Full job description*Up to £60,000 DOE
*St Albans
We’re on the hunt for a Head of Production to lead end-to-end production for a fast-moving cosmetics and fragrance business, working across a large range of cosmetics and personal care launches.
From initial product specification right through to the finished article, you and your team will own every stage of the production lifecycle, building strong relationships with factories and suppliers around the world, while working closely with internal teams. You’ll take real ownership of the critical path, balancing launch dates, retailer commitments, and factory capacity to make sure the right products reach retailers’ shelves on time and to spec.
It’s a role for a strategic, proactive and detail-oriented production leader who thrives under pressure and loves getting ahead of problems before they happen. If this sounds like you, get in touch!
What you’ll be doing
*Owning the end-to-end production process for multiple product launches at any one time, ensuring everything is on time, to quality standards, and within agreed budget
*Building and maintaining the critical path for every launch, setting realistic milestones across samples, licensor approvals, testing, and production
*Spotting potential risks early, putting solutions and contingencies in place before they hit agreed launch dates
*Prioritising across a large, fast-moving range, balancing launch dates, agreed retailer on-floor dares, and factory capacity
*Keeping internal teams and external partners updated on schedules and changes, escalating any issues to senior management
*Building strong relationships with factories and suppliers, managing their performance on lead times, quality, communication and cost
*Working closely with the Compliance team to ensure every product meets regulatory and safety requirements, and testing and certification is completed on time
*Monitoring product costs, highlighting opportunities to save without compromising quality or licensor requirements
*Setting clear quality standards with suppliers, resolving any sampling or inspection issues ahead of bulk production
*Making sure every licensed product is manufactured in line with licensor guidelines and approval processes
*Owning the accuracy of the product database and production trackers, keeping specifications, costs, packaging details and approvals up to date
*Mentoring and developing the Product Development team, driving continuous improvement across production operations
What you’ll bring
*Demonstrated experience leading production and critical path management for multi-SKU product launches, ideally within consumer products, cosmetics, personal care, or FMCG
*Experience working with licensed products and managing licensor approvals highly desirable
*A strong track record managing supplier relationships, including performance, cost & capacity
*A strategic, solutions-focused mindset, confident spotting risks early and presenting options, not just problems
*Excellent project management skills with the ability to juggle and prioritise a large, fast-moving portfolio under pressure
*A good understanding of compliance, testing, and regulatory requirements across global markets
*Excellent attention to detail and the organisational rigour to keep complex information accurate and up to date
*Strong leadership skills, with experience managing, mentoring and developing a team
Why join
This is a brilliant opportunity for an experienced production leader to take real ownership in a fast-paced business, with genuine scope to shape how production runs and drive it forward. If you love product, are a proactive problem-solver, and thrive turning complexity into a well-oiled process, we’d love to hear from you.
Diversity & Inclusion
ILMJ values diversity, equality and inclusion and encourages applicants from all backgrounds and identities.