Head of R&D & QC

HEAD OF RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT

Home and Personal Care Products

Role & Responsibilities

The Home and Personal Care products portfolio includes categories such as laundry detergents, fabric care, household cleaners, surface care, dishwashing products, as well as personal care products including skin care, hair care, and body care formulations.

The R&D department ensures fast and efficient product development with short launch-to-market timelines. Key innovation areas include eco-friendly formulations, cost efficiency, regulatory compliance, performance improvement, and consumer-driven product differentiation.

The Head of R&D – Home and Personal Care leads and drives the development of competitive home and personal care products and manages all technology, quality, and compliance activities related to product safety, risk management, and production quality. The candidate is expected to be highly experienced in formulation development, applicable regulations, and product certifications. This role reports to the Head of the Business Unit.

Key Responsibilities (R&D)

• Manage and develop the research and development of all existing and new products, product concepts, and formulations within the Home and Personal Care business unit.
• Lead all new product formulations from concept and costing creation, laboratory trials, pilot testing, and development through SOP preparation, product launch, and industrial scale-up.
• Ensure all product development complies with customer requirements and applicable local and international regulatory standards in the country of use.
• Prepare detailed product costings based on raw materials, formulations, and manufacturing processes.
• Continuously optimize product cost through alternative raw materials, formulation improvements, and manufacturing efficiency, without compromising product performance or quality.
• Lead, develop, and motivate a team of R&D specialists and laboratory technicians.
• Collaborate closely with Marketing to identify market opportunities by analyzing market trends, consumer needs, competitor products, and new or untapped segments.
• Provide technical support to Production teams to resolve manufacturing and scale-up challenges.
• Support Engineering, Product Management, and Marketing teams with technical expertise as required.
• Provide technical support to Purchasing teams for sourcing raw materials and resolving supply or specification issues.

Skills / Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Chemistry; Chemical Engineering or related scientific disciplines is an advantage.
• Minimum of 5 years of relevant experience in product development within Home and/or Personal Care categories.
• Minimum of 3–5 years of experience in people management.
• Strong knowledge of formulation chemistry (surfactants, emulsions, preservatives, fragrances, actives, etc.) is an advantage.
• Solid analytical skills with strong process and cost-optimization thinking.
• High level of accuracy and attention to detail.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage priorities and meet deadlines.
• Proactive mindset with strong problem-solving capabilities.
• Fluent in English.
• Valid driver’s license and willingness to travel.
• All applications will be treated fairly and in strict confidence. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.