NPD/NPI Director (Relocation to Tianjin)

Our client is a well-respected manufacturer of beauty tools in the US, dedicated to transforming the industry using sustainable practices - one stroke at a time.

They are seeking a visionary and meticulous NPD/NPI Director to bridge their creative design vision from the US with Asian manufacturing excellence, managing the complete product lifecycle from concept to mass production. 

The ideal candidate will bring deep expertise in beauty tools and packaging development, strong project management capabilities, and the ability to lead cross-cultural teams. This role requires someone who can balance speed-to-market demands with quality requirements while managing relationships with global beauty brands and emerging indie customers.

Please note that this role requires RELOCATION to Tianjin.

Strong professional working fluency in English, and fluency in Mandarin are also REQUIRED.



KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Portfolio, Program, & Governance

• Own the NPD/NPI portfolio and development calendar; manage priorities, resources, and trade-offs to deliver commitments.
• Establish and continuously improve the stage-gate process, templates, and governance in alignment with the company's Innovation-to-Market transformation.
• Define and track development KPIs (cycle time, sample approval rate, launch success rate, cost-to-target, first-pass yield on NPI, and post-launch issues).

Engineering Execution & DFM

• Translate design intent into manufacturable solutions across materials, tooling, and multi-component assemblies; lead DFM/DFx reviews and risk assessments.
• Lead tooling strategy (tool design reviews, build timelines, debug plans, and qualification) and ensure robust pilot-to-production readiness.
• Drive technical problem solving for complex issues in molding, decoration, assembly, and packaging.

Prototyping, Sampling, and Customer Co-Creation

• Build rapid prototyping and sampling capabilities to accelerate customer iterations and internal decision making.
• Host customer visits and co-creation sessions; translate brand requirements into clear technical specifications and test plans.
• Ensure clear communication of options, risks, timelines, and cost implications to both internal and external stakeholders.

Quality, Compliance, & Launch Readiness

• Partner with Quality to ensure robust validation plans, capability studies, and control plans for new introductions.
• Drive prevention-focused quality for NPI; target high first-pass yield and low post-launch corrective actions.
• Coordinate production ramp-up and formal handoff to Operations with clear training, work instructions, and readiness sign-offs.

Innovation, Sustainability, and IP

• Drive innovation in sustainable materials, new decoration technologies, and automation-ready designs where applicable.
• Support patent and IP protection in collaboration with internal and external stakeholders; ensure documentation and invention capture.

REQUIREMENTS:

• At least 10 - 15 years of product development experience in the beauty tools, cosmetics packaging, or consumer products manufacturing industries.
• Minimum 5+ years in leadership roles managing engineering teams of 10+ professionals.
• Experience working with with Western brands, and understanding of global market trends and requirements.
• Expert knowledge of product development processes from concept through commercialization including stage-gate methodology.
• Deep expertise in injection molding, tooling design, and multi-component assembly processes.
• Strong technical expertise in materials science, including plastics, metals, and sustainable alternatives.
• Proficiency with CAD software (SolidWorks, Pro/E, or similar) and PLM systems.
• Excellent project management skills, with the ability to manage 15-20 concurrent development projects.
• PMP certification is highly desirable.
• Strong professional working fluency in English, and fluency in Mandarin is REQUIRED.
• Bachelor's degree in Engineering (Mechanical, Industrial, or Plastics) is required; Master's degree preferred.

If you are qualified and interested, we kindly invite you to apply! In the meantime, please consider following our company page for more updates and relevant job opportunities.