Head of NPD

Skin + Me is a mission driven start-up with seriously big skin goals.

We’re looking for an experienced Head of New Product Development (NPD) to join our growing NPD Team at Skin + Me, working across all of our brands. This is a full time hybrid working role with three days a week in our Paddington HQ (Mon, Tue, Fri) and two days remote.

About the role:

This is an exciting opportunity for a skilled and experienced Head of NPD.

The ideal candidate will have 12+ years experience working for a beauty brand, ideally in skincare. They will have a passion for skincare and a deep understanding of ingredients, formats and usage. This is a senior leadership position within the business with strong ties to the brand, marketing, medical and operations teams.

This candidate will take ownership, provide strategic guidance, deliver results and won’t be afraid to lead the NPD Team in the day to day detail of creating exciting new products. They will have great commercial acumen and a deep understanding of operational processes.

What you'll do:

• Lead and guide the NPD Team through all aspects of product development projects including: business case creation, commercial optimisation and product launch plans.
• Lead the strategic direction of the NPD function to align with the company’s goals, consumer needs, and maximise product messaging through product efficacy testing, ingredient claims and storytelling
• Collaborate closely with the Commercial, Retail, Operations and Growth Directors, alongside other key stakeholders to develop a comprehensive NPD roadmap.
• Drive the creation of world-class products by integrating customer feedback, market trends, and scientific advancements in skincare, working closely with our in-house dermatologists.
• Champion the group brands, ensuring our product offerings are not only effective but also resonate with our target demographic.
• Oversee the end-to-end product development lifecycle, ensuring seamless collaboration across medical, marketing, operations, technology, creative, CS, and growth teams.
• Work cross-functionally and in partnership with medical, marketing, operations, technology, creative, CS and Growth to create market leading products
• Build on our existing innovation in packaging development to create a best-in-class experience across all group products.
• Build and nurture strong relationships with external networks including contract manufacturers, raw material suppliers, regulatory agencies and testing houses

Who you are:

These are the skills we’re looking for. Even if you don’t tick every box, but feel you’re right for us, we’d still love to hear from you.

• A strategic leader with 12+ years of experience in cosmetic NPD, with significant expertise in skincare. Experience developing medicated formulations would be valued but not essential
• A proven track record of leading NPD teams and successfully bringing new products to market.
• High level of, and passion for, skincare ingredients, product formulation, and a strong grasp of current and future industry trends.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to engage with a range of stakeholders from journalists and influencers to senior executives.
• You have an entrepreneurial mindset, a self-starter who thrives in an environment that values bias-for-action and execution
• Experience working with both third party and internal contract manufacturers and product developers.
• Strong knowledge of competitors in skincare and what they have to offer and how we differentiate

Why should you choose Skin + Me?

• A daily challenge – in a thrilling, entrepreneurial start-up environment, no two days will ever be the same.
• Make a difference – work within a revolutionary company that is focused on improving millions of lives.
• Significant equity – potentially life-changing value if you commit to our long-term mission.
• Serious commitment to growth – personal development is important to us and we’ll make sure we support your growth, and give you broad experience across your role.
• Support network – the Skin + Me investors and advisors that you’ll have the opportunity to work with have built some of the world’s best consumer companies.

Benefits:

• 25 Days Holiday (+ all the usual Bank Holidays) – It's important to take a break and recharge, that's why we offer a generous holiday allowance
• Free Breakfast & Lunch – It’s important you are well fueled for the day so we've got your breakfast and lunch covered. Plus drinks and snacks are available too!
• Hybrid working to give you flexibility – We are all remote on Wednesday and Thursday. When we are in the office on Monday, Tuesday and Friday our core hours are 10-4. If you're an early bird you can do 7-4, and if you're a night owl 10-7 is fine too. Need more flexibility around your life – just let us know.
• Equity – We offer a competitive salary and a generous share award package that means every employee has a stake in the business. We really are all in this together
• Health and wellbeing focus – We offer a healthcare cash plan, cycle to work schemes plus free healthy breakfast and lunch in the office. We'll be sure to always prioritise your physical and mental health.
• £500 annual development budget for any learning, training and development opportunities. Courses, books, software – if it helps you in your role, we’ll help you get it.
• For working parents, we’re proud to offer assistance, helping you save on nursery fees. The workplace nursery benefit allows you to save tax and National Insurance on the full cost of your nursery fees each month.
• Culture club – Our culture club team meets every week to make sure we celebrate our big wins and milestones too, with parties, surprises and more.
• You’ll get highly discounted Skin + Me products for you, and 10 friends + family too.
• Generous employee referral scheme, if you know more fabulous people refer them to work with us too and you’ll get a bonus when they pass probation.
• Dog-friendly office with two very cute resident dogs!

More about Skin + Me:

There’s a huge problem in the world of skincare: people struggle with more than just how their skin looks. They also worry about how it makes them feel and how to manage it long-term. We’re on a mission to change that.

The truth is that achieving your best skin isn’t complicated. The secret? Using a stripped back routine with the best combination of active ingredients for your skin goals. The right products and knowledge make it possible to tackle everything from fine lines and wrinkles to adult acne, rosacea and pigmentation. We’re united in the belief that everyone should have access to expert advice, treatment plans and ingredients that work – minus the big price tag and the long dermatologist waitlist.

Skin + Me is a mission-driven start-up, building a pioneering online dermatology service powered by experts. We take customers through a simple online medical consultation and our prescribers formulate custom treatments that can’t be bought on the high street. Each one is personalised to the individual’s skin goals. It arrives in their letterbox each month and evolves alongside their skin – because everyone’s skin is different and no two journeys are the same.

Skin + Me recently secured £10 million in a series B funding round, reflecting the growing interest in expert-approved skincare. We’ve raised funding from some of the best-known direct-to-consumer entrepreneurs and VCs, including Octopus Ventures. Our highly experienced founding team comes from the likes of Facebook, Charlotte Tilbury, Tails.com and Graze.com.

Our journey has just begun and we’d love for you to join us as we change the face of skincare! Think you’re up for the challenge?