NPD Project Manager

Sydney CBD | Hybrid | 12 months Fixed-term maternity leave cover

Bring great product ideas to life!

At McPherson’s, we’re passionate about building trusted health and beauty brands that make a difference in people’s everyday lives. With a portfolio of market-leading brands including Dr. LeWinn’s, Manicare, Lady Jayne, Fusion Health and Swisspers, we have ambitious growth plans and an exciting innovation pipeline.

We’re looking for an experienced New Product Development Project Manager to join our Product Development team on a fixed-term basis to provide maternity leave cover.

In this role, you’ll lead non-formulated new product development projects from initial concept through to commercial launch. You’ll translate marketing concepts into commercially viable products and packaging solutions, bringing together stakeholders across Marketing, Regulatory, Quality, Sourcing and Supply Planning to deliver compliant, cost-effective launches on time.

Working within our Stage-Gate innovation process, you’ll manage a busy portfolio of concurrent projects, rapidly shifting priorities and interdependent milestones. You’ll maintain momentum in a fast-moving environment, closely track critical details and resolve delivery risks before they affect launch timelines.

What you’ll do

• Lead non-formulated innovation projects from concept development through to commercial launch.
• Develop and manage integrated project plans and timelines aligned with the Stage-Gate innovation process.
• Coordinate cross-functional inputs across Marketing, Regulatory, Quality, Sourcing and Supply Planning.
• Partner with Marketing and cross-functional teams to successfully deliver products that meet the requirements of approved briefs and brand strategies.
• Ensure all required project documentation, approvals and Stage-Gate materials are completed accurately and on time.
• Partner with our Hong Kong sourcing team and external suppliers to identify commercially and technically viable product and packaging solutions.
• Manage product sampling, prototyping and technical feasibility assessments.
• Support cost optimisation through effective supplier selection and packaging design decisions.
• Identify project risks early and drive practical mitigation plans to protect launch timelines.
• Contribute to innovation ideation and feasibility assessment activities.
• Ensure product and packaging innovation opportunities are assessed and progressed efficiently to maximise speed to market.
• Prepare project status reports and provide clear updates to stakeholders and decision-makers.
• Conduct post-launch reviews to capture learnings and continuously improve future innovation delivery.

Where you’ll work

You’ll be based in our Sydney CBD office, working collaboratively with our Product Development team and stakeholders across the broader business.

What you’ll bring

• Demonstrated experience managing new product development or innovation projects through a structured Stage-Gate process.
• Strong end-to-end project management capability, with the ability to manage multiple projects and priorities simultaneously.
• Experience working cross-functionally across areas such as Marketing, Regulatory, Quality, Sourcing and Supply Planning.
• A strong ability to influence stakeholders, align different perspectives and drive decisions without direct authority.
• The ability to translate marketing product briefs into commercially viable solutions.
• A sound understanding of supplier capability, cost drivers, technical feasibility and commercial considerations.
• Experience identifying delivery risks and driving issues through to resolution.
• Strong planning, organisation and stakeholder communication skills.
• Familiarity with consumer health, beauty, personal care or FMCG product development and packaging processes.
• Experience in packaging development or packaging technology would be highly regarded.

How we’ll measure success

• New product development projects delivered in line with agreed launch timelines.
• Consistent adherence to Stage-Gate milestones across the innovation portfolio.
• Regulatory and quality requirements met for all product launches.
• Projects delivered within agreed cost parameters.
• Successful commercial launch execution, including on-time first delivery to market.
• Clear, proactive management of risks, decisions and cross-functional dependencies.

Why join us?

This is an opportunity to play a central role in bringing new products and packaging solutions to market across some of Australia’s most trusted health and beauty brands.

You’ll work across the full product development lifecycle, collaborate with a diverse group of internal and external stakeholders and have a visible impact on the successful delivery of our innovation pipeline.

If you enjoy turning great ideas into commercially successful products, keeping complex projects moving and bringing people together to achieve a shared outcome, this role offers the opportunity to make a meaningful contribution from day one.

Apply now

If you’re an experienced new product development or innovation project manager who enjoys bringing structure, momentum and commercial thinking to complex projects, we’d love to hear from you.