Research & Development Technical Project Manager II

Bath & Body Works

Full-time - Mid Level

Health and Personal Care Retailers

About the position

At Bath & Body Works, we are dedicated to fostering a diverse, equitable, and inclusive culture that focuses on delivering exceptional fragrances and experiences to our customers. We are committed to recruiting, retaining, and advancing diverse talent, ensuring that our associate population reflects the communities we serve. Our mission extends beyond our products; we strive to improve our communities and our planet, believing that a brighter, happier world is possible when everyone has access to the things that bring them joy. We are currently seeking a dedicated Research & Development Technical Project Manager II to join our dynamic and fast-paced Research and Development team in Columbus, OH. This role offers a hybrid work schedule, allowing for flexibility while contributing to our innovative projects. As a member of our team, you will be part of a group of agile, passionate, and curious technical project managers who are committed to innovating and implementing brand-relevant personal care and beauty products. The ideal candidate will possess both creative and technical expertise, enabling them to collaborate effectively, solve problems, and deliver results with a project management mindset. In this role, you will lead formula development activities for medium to high complexity projects, which includes initiating project briefs and developing prototypes in partnership with contract manufacturers, fragrance houses, and raw material suppliers. You will evaluate and validate prototypes, ensuring they meet the necessary standards for scale-up in collaboration with various internal teams, including Product Fragrance Development, Regulatory, Safety, Legal, Merchant, Packaging, and Engineering. Your technical expertise will be crucial in assessing challenges and risks related to stability or compatibility, troubleshooting issues, and mobilizing the appropriate teams to achieve results. You will also be responsible for completing all relevant commercialization milestones, reporting any development challenges that may jeopardize timelines, and providing risk assessments to internal teams and your manager. Participation in weekly commercialization or cross-functional meetings will be essential to keep all stakeholders aligned and informed.

Responsibilities

• Lead formula development activities for medium-high complexity projects including brief kickoff and prototype development partnering with contract manufacturers, fragrance houses, and raw material suppliers.
• Prototype evaluation, validation and scale-up with Product Fragrance Development, Regulatory, Safety, Legal, Merchant, Packaging, Engineering partners.
• Provide technical expertise to cross functional partners on brainstorming and development.
• Assess challenges and risks in stability or compatibility, troubleshoot, map out action plan for resolution and mobilize appropriate teams needed to get results.
• Complete all relevant commercialized milestones and report development challenges that may jeopardize timelines and provide risk assessment/status to internal teams and manager.
• Participate at weekly commercialization or cross-functional meetings.
• Scope and research raw material technology for new product claims, efficacy, etc.
• Requires extensive internal cross-functional collaboration and external vendor interaction.
• Key decision maker and voice for accountable projects; Aligns and updates manager as necessary.
• Connects and establishes relationships within R&D and with cross functional teams, including onboarding, touch-bases and alignment meetings.

Requirements

• 3+ years experience in R&D or raw materials applications lab
• Experience in Home Fragrance, Personal Care, Skincare, Makeup or Haircare is required
• Experience in project management preferred
• Good problem solving and decision making skills
• Displays a sense of urgency and eager to take initiative; ability to adapt and accept change
• Strong level of communication skills (verbal, written, and presentation); must be able to clearly communicate technical content
• Strong influencing and interpersonal skill
• BS/MS degree in science related field

Benefits

• No cost mental health and well-being program
• Health coverage with a variety of plans to choose from
• Flexible and affordable saving programs
• Paid time off
• Merchandise discount