Director, R&D

We are a collective of disrupters and doers, of creatives and scientists, with a mission to reimagine the world of beauty. Since inception, our vertically integrated structure, including our own laboratories, manufacturing, retail stores, and brand infrastructure, have enabled us to rapidly identify opportunities and deliver quality. Home to The Ordinary, NIOD, AVESTAN, and other emerging brands, our goal is to create with purpose. We were founded on the principle of doing everything that others don’t. Because normal gets you nowhere. We are DECIEM, The Abnormal Beauty Company. We are growing rapidly and we’re looking for someone who shares this vision and wants to grow with us WHAT WE’RE LOOKING FOR The Director, R&D – The Ordinary – Global will be responsible for the scientific leadership, operational efficiency, innovation, formulation, project management, and compliance within a cosmetic and Over-The-Counter (OTC) R&D laboratory environment. Reporting to the Sr. Director, Research and Development, this role will oversee the innovation program of The Ordinary’s skincare portfolio. This is a 3 day in office hybrid role based out of our Liberty Village Toronto office. WHAT YOU’D BE DOING IN THIS ROLE Direct and guide the professional development, performance management, and talent acquisition/retention strategies for R&D staff, including principal scientists, senior R&D chemists, chemists and associate chemists Cultivate a work environment that champions creativity, innovation, and solution-driven approaches to meet New Product Development (NPD) and broader innovation objectives Establish and manage Key Performance Indicators to effectively measure and provide insight into development capabilities, overall efficiency, and innovation within R&D Plan and ensure that adequate talent resources are available to support the pipeline of forecasted NPD projects seamlessly, maintaining efficient workflows Provide dedicated oversight for brand-specific project schedules (The Ordinary). Maintain continuous daily communication with the R&D leadership & Project Management (PM) team to ensure timely reporting and adherence to deadlines Drive improvements in the New Product Development process to boost agility, foster innovation, and significantly reduce project turnaround times Drive the continuous enhancement, design, and development of novel delivery systems, platforms, and technologies to maximize product performance Facilitate the commercialization process by supporting pilot programs and scale-up activities for new and reformulated products Manage and control the R&D budget, including assistance with planning and the procurement of necessary equipment SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS NEEDED TO GET THE JOB DONE A minimum of 10 years of experience is mandatory within a cosmetic and OTC R&D Laboratory setting A minimum of 7 years of experience in R&D leadership and people management is required Proven track record of implementing organizational improvements within an R&D environment Deep understanding and practical experience with Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) and Good Laboratory Practices (GLP), and quality standards relevant to cosmetic and OTC laboratories Strong leadership, interpersonal, problem-solving, organization, and multi-tasking skills. Ability to work in a fast-paced environment, create strategies for process improvement, and manage communication across senior/executive management. WHAT YOU’LL BE GAINING BY JOINING OUR TEAM There’s a lot of good stuff that comes along with being a DECIEM team member. Here’s a few of our favourite perks and benefits, in no particular order… Generous Vacation & Personal Days, plus additional time off for volunteering in your community, voting, peaceful protesting, celebrating your birthday, and more. 6 months of paid time off for new parents (inclusive of all genders). Work from anywhere 4 weeks per year. A hybrid work model (for applicable roles). Summer Friday’s - get off at 1pm all summer long (for applicable roles). A dog-friendly office (and lots of cute dogs to play with). Unlimited access to an Employee Assistance Program that includes mental health care, mindfulness programs, and more. Access to Development Grants & a LinkedIn Learning membership to help you keep growing and learning. A generous discount on DECIEM products for you, your family, and your friends. BUILDING GROWTH TO POWER GOOD We are a People first company that lives by our core values to… ✨ Play in the grey. ✨ Be the rabbit. These values continue to guide us in all that we do. Along the way, we’ve been honoured to win some pretty incredible awards, including a CEW Achiever Award, Best Skincare Brand at Sunday Times Style Beauty Awards, and Most Popular Sustainable Brand by The Cosmetify Index Global. We’re still blushing SUSTAINABILITY AND SOCIAL IMPACT DECIEM’s objective is to build growth and do good things while prioritizing people, animals, and the Earth. Our Sustainability strategy is focused on fighting climate change, improved waste management, responsible packaging, responsible sourcing and product lifecycle, and water conservation. In 2020, DECIEM established the Good Fund to support both large and grassroots charities in response to global events. CREATING A HUMAN WORLD OF BEAUTY DECIEM is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) by creating meaningful, measurable change in the lives of our team members and in the communities where we operate. Achieving equality is critical to DECIEM and our future. You can learn more about our DEI commitment in our open letter, "Belonging is the Destination, Change is the Journey ". DECIEM is an equal opportunity employer. We prohibit discrimination based on age, colour, disability, national origin, race, religion, sex, gender, sexual orientation, and any other legally protected class in accordance with applicable federal, provincial and local laws. We are also committed to creating and maintaining an inclusive and accessible workplace. If you are contacted to be part of our recruitment process and require accommodation, please let us know. WANT TO JOIN US? Thank you for reading the whole thing If you liked what you heard, kindly send us your resume. We really appreciate your effort in applying for this position. However, only those who have been shortlisted for interviews will be contacted.