Senior Product Manager

Job Title: Senior Manager New Product Development (NPD)

Location: Kolkata

Reports To: Head of Innovation

Job Summary

This role will drive end-to-end New Product Development from concept to launch , with a strong focus on product strategy, consumer insights, brand alignment, packaging innovation, and go-to-market execution . The role will act as a bridge between marketing, packaging, supply chain, regulatory, and external formulation partners to deliver differentiated, market-ready products. Formulation execution will be managed via internal/external R&D partners and not owned hands-on by this role.

Key Responsibilities

NPD Strategy & Product Ownership

• Own the overall NPD roadmap , translating brand vision, consumer insights, and market opportunities into compelling product concepts.
• Lead product ideation, concept development, positioning, and differentiation , ensuring strong brand and commercial fit.
• Define product briefs, claims frameworks, and success metrics in collaboration with marketing and business teams.
• Act as the single point of accountability for products from concept to commercialization.

Cross-Functional & Project Management

• Drive the end-to-end NPD lifecycle , ensuring timely execution across functions and external partners.
• Collaborate closely with marketing, packaging, regulatory, supply chain, finance, and external formulation labs to ensure seamless product development and launch readiness.
• Own project plans, timelines, and critical milestones; proactively flag and mitigate risks.
• Ensure alignment between product concept, packaging, claims, costing, and launch timelines.

Packaging & Design Innovation

• Packaging strategy and development , including material selection, structure, sustainability, cost optimization, and visual differentiation.
• Partner with design agencies and vendors to deliver packaging that enhances brand storytelling, shelf impact, and consumer experience .
• Stay updated on sustainable packaging trends and innovations , ensuring compliance and scalability.

Market, Consumer & Competitive Insights

• Drive market and consumer research to identify white spaces, trends, and unmet needs .
• Monitor competitive launches and industry trends to inform innovation and renovation pipelines.
• Translate insights into clear product propositions and launch narratives .

Regulatory, Quality & Launch Readiness

• Work closely with regulatory and compliance teams to ensure claims substantiation, packaging compliance, and documentation readiness .
• Coordinate product testing, certifications, and approvals through internal teams and external partners.
• Ensure products are fully launch-ready across channels.

Financial & Commercial Alignment

• Build and evaluate business cases for new products , including pricing, margins, and cost structures.
• Partner with finance and procurement on cost optimization , vendor negotiations, and profitability goals.
• Support leadership with data-backed recommendations on portfolio prioritization.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelors or Masters degree in Business, Marketing, Packaging, Cosmetic Science, or a related field .
• 8+ years of experience in NPD / product management within beauty, personal care, or FMCG.
• Strong exposure to product commercialization, packaging development, and cross-functional project leadership .
• Experience working with external formulation partners or R&D teams (hands-on formulation not required).
• Proven success in launching products at scale.

Key Competencies

• Strong product mindset with consumer-first thinking
• Excellent stakeholder and vendor management skills
• Strategic yet execution-focused
• Strong communication and decision-making abilities
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, evolving environment