Packaging Development Manager

Who We Are: At Huda Beauty, our Vision is to lead in creating a democratized beauty industry where power is given back to people to define, create, and enjoy beauty for themselves! Launched by award-winning beauty powerhouse Huda Kattan in 2013, Huda Beauty is one of the world’s fastest growing beauty brands. As a company, we are fueled by purpose and not profit, this allows us to approach things differently so that we can create products, content, and a community like no other. A lot has changed since our launch in 2013, but something that will forever remain at the core of Huda Beauty is our focus on business excellence and our unwavering passion for kindness!

Summary: The Manager, Packaging Development leads the Packaging Development & Industrialization team of Product Operations. This role owns the technical delivery of every packaging launch, from brief to PPS and production readiness at suppliers and contract manufacturers, so each launch is safe, on time and proven. It applies risk-based pathways, runs pilot-first development for new high-risk packs, and decides on evidence, not on supplier statements.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Launch Portfolio Delivery

• Own the technical delivery of the packaging launch portfolio, from brief to PPS.
• Review briefs early and give feasibility, cost, timing and risk input, with the pack brief issued alongside the formula brief.
• Allocate projects across the team based on complexity, risk and capacity.
• Personally lead a selected set of the most complex, high-risk launches.
• Escalate early any risk to launch date, quality or cost, with facts and options. Risk-Based Development & Evidence

• Classify each project at the brief by what is new and its 1 to 5 risk score; propose the pathway (Fast Lane, Targeted, Full Pilot-First) for confirmation by Quality.
• For new, high-risk packs, run pilot molds, functional and compatibility tests and line trials on pilot parts before any production mold.
• Prepare the evidence for the Tech Assessment, Pilot Homologation and GO PROD gates.
• Apply Specifications checkpoints in proportion to risk, with an owner, evidence and sign-off for each.
• Define the test strategy and acceptance criteria with Quality. Packaging Engineering

• Own drawings, critical dimensions, GD&T and tolerance stack-ups.
• Lead functional analysis, DFMA, decoration feasibility and formula/pack/process compatibility.
• Use proven platforms and supplier standards from Packaging R&D wherever they fit.
• Keep approved specifications up to date in Specright. Industrialization & CM Readiness

• Lead tooling strategy and mold validation (T0 to T3) with suppliers.
• Confirm supplier and CM technical capability at the Tech Assessment.
• Organize and attend line trials; secure PPS on the final formula.
• Manage technical changes, deviations and concessions through change control, with Quality.
• Lead root cause and permanent fixes for design-origin issues; support Quality and the Crisis Cell on supply issues. Leadership and Coaching

• Lead, coach and develop packaging engineers and developers.
• Set clear ownership, standards and a regular project review cadence.
• Keep the project portfolio data accurate, as the basis for capacity decisions.
• Feed lessons learned into specifications, design rules and Kaizen priorities.
• Cross-Functional Partnership & Strategic Exposure

• Partner with Product Development, Marketing, Design, Quality, Procurement, Supply Chain and Regulatory.
• Give technical input on supplier choices; Procurement leads RFQs and negotiation.
• Represent Packaging Development in launch reviews and at the Newness Committee when required.
• Contribute to value engineering and COGS savings without trading critical risk.

• Proven delivery of primary packs (e.g., mascara, gloss, compacts, closures, pumps) from brief to production at external suppliers and contract manufacturers.
• Strong command of technical drawings, GD&T, tolerance stack-ups and injection molding.
• Hands-on experience of mold validation, line trials, PPS and packaging test methods.
• Solid knowledge of formula/pack compatibility and filling and assembly processes.
• Experience leading or coaching packaging engineers.
• Able to review CAD models (SolidWorks or similar) and run a portfolio in a project tool (Asana or similar).
• Able to travel to suppliers and contract manufacturers in Europe and Asia.
• Track record of structured, evidence-based delivery, staying calm under pressure and comfortable with ambiguity and scale-up dynamics.
• 8+ years in packaging development, with significant beauty, fragrance or luxury experience.
• Bachelor's/Master's in Packaging, Mechanical, Materials or Plastics Engineering.

• Monthly “Self Love Days” – at company discretion
• Premium Medical/Dental/Vision coverage for employee plus dependents
• Monthly coaching sessions with our in-house Success Coach
• Employee discounts on all Huda Beauty products
• Quarterly product gifting Huda Beauty is committed to building diverse and inclusive teams and upholding an equal employment workplace that is free from discrimination. We hire stellar individuals regardless of their race, color, ancestry, religion, gender identity, national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status, medical conditions, disability, or veteran status. If you need reasonable accommodations at any point in the application or interview process, please let us know.