Assistant Product Development Manager

About Dr Sam’s

Dr Sam’s Skincare is the culmination of over two decades of clinical expertise, dedicated to transforming the lives of people with problem-prone skin and restoring confidence through clarity and simplicity.

Founded in 2018 by Dr Sam Bunting, the brand cuts through the complexity of the skincare market—where consumers are overwhelmed by choice and exaggerated claims. By distilling her Harley Street clinic protocols into a streamlined, results-driven range, Dr Sam has created a one-stop solution built on efficacy, integrity, and trust.

Through a direct-to-consumer model, and now through key retailers in the UK, Dr Sam’s democratises access to world-class skincare advice, making expert-led routines accessible to all.

The result: bright, clear skin. Because simplicity is the ultimate luxury.

At Dr Sam’s, our Core Values define how we work and succeed.

• Customer-Obsessed – We listen to our customers and prioritise trust and results.
• Drive – We take ownership and deliver outcomes.
• Integrity – We act with honesty and transparency.
• Curiosity – We continuously learn and improve.

About the Role

Working at Dr Sam’s offers a unique opportunity to work in a founder-led, entrepreneurial and dynamic brand at a pivotal stage of its growth. With its strong clinical heritage and clear mission to simplify skincare and deliver real results, the brand combines credibility with creativity in a way few competitors can.

As Assistant Product Development Manager, you will play a key part in the development and execution of new and existing products. Responsibilities include sample management, competitor analysis, third party formulation and packaging briefing as well as vendor and CPA management. With strong communication skills, exceptional attention to detail, and a confident, enthusiastic, proactive, and adaptable approach, you will thrive in a fast-paced, founder-led environment, collaborating closely with the wider cross functional team as well as external partners.

For someone with a genuine passion for beauty, skincare and wellness, this is an exciting opportunity to be part of a dynamic team, learn from experienced leaders, and play an integral role in the continued growth of the Dr Sam’s brand.

Key Responsibilities
The key duties, tasks and deliverables of the role to meet the Company’s business objectives include:

Sample Management (10% of time)

· Track samples for NPD, EPD and re-orders (submission dates, internal approval and feedbacks, clinical and community study samples, gold seal tracking).

· Liaise with the cross functional team to interrogate and manage sample needs at each project milestone (shoot availability, PR, Education etc).

· Order and maintain packaging & competitor samples.

· Place PO’s with external vendors & track delivery, ensuring deadlines are met.

Product Briefing & Documentation Management (20% of time)

· Populate third party formulation and packaging briefs for NPD & EPD.

· Support the Head of Product Development in managing supplier selection.

· Maintain INCI’s, ingredient data sheets and clinical testing reports.

· Ensure formulas and claims meet required regulatory frameworks.

· Manage the end-to-end artwork approval process (briefing, mock ups, PPS, first delivery).

· Maintain and create master data (barcodes, SKU codes etc).

· Obtain and recommend COG, RRP and margin sign off for NPD.

Market Insights & Product Ideation (35% of time)

· Conduct ongoing competitor analysis across product launches, ingredients, claims, pricing, packaging, and positioning.

· Monitor skincare trends, emerging ingredients, technologies, clinical testing methodologies, packaging innovations and consumer behaviours to identify future product opportunities.

· Analyse retailer activity, social media conversations, customer feedback and internal performance data to uncover insights and white-space opportunities.

· Maintain competitor, trend, and market insight documents, ensuring information is regularly updated and easily accessible across the business.

· Support the creation of insight reports and presentations to inform product strategy and cross-functional decision making.

· Utilise market insight, internal data, and customer feedback to recommend future product initiatives in collaboration with the wider team.

· Support the development of comprehensive NPD toolkits for all product launches, bringing together the strategic rationale, consumer insight, formulation story, ingredient benefits, clinical substantiation, claims, positioning and key messaging to educate and align cross-functional teams.

· Attend relevant formulation, packaging, and industry trade shows, sharing key learnings and emerging trends with the wider team.

CPA Tracking & Vendor Management (35% of time)

· Support the Head of Product Development by setting out key deadlines and milestones to keep the NPD pipeline on track.

· Maintain internal CPA’s for product initiatives, highlighting risk and opportunities. Collaborate with internal teams and third-party vendors to keep projects on track.

· Manage weekly vendor calls and provide regular internal updates on project tracking.

Functional Competencies

The technical skills, qualifications, knowledge, experience, and behaviours required to effectively and successfully perform the Key Responsibilities of the role include:

· Product Development Administration & Coordination

Maintains a consistently high standard of accuracy across documentation, data management, sample tracking and communications.

· Briefing & Documentation Management

Prepares and populates clear, complete vendor briefs and internal product documentation -including INCIs, ingredient data sheets, artwork approvals.

· Supplier & Vendor Collaboration

Builds strong working relationships with external suppliers and manufacturers, supporting briefing, sample coordination, approvals and day-to-day communication to drive accountability and on-time delivery.

· Project & Timeline Management

Maintains critical path documents across multiple concurrent projects, proactively flagging risks or delays and helping to keep key milestones and launch deadlines on track.

· Market & Competitor Intelligence

Shares regular insight into the beauty landscape, conducting ongoing research into competitor activity, market trends, emerging ingredients and consumer insights to support product strategy and identify opportunities for innovation.

· Cross-Functional Collaboration

Works effectively with Marketing, Creative, Operations and other internal teams to ensure product information, samples and development updates are shared accurately and in line with business and launch planning needs.

· Technical & Regulatory Awareness

Has a baseline understanding of formulation and or packaging principles, ingredient functionality and compliance requirements, supporting the Head of Product Development in ensuring products meet quality, safety and regulatory standards.

Core Competencies

The Company’s core values, behaviours, and ways of working include:

· Customer-Obsessed

Demonstrates a strong commitment to understanding and meeting customer needs - actively seeking feedback, anticipating challenges, and delivering timely, professional solutions that create positive customer experiences and long-term value. Responding proactively to customer concerns and continuously seeking opportunities to improve service standards.

· Drive

Showing initiative, accountability, and a results-oriented mindset. Taking ownership of responsibilities, proactively identifying opportunities for improvement, and persevering through challenges to consistently deliver high-quality outcomes in a fast-paced environment.

· Integrity

Acting with honesty, professionalism, and accountability in all interactions. Building trust with colleagues, customers, and stakeholders by consistently following policies, honouring commitments, maintaining confidentiality, and demonstrating ethical decision-making.

· Curiosity

Maintaining a continuous learning mindset by seeking feedback, asking thoughtful questions, and exploring new ideas and perspectives. Demonstrating openness to

change, challenging existing approaches constructively, and applying new knowledge to improve performance and drive innovation.

Non-Contractual Benefits

· Product allowance and generous employee discount for family and friends

· Discretionary Annual Company Bonus Scheme

· 25 days holiday (plus UK statutory holidays)

· Free lunch twice a week

· Hybrid working structure

· Summer Fridays

· More perks as we (and you) think of them!