Vice President, Product Development

About the role: 

Join our fast-growing beauty brand and become a key member of our executive team. We are seeking a strategic, passionate Vice President of Product Development to lead and evolve our innovation pipeline. The ideal candidate brings deep expertise in skincare development, a sharp eye for product excellence, and a proven ability to lead teams and complex projects from concept through commercialization. You thrive in a fast-paced, collaborative environment and are energized by building best-in-class products that deliver real, measurable results. At OSEA our mission is to create effective, results-driven skincare that is safe for the planet and humankind. This role is instrumental in advancing that mission, driving innovation, elevating product quality, and ensuring every launch reflects our commitment to wellness, integrity, and sustainability.

This role is hybrid, with the expectation to work in-office at least 1-2 days per week at our Venice, California headquarters. 

Responsibilities:

Strategic Leadership & Innovation

• Own and evolve OSEA’s product development and innovation strategy, with a strong emphasis on R&D excellence and pipeline planning
• Identify whitespace opportunities and emerging trends in skincare, ingredients, and clean beauty
• Contribute to and help shape the overall innovation roadmap, ensuring alignment with brand vision, growth goals, and market opportunities
• Identify and introduce new technologies, ingredients, and partners to elevate product performance and differentiation

Team Leadership & Organizational Development

• Lead, mentor, and develop a team of four direct reports, including a Senior Director, R&D, fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, and innovation
• Build scalable processes, tools, and workflows to support a growing product pipeline
• Champion cross-functional alignment and strong communication across departments

Product Development Execution

• Drive innovation from concept through commercialization, ensuring differentiation and efficacy, owning the execution of all product development milestones, meeting timelines, budgets, and quality standards.
• Troubleshoot formulation or production challenges to maintain timelines and quality
• Oversee formula development, iteration, and final approvals in partnership with R&D and external labs
  Guide evaluation of formula submissions and direct optimization toward best-in-class outcomes

R&D, Testing & Claims

• Oversee all R&D activities, including formulation development, testing, and validation
• Partner closely with internal chemists and external R&D teams at contract manufacturers
• Stay current on ingredient innovation, sustainability practices, and scientific advancements
• Oversee all testing strategies including stability, compatibility, clinical, and consumer testing to substantiate product claims
• Ensure all formulas meet global regulatory requirements and compliance standards across current and emerging markets
• Partner closely with Regulatory and Marketing to ensure claims are accurate, supportable, and aligned with brand positioning

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Collaborate with Marketing, Creative, and Education teams to define product concepts, claims, and storytelling
• Co-author and approve all key product documentation including Product Profiles, claims support, and ingredient narratives
• Support internal teams with product knowledge, FAQs, and training materials related to formulas and efficacy

External Partnerships & Commercialization

• Manage and strengthen relationships with contract manufacturers, labs, and testing partners to ensure seamless development and scale-up
• Evaluate and select partners aligned with OSEA’s quality, sustainability, and innovation standards
• Negotiate development timelines and ensure successful scale-up and production
• Oversee technology transfers to manufacturers and support production readiness
• Participate in artwork and packaging reviews to ensure alignment with product positioning and regulatory requirements

Operational Excellence

• Establish and maintain systems for documentation, sample management, and project tracking across all development initiatives
• Ensure rigorous organization of lab samples, standards, and development archives
• Continuously improve internal processes to increase efficiency, transparency, and speed to market

This job description is a summary of duties. It is by no means an all-inclusive list but is merely a broad guide of expected duties and is subject to change. 

• 12+ years of experience in product development within beauty required 
• 8+ years of experience in skincare product development required 
• Deep knowledge of skincare ingredients, formulation science, and clean beauty standards
• Proven leadership experience managing high-performing teams, including senior-level direct reports
• Deep expertise in R&D processes, including formulation, testing, claims substantiation, and scale-up
• Demonstrated success in leading products from concept through commercialization
• Strong understanding of global regulatory requirements and compliance frameworks
• Exceptional project management and organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple complex initiatives simultaneously
• Strategic thinker with a hands-on approach and a bias for action
• Experience working with contract manufacturers and external R&D partners
• Passion for clean, clinically proven skincare and ingredient innovation
• Excellent communication and cross-functional collaboration skills
• Must reside in the United States to be considered for this position
• Please note that visa sponsorship is not available for this position

Compensation: The anticipated salary range for this position is $190,000-$230,000 per year. The actual salary offer will carefully consider a few factors, including your skills, qualifications, experience, and location. Not all candidates will be eligible for the upper end of the salary range.  

What We Offer

• Medical, dental, and vision
• Flexible Spending Account (FSA) 
• Quarterly wellness and technology stipend
• 401(k) match (up to 4%)
• New hire work from home stipend 
• Up to 3 months of parental leave for eligible team members
• Flexible PTO 
• Paid company holidays 
• 4 days to volunteer per year