Research & Development Manager (m/w/d) Hair Care

We are Kao, listed as one of the world’s most ethical companies for the last 20 years.  

Our EMEA brand portfolio spans across three sectors; Consumer Care (John Frieda, Guhl, Bondi Sands, Bioré, Jergens, Curél), Professional Hair (Goldwell, Oribe, KMS Hair, Kerasilk), and Molton Brown. 

Our corporate philosophy, The Kao Way, guides us in everything we do – acting with integrity, courageously driving innovation, and treating each other with trust and respect. 

About our role: 

Displayed pay range (base salary) is a guide and local market specific. The pay offered to a successful candidate will be based on skill set and professional experience assessed throughout the interview process: EUR 72,500.00 - EUR 101,250.00

The Research & Development Manager (m/w/d) Hair Care, leads the development and delivery of innovative products and technologies that meet consumer and professional salon needs. The role drives project execution from concept to implementation, ensuring quality, timeline, and business objectives are achieved. By applying scientific expertise, data-driven decision-making, and cross-functional collaboration, the position translates market insights into differentiated product solutions. As a people leader, the R&D Manager develops team capabilities, fosters innovation, and strengthens the organization’s ability to deliver sustainable growth through a strong innovation pipeline.

This is a full-time maternity cover position based in Darmstadt, running until 31 December 2029.

What you will do:

• Lead execution of product development and technology development projects within agreed scope, timelines and with defined quality, in alignment with Associate Director/Director.
• Ensure alignment on project objectives, priorities and timelines, supported by effective project management, documentation and transparent communication of progress, risks and key decisions, with clear recommendations to management.
• Translate consumer and salon professional needs into technical targets for product performance and product experience.
• Completion and communication of feasibility studies and recommendations for PD product development phase
• Cooperate with other functions to finalize project (technical files, patent clearance and patent filing, safety and regulatory compliance, start-up and production, testing, claims support, etc.)
• Lead execution of maintenance projects
• Ensure systematic competitor benchmarking and analysis to identify and communicate performance gap and sdiafferentiation opportunities
• Contribute to portfolio planning, concept development in collaboration with Associate Director.
• Lead and develop 2–5 direct reports and create an environment that enables data-driven decision-making, innovation and the growth of technical capabilities.
• Build team capabilities by coaching technical and project leadership and develop expertise aligned with current and future R&D needs.

What you will need:

• Bachelor Degree or higher in natural science (PhD)
• Experience in product development, technology development or applied research, preferably in hair care, styling or cosmetics. 
• Ability to set priorities, manage risks and resources, and provide clear recommendations to senior stakeholders
• Independent, reliable and above average dedicated working style
• Excellent collaboration and communicational skills
• Very good knowledge in English language (oral and written)
• Open team player
• Excellent knowledge of MS-Office (Word, Excel, Powerpoint)
• Experience with data-driven, digital and AI-enabled approaches and the ability to drive their effective adoption within a development team is preferred
• Strong communication and collaboration skills  
• Digital & AI literacy  
• Analytical and data-driven mindset  
• Effective stakeholder management  
• Continuous learning and knowledge sharing  
• Business, consumer, and sustainability awareness  

At Kao, we believe the diversity of our teams strengthens our global mission. Here we trust and respect each other, collaborating in a friendly and inclusive work environment to achieve great results. 

What you can expect from us: 

• An entrepreneurial environment where passionate and innovative teams come together. 
• Respect, teamwork and collaboration are at the heart of how we work.  
• A workplace culture that prioritises employee wellbeing, with opportunities to get involved in initiatives such as Mental Health First Aiders, our Charity Committee, and DE&I communities 
• A broad range of benefits, including flexible working, competitive salaries, health and wellbeing offers, pension schemes, insurance options, and more… 
• Learning and development opportunities 

Your voice matters here, we value entrepreneurial thinking and innovation from our teams. 

To find out why 33,000 people across the Globe work at Kao please visit: https://candidate-brochure.kao.com/kao-emea/full-view.html

https://www.kao.com/emea/en/careers/ 

Discover careers at Kao and how we live our purpose, Kirei – Making Life Beautiful. https://kao.voyse.io/ 

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