Innovation Manager (R&D)

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Company Overview

Potter \& Moore is one of the UK's leading beauty and personal care innovators, combining brand ownership, product development expertise and large-scale manufacturing capabilities.

Operating from manufacturing sites in Peterborough and Tiverton, we develop and manufacture over 44 million units annually across skincare, haircare, personal care, wellbeing and baby care categories. Our products are supplied through a diverse business model encompassing owned brands, private label partnerships and contract manufacturing for some of the UK's most recognised retailers and beauty brands.

Our portfolio includes brands such as Emma Hardie, Feather \& Down, The Curl Company and Balance Active Formula, alongside long-standing partnerships with major retail customers across the UK and international markets.

Innovation sits at the heart of our growth strategy. We continuously explore emerging consumer trends, ingredient technologies, product formats and sustainability solutions to create products that excite consumers and deliver value for our customers.

As we continue to grow, we are investing in our innovation capabilities and are looking for an experienced Innovation Manager to help shape the future pipeline of products, technologies and customer opportunities across both our Brand and Private Label businesses.

This is a highly visible role offering the opportunity to influence business strategy, work directly with leading retailers and brand partners, and drive the commercialisation of new ideas from concept through to market launch.

Role Description

We are seeking a commercially focused Innovation Manager to identify, develop and commercialise future product opportunities across our Brand and Private Label businesses. This role sits at the intersection of consumer trends, customer needs, technical innovation and commercial growth. The successful candidate will be responsible for identifying emerging opportunities, translating them into commercial product concepts and working cross-functionally to bring them to market. The role will be highly customer-facing, acting as an innovation ambassador for Potter \& Moore, presenting trends, technologies and product concepts to both existing and prospective customers. They will work closely with Commercial, Brand, R\&D, Procurement and Supply Chain teams to ensure opportunities are technically feasible, commercially viable and aligned with business strategy. Whilst not a laboratory-based role, a strong understanding of cosmetic chemistry, formulation technologies, ingredients and the global supply base is essential. The Innovation Manager will lead innovation strategy and concept development, supported by an Innovation Chemist who will report directly into the role. The successful candidate will combine horizon scanning, technical understanding and commercial acumen to build a robust innovation pipeline that drives customer engagement, category growth and new business opportunities.

Role Objective

• Develop and own the innovation pipeline.
• Conduct global trend analysis, horizon scanning and market intelligence to identify future growth opportunities.
• Translate emerging trends, technologies and consumer insights into commercially viable product concepts.
• Lead the commercialisation of innovation projects from concept through to launch.
• Act as a customer-facing innovation expert, presenting concepts, technologies and category opportunities to customers and prospects.
• Partner with Commercial teams to support customer growth, retention and new business acquisition.
• Build strong relationships with suppliers to identify emerging ingredients, technologies, formats and sustainability opportunities.
• Ensure innovation activities align with business strategy, customer requirements and category growth ambitions.
• Manage and develop the Innovation Chemist, ensuring strong technical support for innovation projects.

Main Responsibilities

Innovation \& Trend Leadership

• Lead global trend analysis, horizon scanning and market monitoring across beauty, personal care, wellbeing and adjacent categories.
• Identify emerging consumer behaviours, technologies, ingredients and formats with commercial potential.
• Develop innovation platforms and future product roadmaps aligned to customer and brand strategies.
• Present innovation updates, category reviews and trend reports to internal stakeholders and customers.

Commercial \& Customer Engagement

• Work closely with Commercial and Brand teams to identify opportunities for growth within existing and prospective customers.
• Lead innovation sessions, customer workshops and capability presentations.
• Translate customer challenges and strategic objectives into compelling product solutions.
• Support customer pitches, tender submissions and innovation showcases.
• Act as an ambassador for Potter \& Moore's technical and innovation capabilities.

Innovation Commercialisation

• Develop commercially robust business cases for innovation opportunities.
• Drive projects from concept through feasibility, validation and launch.
• Work cross-functionally to ensure concepts are scalable, compliant and commercially viable.
• Monitor innovation success and identify opportunities for optimisation and expansion.

Technical \& Supply Base Development

• Maintain strong knowledge of cosmetic chemistry, formulation technologies and ingredient functionality.
• Build strategic relationships with ingredient suppliers, packaging suppliers and technology partners.
• Identify opportunities for new technologies, ingredients and product formats.
• Support technical evaluation and feasibility assessments through the Innovation Chemist and wider R\&D team.
• Monitor regulatory, sustainability and ESG developments that may influence future innovation opportunities.

People Leadership

• Manage and develop the Innovation Chemist.
• Foster a culture of curiosity, creativity and commercial innovation.
• Ensure strong collaboration between Commercial, Brand, R\&D and Supply Chain teams.

Candidate Description

Experience

• 5+ years’ experience in product innovation, formulation development, R\&D, or brand-led innovation within FMCG or personal care.
• Proven experience delivering product development projects from concept through to technical validation and launch.
• Experience working in cross-functional teams within a technical or consumer product environment.

Skills \& Knowledge

• Strong understanding of consumer product development processes and innovation stage-gate delivery.
• Ability to translate consumer insight and trend data into clear, technically grounded product concepts.
• Strong analytical thinking with the ability to balance creativity with feasibility and commercial reality.
• Excellent project management skills with the ability to manage multiple innovation streams.
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to influence technical and non-technical stakeholders.

Personal Qualities

• Hands-on problem solver who turns ambiguity into clear, practical actions and development plans.
• Collaborative team player who actively builds trust and works closely across technical and creative functions to get things done.
• Comfortable operating in a fast-paced, delivery-focused environment, balancing speed with technical rigour and attention to detail.
• Energetic and improvement-driven, with a strong bias for action and a passion for sustainability and making innovation happen.

Who We Are \& How We Work

We're a fast-moving, team-first business where the best idea wins regardless of where it comes from. Hierarchy doesn't slow us down - collaboration does the heavy lifting. People here take full ownership of their work, from the spark of an idea all the way through to results on shelf and numbers on a page. There's no passing the baton and walking away; you see it through, you learn from it, and you make it better next time.

We move quickly and adapt without drama. If a problem needs solving, we solve it — we don't wait for the perfect conditions or the perfect brief. That agility isn't just a working style, it's genuinely how we're structured: flexible in how and where we work, lean enough to make decisions fast, and trusting enough to give talented people real responsibility from day one.

This is a place where curious, driven, solutions-focused people do some of their best work — because they're given the space, the autonomy, and the team around them to make it happen. If you're energised by pace, motivated by ownership, and want to feel the direct impact of your work on a brand you're proud of, you'll fit right in.

What We Can Offer You

• Competitive Salary \& Benefits: We believe in rewarding the hard work and dedication of our employees with a comprehensive compensation package. Our standard benefits include Life Assurance, Employee Assistance Programme, Employee Benefits Platform to name a few.
• Dynamic Work Environment: Be part of a vibrant, collaborative team where innovation and creativity are encouraged.
• Career Growth: Take advantage of clear career pathways, mentorship opportunities, and the chance to take on new challenges and responsibilities.