Director, Skincare Category Development - L'Oréal Dermatological Beauty (LDB)

Job Title: Director, Skincare Category Development - L'Oréal Dermatological Beauty (LDB)

Division: L’Oréal Dermatological Beauty

Reports To:  VP, Category Development

Location:  Hudson Yards, New York, NY

Who We Are: 

For more than a century, L’Oréal has devoted its energy, innovation, and scientific excellence solely to one business: Beauty. Our goal is to offer each and every person around the world the best of beauty in terms of quality, efficacy, safety, sincerity and responsibility to satisfy all beauty needs and desires in their infinite diversity.

At L’Oréal Dermatological Beauty, our mission is to help everyone in their quest for healthy and beautiful skin. Our division is the world leader in dermo-cosmetics by adding health to beauty. Our brands portfolio includes CeraVe, La Roche-Posay, Vichy, SkinCeuticals and Skinbetter Science offering a range of skincare and haircare products to respond to all expectations linked to beauty and health of the skin. 

What You Will Do:

Are you a strategic thinker with a passion for the beauty industry and a proven track record of driving category growth? L'Oréal Dermatological Brands is seeking a dynamic and insights-driven Director of Skincare to lead the development and execution of our skincare category strategy across all channels. 

This critical role will leverage deep shopper understanding, market analysis, and omni-channel expertise to accelerate the growth of our skincare portfolio. The ideal candidate will be a collaborative leader with a strong understanding of the retail landscape and a passion for identifying and capitalizing on emerging trends. 

Key Responsibilities: 

Category Strategy Development & Ownership: 

• Develop and execute the overall LDB Skincare category portfolio strategy, encompassing all brands and channels. 
• Conduct in-depth market and category analysis, identifying key trends, growth opportunities, and potential threats. 
• Define brand-specific strategies to maximize market potential based on customer insights and market dynamics. 
• Communicate category insights and recommendations to the LDB Commercial and Marketing teams, Leadership Team and Global partners. Develop platform for knowledge sharing. 
• Influence CMI, DMI, and Marketing teams with data-driven category information and trend analysis. 
• Drive alignment and execution of the category strategy across all internal stakeholders. 
• Utilize varied internal and external sources for data and insights.  Ensure usage of all category and shopper tools, such as, NielsenIQ, Market360, Amazon Tech/Profitero, Scintilla, Numerator, Spate, Suzy panel research, Ipsos panel research, social engagement tools, Retailer loyalty systems, bespoke shopper studies (CDJ’s, Shopper Perception, UX studies, Merchandizing Studies and external market research (ex. Euromonitor, Kantar, Kline, Mintel)

Category Guideline Definition: 

• Establish clear guidelines for the LDB Skincare category, including product prioritization (grow, maintain, delete) across all brands. 
• Ensure consistency in brand messaging and selling stories across all online and offline channels. 
• Identify white space opportunities and potential new segments or channels for the LDB Skincare portfolio. 
• Lead the dissemination of all central category thought leadership to Category managers with Customer focus and oversee the adaptation of that content tailored to each major retailer.  
• Lead the evolution from Category Management to Category Development, focusing on long-term growth and innovation. 

Account Strategy & Market Share Growth: 

• Develop and implement account-specific strategies with key retailers (online and offline) to drive long-term growth within the Skincare category. 
• Build strong partnerships with account leadership, establishing L'Oréal as a trusted beauty advisor. 
• Leverage category insights and compelling selling stories to empower account teams and brands. 

Directly oversee a team comprising of Manager Facial and Acne, Category Manager HBL and Sun and Category Managers with customer focused responsibilities.  

Measures of Success: 

• Growth in LDB market share across all channels, including emerging and omni-channel platforms. 
• Maximization of distribution, shelf share, and promotional share both online and offline. 
• Quality and impact of internal and external strategic insights. 
• Growth in strategic categories at all customers/category
• Successful collaboration with retailers to develop category strategies and drive shopper penetration. 
• Effective delivery of category projects and integration of category merchandizing expertise. 
• Attainment of Category Captaincy/Advisorship status with key identified retailers. 
• Achievement of growth targets over a 36-month horizon. 

What We Are Looking For:

A results-oriented individual who can translate market and shopper insights into actionable strategies, driving profitable growth for the LDB Hair category. You will possess a deep understanding of category management principles, strong analytical skills, and the ability to influence both internal and external stakeholders.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, Finance, or a related field; MBA preferred. 
• 7+ years of experience in Marketing, Category Development, or Sales within the beauty or consumer goods industry. 
• Demonstrated success in landing range reviews, developing retailer strategies, and executing impactful projects. 
• Proven ability to generate actionable insights and translate them into effective sales and profit optimization plans. 
• Experience across multiple categories within the beauty industry. 
• Strong knowledge of shopper insights and their application to category management. 
• Demonstrated ability to create a clear vision and plan for the category, mobilizing internal teams (DMI, Marketing, Sales, CMI) to achieve shared goals. 
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the ability to provide structured recommendations and drive action plans. 

As an integral part of our culture at L’Oréal, wellness is at our core. We not only offer a generous Benefits Package (Medical, Dental, Vision, 401K), we also offer flexible time off, work from home days, and a pension plan! Additionally, you will have access to company perks such as Makeup, Skincare, and Fragrance! Employees receive a stipend for L'Oréal products as well as VIP Access to L’Oréal’s Internal Shop for Discounted Products, and other perks such as Monthly Mobile Allowance, discounted gym memberships, and ERGs.

Additional Benefits Information As Follows:

Salary Range: $138,500 – $200,800 (The actual compensation will depend on a variety of job-related factors which may include geographic location, work experience, education, and skill level)  

• Competitive Benefit Package (Medical, Dental, Vision, 401K, Pension Plan)  
• Hybrid Work Policy (3 Days in Office, 2 Days Work from Home) 
• Flexible Time Off (Paid Company Holidays, Paid Vacation, Vacation Buy Program, Volunteer Time, Summer Fridays & More!)  
• Access to Company Perks (VIP Access to L’Oréal’s Internal Shop for Discounted Products, Monthly Mobile Allowance)  
• Learning & Development Opportunities (Unlimited Access to E-learnings, Lunch & Learn Sessions, Mentorship Programs, & More!)  
• Employee Resource Groups (Think Tanks and Innovation Squads)  
• Access to Mental Health & Wellness Programs  

Don’t meet every single requirement? At L'Oréal, we are dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive, and innovative workplace. If you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with the qualifications listed in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyways! You may just be the right candidate for this or other roles!

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and take pride in a diverse environment. We would love to find out more about you as a candidate and do not discriminate in recruitment, hiring, training, promotion, or other employment practices for reasons of race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, marital or veteran status, medical condition or disability, or any other legally protected status.

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