VP Product Development

West Hollywood, CA

Versed makes products that perform for skin, body and planet. More importantly, Versed strives to make those products for everyone, inclusive of identity, income and status.

With a proven track record of launching products and initiatives that move our industry forward, we’re building on our team of dynamic leaders who are ready to redefine clean skincare for everyone. This Product Developer owns the end-to-end development of our product roadmap from concept to go-to-market. In this role, you will grow and redefine current categories and own development for the brand’s expansion into new categories.

This position is highly cross-functional; you will report directly to the President, and work closely with our Operations, Digital and Retail teams. You’ll also liaise with our Supply Chain partners to ensure successful product launches and category expansions that meet business objectives and delight our customers. Further, you will be responsible for finding the best suppliers, vendors, and contract manufacturers to optimize and expand our product portfolio.

Job Duties:

New Product/Category Development:

Manage all phases of product development to ensure successful launch into new categories at the right time with the right products and the appropriate amount of investment to achieve critical KPIs
Work closely with Brand and Retail to complete initial market and consumer analysis
Build a data-driven case for the brand’s market entry, working closely with the senior leadership team to align on go-to-market budget, margin, and payback expectations
Drive formulation strategy in close partnership with contract manufacturers to achieve industry-leading product efficacy, experience and value
Brief and vet suppliers, vendors, and contract manufacturers to select a winner that adheres to the brand’s partner guidelines for product quality, GMP compliance, labor, clean and environmental standards, and cost
Oversee the execution of community testing throughout the product development lifecycle to ensure optimal positioning and performance
Develop and validate product claims in partnership with vendor labs, 3rd party testing facilities (if the manufacturer doesn’t test already), Brand teams, and legal counsel

Existing Category Management:

Identify opportunities for investment, optimization, and growth of our existing categories and launch products to meet ambitious growth goals
Strategy, Analytics, and Process: Bring a strategic lens to all parts of the product development and go-to-market process

Skills and Qualifications:

Strong track record of successful product development experience, with experience running projects through a full development cycle (insights, sourcing, prototyping, testing, validation, production)
Highly organized, able to manage timelines across multiple workstreams and create standardized processes to manage project completion
Strong background in clean mass skincare, body care, color cosmetics and suncare highly valued
Strong background in product formulation and chemistry preferred
Experience managing and negotiating with a global supplier base for development and testing
Ability to collaborate and drive cross-functional consensus
Ability to exercise independent judgment and a readiness to tackle any issue that may arise
Interest and commitment to sustainability, inclusion and team leadership highly valued