Director, Product Development

Patrick Ta Beauty•West Hollywood, CA

3d•$145,000 - $165,000•Onsite

About The Position

Patrick Ta Beauty is seeking a Director of Product Development to lead color cosmetics innovation and launch programs from initial concept through production start-up. The role owns formula and shade development across lip, eye and cheek, translating brand strategy and consumer insight into products for professional artists and everyday consumers. It is a hands-on leadership position involving both product development work and launch management, and includes leading and developing junior team member(s). The Director partners with the VP of Product Development, Marketing, Operations, Regulatory, laboratories and vendors. The role is based onsite at the company’s West Hollywood, California headquarters and requires a minimum of 60% work travel for lab visits, line trials, production and trade shows. Patrick Ta Beauty, founded in 2019, is a luxury makeup brand inspired by celebrity makeup artist Patrick Ta’s artistry. Its products emphasize accessible red-carpet artistry, layering and multidimensional color, with a focus on products that simplify makeup application while delivering professional-inspired results.

Requirements

10+ years of product development experience in beauty, with a strong focus on color cosmetics.
2+ years managing people or leading project teams.
Bachelor's degree.
Proven experience taking products from concept to launch with domestic and international contract manufacturers and laboratories.
Deep knowledge of color cosmetics formulation, pigment chemistry, shade development and color matching across lip, eye and cheek.
Current knowledge of beauty trends, consumer behavior and the competitive landscape.
Working knowledge of claims substantiation and cosmetic regulations, including FDA and MoCRA, EU and UK cosmetics regulations, and Health Canada.
Strong project management skills and ability to manage multiple launches concurrently.
Clear, confident communication skills, including presenting recommendations to senior leadership.
Ability to work onsite in West Hollywood and travel as needed; the role requires a minimum of 60% work travel.

Nice To Haves

Experience at a fast-growing, founder-led or prestige beauty brand.

Responsibilities

Partner with the VP of Product Development and Marketing to identify, evaluate and develop color cosmetics concepts aligned with brand strategy, consumer needs and market opportunities.
Monitor color cosmetics trends, artistry techniques and competitive launches, and identify ingredients, pigments, textures and technologies for the product pipeline.
Represent the brand at vendor meetings, lab visits and industry trade shows.
Write development briefs and manage recurring formula submissions from laboratories and contract manufacturers.
Lead formula and shade evaluations and approvals, coordinating feedback between vendors and brand stakeholders.
Evaluate color performance, including payoff, blendability, wear, transfer resistance, undertone accuracy and batch-to-batch shade consistency.
Lead shade analysis across lip, eye and cheek; identify gaps, build inclusive ranges, recommend lineups, curate assortments and present recommendations to leadership.
Attend on-site approvals as needed, including lab development, pilot batches, line trials and production start-up.
Work with Regulatory to define testing needs, provide formula and claims inputs, and review safety and sensory testing results.
Partner with third-party testing facilities on clinical and consumer testing, from study design and protocols through results, to substantiate product claims.
Coordinate stability and wear testing.
Ensure claims and product information meet regulatory requirements for marketing and education use.
Partner with Operations and Regulatory on product registration and compliance requirements for each launch market.
Work with Operations to keep new product development programs on milestones and launch dates.
Participate in cross-functional meetings with Operations (NPD), Regulatory and Marketing; flag risks early and drive solutions.
Present launches to field and sales education teams, including formula benefits, shade stories, claims and application tips.
Build and improve stage-gate processes, tools and documentation to support high-quality, on-time, in-full launches.
Manage product profiles and retailer-specific PDP content for accuracy and compliance at launch.
Lead, coach and develop junior team member(s), setting goals and supporting their growth.
Promote a collaborative, solutions-oriented culture across product development.