About Fragrances Of Ireland Ltd
An opportunity to join a dynamic Irish SME that is distributing its products to over 5,000 independent gift retail store customers around the world. Based in our converted farmhouse and barn in Kilmacanogue, Co. Wicklow we export to the USA, Canada, the UK, Continental Europe, and Australia, participate in over 25 B2B trade shows worldwide each year, and partner with over 130 independent multi‑line sales representatives.
We have exciting plans to further grow our existing markets and enter new ones, and we are therefore looking for a highly experienced and senior NPD & Sourcing Manager to accelerate new product development (NPD) and strengthen our supplier network.
Our best‑selling fragrance and personal care brand ‘Inis the Energy of the Sea’ has achieved huge success in markets all around the world. Consumers everywhere love Inis, the clean, fresh fragrance which makes you feel close to the sea, no matter where you are.
Despite our growth we remain a highly creative and friendly SME with a very collaborative team, so you will need to be a friendly team player and strong communicator with an inclusive leadership style. We believe in making people happy, including our customers and our employees, and doing our bit to make the world better. We’re the core funder for the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group and we’re Plastic Neutral Certified, retrieving from the world environment as much plastic as we use each year. We are the sponsor of the Wicklow Senior Ladies’ Gaelic Football Association team, showing our local support too.
This is a great opportunity for a senior operations professional with proven skills and experience to develop and transform our New Product Development and take our business growth journey to the next level.
About The Role
The NPD & Sourcing Manager will report to the Head of Supply Chain Operations and will be a strategic and hands‑on professional. They will join a small and busy operations team and will need to demonstrate the ability to execute tasks by themselves at a basic level as well as possess the experience to build on these to identify improvements and develop the function. They will need to be able to draw ideas and inspiration for new products from our Marketing and Sales teams, then refine and develop the best of these to launch.
They will be responsible for leading supplier selection, negotiation, and performance for NPD across both packaging and formulation sourcing. This hybrid role bridges Operations, Supply Chain, R&D, and Marketing, ensuring the delivery of innovative, sustainable, and brand‑aligned products through the full NPD process from concept to launch.
The position will directly oversee two technical specialists under contract with the company: a Packaging Technologist and a Chemical Formulations Expert.
We are looking for a self‑starter and leader with a solid understanding of both disciplines who can manage cross‑functional collaboration to deliver excellence in new product development and sourcing.
What You'll Do
Packaging Development & Innovation
Collaborate with Operations, Marketing and NPD teams to manage the translation of creative NPD ideas into fully developed and viable technical solutions
Manage, negotiate, and oversee all packaging activities from design to delivery
Ensure packaging reflects brand identity while meeting sustainability and operational efficiency goals
Provide leadership and development in Packaging Technology within the company and manage our Packaging Technologist
Strategic Sourcing & Supplier Management
Develop, manage, and implement a sourcing and procurement strategy covering packaging and formulation partners
Identify, assess, negotiate with and onboard best‑in‑class suppliers, including formulation labs, contract manufacturers, and packaging producers
Negotiate, build, and sustain long‑term supplier partnerships to ensure quality, innovation, and resilience
Lead commercial negotiations, contracts, and service‑level agreements in line with regulatory and sustainability standards
Formulation Sourcing & Technical Oversight
Lead sourcing, evaluation and procurement of fragrance, cosmetic and skincare formulations for NPD
Manage and guide our Chemical Formulations Expert and collaborate with external laboratories to assess performance and compliance
Manage sampling, testing, evaluation and scale‑up processes through approved partners
Cross‑Functional Leadership
Act as the primary link between Marketing, NPD, Operations, Regulatory and Finance to deliver successful new product launches, using ERP and project management tools as required
Drive NPD timelines, cost efficiency and specification accuracy
Promote effective collaboration between creative, technical & supply chain teams
Quality, Compliance & Sustainability
Ensure adherence to EU/UK/US/Canada cosmetic regulatory frameworks for NPD
Lead supplier performance reviews, continuous improvement and risk‑management initiatives
Advance sustainability objectives with focus on recyclability, environmental footprint and ethical sourcing
Collaborate closely with our Quality & Regulatory Specialist to ensure full compliance with internal standards and external regulatory requirements
Requirements
Essential
Minimum 7 years’ high level experience in managing and negotiating sourcing, procurement, packaging development, or technical New Product Development within the cosmetics, personal care, pharmaceutical, or food industries
Demonstrated people leadership experience managing technical specialists, including Packaging Technologist and Chemical Formulations Expert
Strong track record managing suppliers for both packaging and formulation
In‑depth experience and understanding of packaging materials, engineering, and development processes
Familiarity with management of formulation development workflows, stability testing, and regulatory requirements
Experience with ERP and project management systems and implementing NPD projects within them
Confident negotiation, contract management and project management capabilities and experience
Degree in Chemistry, Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, Supply Chain Management or a related discipline, to underpin and support the above requirements
Strategic yet pragmatic, able to balance vision with execution
Strong influencer and decision‑maker with technical credibility
Organised, proactive and solutions‑oriented
Passionate about innovation, quality and continuous improvement
Desirable
Experience working with Irish, European & US supplier bases
Knowledge of sustainability frameworks and packaging compliance
Proficiency in cost‑benefit and risk analysis
Experience operating in fast‑paced FMCG or NPD environments
Why Join Us?
You’ll be joining a vibrant company with a strong growth trajectory and a close‑knit team culture. This is a high‑impact role where you’ll gain the opportunity to contribute to scaling our NPD and Sourcing strategy and ensure that we continue to meet and exceed our goals.
Benefits
We have a hybrid working policy, so we allow some remote working. We have a standard minimum of 2 days in the office in Kilmacanogue, Co. Wicklow
20 Days Annual Leave
Company pension scheme with company contribution
Contribution to Gym membership
Fully Paid Health Insurance (following completion of probation period)
Paid Maternity and Paternity Leave (subject to service)
Employee Assistance Programme (EAP)
Employee Engagement Programme with Social Committee and frequent company events
Free car parking
The Pay Range For This Role Is
80,000 - 100,000 EUR per year (Fragrances of Ireland Ltd)
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