Director - Technical Innovation BPC - Inn.Lab Marketing

Title: Technical Innovation Director, Beauty & Personal Care Reports to: Vice President, Global Innovation BPC   Kdc/one is a network of reputable, best-in-class custom formulators and manufacturers that collectively deliver high-touch innovation, operational excellence and speed to market to established and emerging beauty, personal care and home care companies. At the heart of our visionary culture is our state-of-the-art kdc/one Innovation Lab, where brands and top industry experts converge to share cutting-edge technologies and breakthrough products. The kdc/one Innovation Lab is a thinktank and idea incubator servicing the network sites and our partners. From product trend and ideation workshops to brainstorming sessions to one-on-one working meetings, our Innovation Lab offers clients an inspiring environment for creative and strategic collaborations. Kdc/one then brings concepts and ideation to life by leveraging world-class chemists across our network for innovation development via our Centers of Excellence platform. We are looking for a Technical Innovation Director. This position will report to the Vice President of Global Innovation, Beauty and Personal Care and works closely with the network to support and execute technical business development initiatives.   Organizational Relationships: Internal: Marketing, Product Development, R&D and R&I, Regulatory, Sales & Business Development External: Raw Material and Packaging Suppliers, Consultants, Industry Organizations (e.g. - CEW, SCC)   Basic Function: This position will be responsible for driving innovative technologies and collaborating with strategic raw material suppliers for cutting edge – material innovation. This position will take the lead on securing development initiatives with Raw Material manufacturers, establishing licensing / exclusivity rights (when applicable) and delivering these technologies through the Center of Excellence (CoE) labs and R&D chemists. This position will have direct work-streams with the established CoE’s in assistance of delivering product technologies as briefed through Innovation team. This position will serve as technical support, when applicable, for support to Innovation team when presenting product innovation to clients. The Technical Innovation Director will work in close collaboration with R&I and Marketing to assist in identifying trends, ideate new products/positioning, and develop disruptive and/or breakthrough products for the kdc/one Product library. In addition, this role will be encouraged to author publications, seek arising patents, etc. on delivered technical innovations.   Key Responsibilities: Form key partnerships with Raw Material Manufacturers and establish collaborative development and innovation opportunities between supplier and kdc/one Elevate kdc/one’s market position in color with focused effort on driving high quality technical innovation for lip and powder categories Stay current on all trend service subscriptions and maintain files of relevant reports Responsible for establishing & maintaining clear SOP for technical information in CoE product library, vetting out manufacturing sites & helping assist in technology transfer between sites Collaborate with kdc/one internal network for formula chassis and ongoing evaluation of formulas that can be added to overall product library. Provide technical support to Innovation and Product Development team for product innovation collections and present innovation/concepts with supporting trend and market research data. Responsible for researching new ingredients, textures, products and packaging to allow for greater innovation. Provide technical product information to R&D teams and complete trainings on technology know-how Create & maintain database of supplier innovations keeping presentations updated and relevant   Qualifications: University degree with at least 10 years formulating in color, skincare and haircare categories. Experience in working closely with R&D and cross-functional Marketing, Sales and Regulatory teams for a Beauty brand or Contract Manufacturer. Passionate about the beauty industry, fashion and related fields. Demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects through strong prioritization and planning. Proven track record of taking ownership and driving results. Ability to work in a fast-paced, often-changing collaborative environment. Exceptional interpersonal, communication (both written and verbal) and presentation skills. Demonstrate a can-do attitude and is willing to do whatever it takes to get the job done. Is a team player, flexible and able to adapt to change quickly. Ability to think both strategically and tactically with exceptional attention to detail. Willing to commute to NYC as needed. Domestic travel may be required up to 20%.