Development Scientist in Cosmetics

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Serial No: 11178

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Skills keywords: people management, product development, project management

Short Bio:

I have a Bachelor's Degree in Biological Sciences and a Diploma in Cosmetic Science. I have 16 years experience in the cosmetic industry. Having worked abroad and for international companies I have gained much valued experience in the safe development and timeous launch of cosmetic products, more specifically in the skincare, personal care and fragrance categories. More than 60% of my working life has been in the management and leadership of people within the cosmetic industry.

Current location:  KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa - View on map

Nationality: South African

Preferred Sector of Employment:  Manufacturing and Operations

Spoken languages: english

Location I am interested in working: Anywhere

Education

Bachelor of Science (Biological Sciences): completed 1988:

 Major Subjects: Cell Biology I,II & III and Environmental Biology I,II & III.

 Credits: Chemistry I (with distinction), Molecular Spectroscopy &

Structures (Chemistry II), Physics I Geography I & II.

Diploma in Cosmetic Science: completed 2004 with distinction:

 Subjects: Aerosols, Baby Care, Dental Science, Hair Care Physiology, Packaging, Production, Product Stability, Surface Chemistry, Emulsion Technology, Marketing, Perfumery, Product Evaluation, Skin Care Theory, Sun Care Theory, Surfactant Technology, Advertising Legislation, Microbiology, Colour Cosmetics, Ethnic Hair Care, Product Safety and Soap Technology.

 Practical Work – developed a stable product according to a given brief and submitted to the Society of Cosmetic Chemists for evaluation.

Diploma in Photography: completed 2013

Certification in Web-Design: completed 2013

Experience

R&D Program Leader / Manager (1 October 2011 – 30 June 2013)

Avon-Justine (56 Lotus Road, Gallo Manor, 2058)

Main Job Functions:

● Lead local Research & Development (R&D) functions in South Africa for Justine.

● Lead the delivery and development of new innovative projects for Justine brand, (refer to www.justine.co.za) utilizing cutting edge technology to give Avon-Justine a competitive advantage in support of Marketing strategic plan for new products.

● Manage staff of 8 i.e. Senior Development Chemist – Skincare (including Sun-care), Development Chemist – Personal Care, Development Chemist – Fragrance, Development Chemist – Colour, Process Engineer, Laboratory Technicians x2, and Development Chemist for Supply Chain Protection.

Areas of responsibilities and Key Functions:

● Drive Justine beauty growth and innovations:

○ Provide innovative input and ideas to Justine Marketing strategy with relevant technology platforms and performance claims.

○ Build a strong New Product Development (NPD) pipeline in the 4 categories of Skincare, Personal care, Fragrance and Colour.

○ Ensure on-time delivery of projects through effective NPD management,

● Improve and maintain quality and compliance requirements:

○ Implement a formal sign-off regime at every critical stage gate to ensure product launch success.

○ Conform to Avon global standards for new product development with regard to product safety and integrity.

○ Conform to Avon global standards for in-line products with regard integrity.

○ Highlight potential risk areas and challenges in development and escalate with appropriate resolutions.

● Protection of product supply and maintain brand profitability:

○ Evaluate alternative raw material replacement to protect supply.

○ Support cost saving initiatives as suggested by Procurement / Supply Chain with corresponding product stability and safety support. Build lower cost products without sacrificing product safety and efficacy.

● Aggressive Budget Management: retain tight control over budget expenses and ensure that annual budget plan is not exceeded.

● Staff Engagement:

○ Actively Build a culture of trust, teamwork and alignment within the R&D department.

○ Develop individuals through challenging assignments, formal training, informal coaching, and mentoring.

○ Focus on effective talent management, critically analyse staff requirements, and actively recruit for new and vacant positions.

○ Support / Implement development plans for all associates.

● Achievements:

○ Performance Management Process Score (1-5): moved score from 3 (average) to 2 within the EMEA region and received bonus accordingly within the first year.

○ Achieved a 98%product launch success rate for 104 products per year.

○ Aggressively controlled expenses and maintained a budget of 5 million Rand, and motivated for a budget of 8 millionRand the next financial year.

○ First to globalise or Avonize the Justine products and align product development with Avon Global requirements.

Technical Development Manager: Personal Care, Pharmaceuticals and Detergents

(15 November 2008 –30 September 2011)

IMCD ( Waterpass Street, Isando, 1600 – http://www.imcdgroup.com/worldwide/south-africa/)

Key Performance Areas:

● Technically promote product range at key customers in all economic regions in South Africa.

● Generate new business and develop project pipeline.

● Introduce and develop new suppliers in the South African market.

● Offer technical assistance to customers regarding formulations, methods of manufacture and products.

● Develop business unit strategy.

● Advertise and market supplier products in local media.

● Travel locally and overseas.

Experience

Technical Specialty Representative: (21 January 2008 – 30 September 2008)

Surfachem Ltd (100 Wellington Street, Leeds, LS1 4LT, United Kingdom- http://www.surfachem.com/)

Key Performance Areas:

● Regions Covered: regular technical visits to personal care manufacturers in South East, South West, Greater London Area, London, and East Midlands of England;

● Promote specialty products (as per specialty list) to customers. Actively pursue any new projects with Sales Representatives and/or Key Account Managers;

● Offer technical assistance to customers with regard to formulations, regulatory issues, sample requests and training of products and raw materials;

● Conduct joint technical visits and offer technical support to Sales Representatives and Key Account Managers;

● Conduct joint technical visits with Principles of Surfachem;

● Keep an accurate record of projects conducted by customers;

● Keep an accurate record of all visits by writing a visit report of each visit;

● Submit a monthly report on key customer activities and projects;

● Attend industry exhibitions e.g. In-Cosmetics – Amsterdam.

● Train internal technical department;

● Maintain personal training in key areas e.g. attended training events hosted by principles on Secondary Surfactants and Hair Conditioners.

● Surfachem is a chemical distribution company to the Pharmaceutical, Personal Care, Janitorial and Homecare industry in the United Kingdom as well as various European and African countries. Principles promoted in regions:

o Noveon/Lubrizol Advanced Materials (Rheology modifiers, esters etc.);

o Evonik Goldschmidt Personal Care Chemicals (Skincare actives, emulsifiers etc.);

o Stepan (Surfactants);

o Schill & Seilacher (Naturally derived surfactants);

o Salicylates and Chemicals (Preservatives);

o Granula (Inorganic Sunscreens);

o Gulbrandson (Anti-perspirant actives).

Development Scientist: (1 September 2005 – 12 November 2007)

Creative Outsourcing Solutions International/Cosi (Watersmead Business Park, Littlehampton, West Sussex, BN17 6LS, United Kingdom)

Key Performance Areas:

● Developed stable, safe and effective skincare products, compliant with current legislation and/or customer development guidelines, for the beauty markets according to a brief within a specified time frame.

● Product skin care areas successfully researched and developed:

o Men’s skincare.

o Natural skincare.

o Self-tan skincare.

o Alternative preserving systems or ‘preservative free’ skincare.

o Intensive treatment regimes for performance skincare: e.g. microdermabrasion kits, skin peel kits, skin lightener/brighteners.

o Bath and Body personal products.

o Other areas researched to a lesser extent included organic skincare and suncare.

● Completed method validation for OTC/sun care products.

● Developed speculative skincare products for international exhibitions (e.g. Cosmeeting, Cosmoprof).

● Conversant with industry regulations (CTFA).

Quality & Development Manager: (1 April 1997 – 30 August 2005)

Creative Outsourcing Solutions International/Cosi (17 Fulton Road, Industria, Johannesburg, Gauteng, 1710, RSA).

● Implemented an effective and sustainable quality management system (homecare and toiletries) which had the following key performance requirements:

o To monitor supplier non-conformance and performance.

o To reduce the number of incoming rejects.

o Managing the Quality Control Laboratory and ensuring effective and efficient turn around testing times.

o Packaging in-process inspection and finished product inspection to ensure compliance.

o Accurately measuring key quality indicators e.g. customer complaints, supplier deviation reports.

o Conducting internal quality audits.

o Ensure Good Manufacturing Practices are upheld and regular training is conducted.

o Dealing with and responding timorously to customer complaints.

o To regularly attend production meetings, product housekeeping meetings etc to ensure product compliance and customer satisfaction.

o Manage product reworks.

o Manage department budgets.

o Housekeeping of inventory systems i.e. assisting planning and purchasing departments which finding alternate raw material substitutions, and keeping minimizing bulk adjustments.

● Implemented and maintained an effective product development program which had the following key requirements (homecare and toiletries):

o Integrated products into factory (which included product costing, development, industrialization and product stability).

o Ensured technical critical paths and deadlines were adhered to.

● Attended regular customer meetings forming effective development teams and partnerships.

● Customers Included:

▪ Jeyes Homecare (bleaches, disinfectants, etc.).

▪ S.C. Johnson Homecare (bleaches, surface cleaners and disinfectants).

▪ Robertson’s Homecare (dishwashing liquids, disinfectants etc).

▪ Unilever Homecare (bleaches and hydrogen peroxide products cleaners).

▪ Lornamead Cosmetics (skin lighteners and hair relaxers).

▪ Avroy-Shlain (aerosols).

▪ Clicks Personal Care (bath & body range and skincare regime).

Quality Assurance Departmental Chemist: (1 March 1993 – 31 March 1997)

Pharma Natura (Pty) Ltd (1 Carey Street, Wyneberg, Johannesburg, 4001- http://www.pharmanatura.co.za/).

Key duties and responsibilities included:

● Drafting validation protocols of analytical methods and validating methods according to the protocol for OTC products registered with the Medicines Control Council.

● Operational installation and qualification of near infrared scanning system (for incoming goods/raw materials).

● Routine analysis of raw materials and manufactured bulk (Quality Control) making use of High Performance Liquid Chromatography, Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry, UV Detection, Titration (manual and automatic), Thin layer Chromatography and various British or USP Pharmacopeia analytical methods.

● Drafting standard operating procedures for approval by senior chemist.

Skills:

 Innovative skills.

 Problem solving.

 Interpersonal skills.

 Planning and organizational skills.

 Leadership and motivation skills.

 Good presentation skills.

 Computer Literate (Microsoft Office, especially familiar with *Access, Excel, Word and PowerPoint – *Microsoft Access used to design Quality Assurance Databases).

Training:

 Evonik Goldschmidt : participated in a 3 day seminar in Essen, Germany on Personal Care Specialties(February 2008).

 Cosi: Attended and completed Lean Manufacturing Training Course (2006).

 Cosi: Time Management Course (2007).

 Cosi: Talking Business French (2007).

 Alec Cameron and Associates Training Consultants: Good Manufacturing Practices in a Non-Sterile Environment (1999).

 Alec Cameron and Associates Training Consultants: Good Laboratory Practice (1999).

 Microsep Mettler Toledo: Practical Course in Titration (1995 – with distinction).

 Microsep Waters Chromatography Division: Practical Course in Liquid Chromatography (1993 – B+).

 Technikon Natal Analytical Chemistry Training Unit: Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry (1993 – with distinction).

Recognitions and Awards:

 Pharma Natura: Chairman’s Award – in recognition of a commitment to excellence and consistently maintaining the highest standards (1993)

 The Keep Durban Beautiful Defence Force Committee: Certificate of Recognition for my commitment to a cleaner and brighter future for Durban (1990)