Note: The job is a remote job and is open to candidates in USA. Salt & Stone is a skincare and self-care company creating products inspired by the natural world, active ingredients, and sensorial fragrances. The Senior Manager, Product Development will own end-to-end development of the fragrance and body portfolio, partnering with cross-functional teams and external fragrance houses and contract manufacturers from brief through launch. The role also supports fragrance evaluation, technical development, launch execution, and the growth of the brand’s fragrance category strategy.
Responsibilities
- Own product development end to end, from brief through launch
- Write and present clear, complete product briefs, both internally to cross-functional partners and externally to fragrance houses and contract manufacturers, translating brand direction into concepts vendors can execute against
- Review fragrance mod submissions with informed olfactive judgment, giving fragrance houses brand-right redirects and driving each scent toward Salt & Stone's signature identity
- Lead technical fragrance development work to translate a signature scent across multiple base formats, adapting fragrance load, carrier systems, and composition as needed while preserving that scent's signature identity
- Manage critical dates and development trade-offs across concurrent projects, flagging risk early and influencing cross-functionally to protect launch timelines without compromising product quality or scent integrity
- Partner closely with Packaging, PM, Marketing, and Operations to deliver each product on time, in full, and to spec, aligning formula, packaging, quality, regulatory and production requirements from concept through launch
- Support cross-functional teams, including marketing, sales, retail, and customer support, ahead of launch with the fragrance, active ingredient, formula, and claims information they need to sell and service the product with confidence
- Build and maintain strong working relationships with fragrance houses and contract manufacturing partners, serving as a trusted day-to-day point of contact on concept, formula, and cost
- Bring established fragrance category and competitive expertise to the role, continually sharpening that point of view by tracking olfactive trends, ingredient stories, and what's working across prestige and niche perfumery
- Proactively bring forward new fragrance concepts and olfactive directions that identify strategic white space for the brand, partnering with the Director, Product Development to shape and prioritize which ideas move forward
- As tenure and category expertise grow, take on a larger role shaping category strategy alongside the Director, Product Development, defining how new concepts fit the Salt & Stone portfolio and where they can bring genuine points of difference to market
- Build fragrance house and contract manufacturer relationships into longer-term innovation partnerships, surfacing new raw materials, techniques, and opportunities that could shape future hero products
Skills
- 5+ years of experience in product development, with meaningful time spent specifically in fragrance or fine fragrance development
- Olfactively trained or educated, with demonstrated ability to evaluate and give informed direction on fragrance submissions
- Experience building and managing relationships with fragrance houses, perfumers, or olfactive experts
- Comfortable presenting product concepts and scent direction to both small working groups and senior leadership
- A genuine passion for fragrance, wellness, and the broader personal care industry
- Proven ability to manage multiple concurrent development projects through strong prioritization and planning
- Excellent cross-functional communication skills, organization, and attention to detail
- A commitment to fostering a culture of support and accountability
- Excellent time management skills with a proven ability to meet deadlines
- You are comfortable using data to tell a story and can speak confidently to the metrics of your role
- Ability to thrive in a fast-paced startup environment and flexibility to adjust plans as needed
- Willingness to travel domestically and internationally as needed for fragrance houses, labs, factories, and trade events
Benefits
- Annual Performance Bonus
- Medical, Vision, and Dental Insurance
- Flexible Spending Account
- 401(k) with 3% match
- Flex PTO
- Paid Leave
- Company Discounts
Company Overview