GLOBAL DIRECTOR INNOVATION – MAX FACTOR

Location: Amsterdam

As our Global Director Innovation for Max Factor, you will have the opportunity to write the next chapter of an iconic brand, with more than 100 years of history.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Our Global Director Innovation for MaxFactor, you will be responsible for the development and execution of Max Factor’s innovation program, setting the goals and priorities for innovation, and aligning them with the overall business strategy and objectives. Together with your team, you will develop strategic initiatives, from ideation to global market launch, and lead the implementation of new technologies, identifying opportunities that drive brand growth rooted in the latest category, consumer and cultural insights. You bring visionary thinking to the role and blend creative with analytical skills.

Your main focus :

• Lead strategic global innovation plan
  • In partnership with cross-functional teams, establish and implement a forward-thinking innovation strategy aligned with the brand’s overall vision and goals.
  • Develop and manage new product innovation and activation programs, incl. an enhanced advocacy-driven approach, to reach and engage our key audiences, designed to drive awareness, consideration, and conversion, ensuring ongoing relevance and disruptive consumer experiences
  • Oversee the innovation briefings and development process for new launches, incl. operations across innovation & cross-functional teams
  • Co-create with R&D and open innovation teams to identify and develop innovative technologies, formulas and claims strategies that are relevant to Max Factor.
  • Define packaging design strategy for the brand, enhancing our executions across all touchpoints
  • Lead development of product concepting, messaging hierarchies, activation opportunities, creative territory and storytelling in partnership with the integrated communications team
  • Drive speed to market and determine the go-to-market strategies and business models for new products and core portfolio
  • Provide strategic guidance and support to senior leadership in brand planning, business review and decision-making processes

• Business & portfolio management
  • Drive long-term market, category and portfolio vision for the brand, establishing clear priorities and focus areas.
  • Apply critical thinking to ensure strategy, portfolio and assortment choices are connected to long term vision, broader marketing plans and retail excellence strategy
  • In partnership with commercial teams, enhance KPI measurement & reporting, lead business reviews with key markets and stakeholders, embedding local insights into global planning

• Embed emerging trends and technologies
  • Partner closely with creative, communication and digital/social teams to embed emerging consumer trends and behaviors
  • Stay current and forward thinking to enable implementation of disruptive technologies and radical new propositions in partnership with R&D and external suppliers across packaging, delivery systems and formulations
  • Identify growth opportunities and ideate new and out-of-the-box ideas and concepts, bringing together business, consumer and cultural insights.

• Team management
  • Manage a team of 5 including coaching, guidance and development plans for each individual.
  • Inspire and foster a culture of innovation, creativity, external focus and continuous improvement across the team
  • Manage team to achieve on-time delivery and flawless execution of all initiatives.
  • Manage relationships with internal and external stakeholders.

Working for Coty means constant change and innovation. We are an agile organization and like to co-create for success and think outside of the box.

You will work closely together with several departments such as R&D, project management, finance, strategy & insights, communications, commercial and local markets. Together with your cross-functional counterparts, you will thrive on challenges and have an entrepreneurial mindset. All your colleagues are eager to step into the future in this newly expanded team and deliver unique, engaging, and disruptive innovation. Working in the team, you immediately feel the passion and growth mindset. Everyone is looking to innovate and further build successes together.

YOU ARE A COTY FIT

You like to work with cross-functional teams, are highly structured, organized and able to manage global projects in an efficient way. As an experienced innovation lead, you are passionate about disrupting through creative new ideas and storytelling, and have a deep knowledge of diverse consumer needs, trends and technologies. In addition, you get energy from working in a fast-paced, diverse, and international environment. Other than that, you:

• 10+ years international brand and product management with experience in a fast-paced environment (beauty/luxury experience strongly preferred).
• Are a strategic thinker with strong innovation, business and project management skills
• Demonstrate creativity & originality in thinking and are courageous to challenge status quo with a constructive attitude, generating new ideas & solutions 
• Have excellent technical affinity with and understanding of packaging, product, formulations and ingredients
• Knowledge/experience focused on diverse skin types incl. melanin-rich skin is a must-have
• Have a creative mindset with a strong eye for design, detail and storytelling
• Are on top of current on emerging trends and technologies and passionate about the digitally/influencer driven consumer decision journey

OUR BENEFITS

As our Global Innovation Director, some of the benefits you will receive are:

• Holiday entitlement of 30 days, based on fulltime employment
• Full reimbursement to travel to the office by offering an NS-business card (no limit on distance)
• Omni-Working: Hybrid flexible working model enabling employees to balance remote and office-based work and promote work / life balance

RECRUITMENT PROCESS  

1. A telephone/online introductory meeting follows.
2. A first online/in-person interview
3. A second interview with case study
4. A third interview 
5. You will receive a proposal with the terms of employment.

ABOUT COTY

Coty is one of the world’s largest beauty companies with an iconic portfolio of brands across fragrance, color cosmetics, skincare, and body care. At Coty, we celebrate the entire human kaleidoscope and cultivate a culture of fearless kindness. Therefore, we are proud to be an equal opportunities employer. We do not discriminate against any candidate or employee and strive to be an open, inclusive and diverse workplace where all employees can be their authentic self. Join us in making over the world of beauty! For additional information about Coty Inc., please visit www.coty.com/your-career.