
Portfolio Scope
- Professional-grade skincare and cosmeceutical brands (e.g., SkinMedica, Diamond Glow)
Direct Reports
- (Individual Contributor with cross-functional leadership accountability)
Key Internal Partners
- Marketing Brand Management, R&D, Regulatory Affairs, Finance, Quality, Packaging, Manufacturing
Key External Partners
- Contract Manufacturing Organizations (CMOs), Component Suppliers, 3PLs
Travel Requirements
- Up to 10% domestic and international travel (CMO site visits, internal summits)