ASSISTANT PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT MANAGER

Assistant Product Development Manager

At Sally Beauty Holdings, Inc., our purpose is to inspire a more colorful, confident, and welcoming world. We are the leader in professional hair color, selling and distributing professional beauty supplies across 11 countries through our Sally Beauty and Beauty Systems Group businesses. Sally Beauty offers products for hair color, hair care, nails, and skin care to retail customers looking for salon-quality products at a value price. Beauty Systems Group, branded as Cosmo Prof or Armstrong McCall stores, along with its direct sales consultants, sell professionally branded products intended for use and resale by salons to retail consumers.

The Assistant Product Development Manager is responsible for the execution and coordination of product development activities from concept approval through launch. This role serves as the operational owner of the development process, ensuring timelines, packaging deliverables, system setup, regulatory approvals, and cross-functional milestones are completed accurately and on time.

The Assistant Product Development Manager partners closely with Product Development Managers to drive flawless execution of new product launches, reformulations, repackaging initiatives, and line maintenance projects.

Responsibilities:

Product Development Execution

• Own project timelines, critical path management, and milestone tracking to ensure on-time product launches.
• Communicate project status, risks, delays, and mitigation plans to Product Development Managers and cross-functional partners.
• Lead project follow-up and escalate issues that may impact timing, cost, or launch readiness.

Packaging, Regulatory & Compliance Management

• Manage packaging development execution, including mechanical file reviews, artwork approvals, version control, and production readiness.
• Track regulatory approvals, testing requirements, and required documentation to ensure products meet all quality and compliance standards.
• Monitor customs classifications, duty rates, and import requirements in partnership with cross-functional teams.

Product Setup & Data Management

• Own the end-to-end SKU setup process, including SKU creation, UPC assignment, and all product setup activities required to successfully launch and maintain items across company systems, platforms, and e-commerce channels.
• Ensure accurate product information, specifications, costs, allowances, duty rates, and master data are maintained throughout the development process.
• Support launch readiness by ensuring all system information is complete and accurate.

Sample & Project Administration

Cross-Functional Coordination

• Serve as the operational coordinator between Product Development, Sourcing, Regulatory, Packaging, Creative, Marketing, and Supply Chain teams.
• Ensure stakeholders remain aligned on deliverables, approvals, and project timelines.

Growing the Business

• Develop and maintain sales reports to monitor new item launch performance, brand health, and category growth, providing insights to support product and business decisions.
• Monitor owned-brand product performance by reviewing and addressing customer feedback and identifying opportunities for continuous improvement.
• As readiness is demonstrated, may be assigned ownership of a small category, brand, or business initiative to develop strategic, commercial, and leadership capabilities.
• Could be required to own bespoke projects from time to time.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, Product Development, Merchandising, or related field preferred.
• 2+ years of experience in consumer product development, merchandising, project coordination, packaging, or related business function.
• Health, beauty, or consumer products experience preferred.
• Strong organizational and project management skills with the ability to manage multiple timelines, priorities, and deliverables in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong attention to detail with the ability to maintain accurate product data, documentation, and project trackers.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office tools, project trackers, product setup systems, and reporting tools.
• Ability to communicate clearly and effectively with cross-functional partners and external vendors.
• Ability to identify risks, escalate issues, and follow through on action items to support launch readiness.

Competencies/Attributes:

• Detail oriented and highly organized.
• Strong follow-through and accountability for assigned deliverables.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and adapt to changing timelines.
• Collaborative team player with strong cross-functional partnership skills.
• Proactive problem solver with the ability to identify risks and recommend next steps.
• Customer and business focused, with an understanding of how product execution supports brand and category growth.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.

Working conditions & physical requirements

Location: Hybrid | Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday at the Sally Beauty Support Center, Legacy West (Plano, TX); Remote Thursday and Friday

The typical working environment is in the support center office, and the work is sedentary. Typically, the associate may sit comfortably to do the job. However, some tasks and activities may be walking, standing, bending, carrying light items such as papers, files, books, and small parts, driving an automobile to a store location, etc. These activities are not frequent and do not require significant physical demands to perform the work.

While involving everyday risks or discomforts, the work environment is designed with standard safety precautions. These precautions, typical of offices, meeting and training rooms, retail stores, residences, or commercial vehicles, include using safe work practices with office equipment, avoiding trips and falls, observing fire regulations and traffic signals, etc. The work area is adequately lighted, heated, and ventilated, ensuring the safety and comfort of our associates.

Benefits:

We offer a competitive salary and outstanding benefits package that includes medical, dental, vision, life Insurance, paid vacation and sick days, paid holidays, tuition reimbursement and 401(k) with company match. In addition, associates of SBH may take advantage of our in house salon with complementary services and a varied selection of food options at our corporate campus. Also, featured at our corporate campus, is both a Sally Beauty and CosmoProf Professional onsite store, where associates enjoy a great merchandise discount!