NPD Project Manager - 16 month FTC

Founded in Japan in 1887, Kao is passionate about making a difference in people's lives with our high-quality products and services to create a Kirei Life for all - a beautiful life that respects the needs of our consumers and the planet. We never compromise on quality and craft our products with care for the consumer and the environment.

As a company driven by purpose and strong corporate values, we pride ourselves on being listed among the World's Most Ethical Companies for 19 consecutive years. Our corporate philosophy, the Kao Way, guides us in everything we do - acting with integrity, driving innovation, and treating each other with trust and respect.

Kao in London (Currently playing)

Duration: 12:00

We are seeking a NPD Project Manager with experience in beauty or FMCG to lead the delivery of new and existing product development projects. This role is responsible for ensuring projects are delivered on time, within scope, and meet commercial objectives. This is a fixed-term contract until October 2026.

Key Responsibilities

• Project Leadership: Lead cross-functional teams and external vendors across all phases of project delivery, ensuring alignment to cost, timing, and quality targets.
• Stakeholder Management: Communicate clearly and consistently with internal and external stakeholders. Document and escalate key risks and issues as needed.
• Project Planning: Develop and maintain high-level and detailed project timelines. Ensure plans are current and reflect actual progress.
• Risk & Issue Management: Proactively identify risks, implement mitigation strategies, and escalate critical issues with clear recommendations for resolution.
• Scope & Change Control: Define project scope at initiation and manage any changes through formal change control processes.
• Process Compliance & Improvement: Ensure adherence to development governance. Identify root causes of issues and propose process improvements.
• Post-Launch Review: Lead post-project evaluations to capture lessons learned and inform future initiatives.

Required Skills & Experience

• Degree or equivalent qualification
• Project Management certification (Prince2, PMP, or equivalent)
• 2-3 years' experience in the beauty or FMCG industry
• Experience managing multiple projects in a fast-paced environment
• Proficient in Microsoft Project, Teams, Excel, Word, and PowerPoint
• Strong communication and stakeholder engagement skills across all levels of the business

Molton Brown is part of Kao, founded in Japan in 1887. Kao is passionate about making a difference in people's lives with our high-quality products and services to create a Kirei Life for all - a beautiful life that respects the needs of our consumers and the planet. Our corporate philosophy, the Kao Way, guides us in everything we do - acting with integrity, driving innovation, and treating each other with trust and respect.

How we work: Having been recognized among the World's Most Ethical Companies for 19 consecutive years, we are a purpose-driven company with strong values. We prioritize quality and sustainability, crafting products with care for consumers and the environment. At Kao, employees actively shape their careers, working collaboratively to achieve common goals and deliver the best for our customers.

Hiring Process: Kao embraces diversity and individual personalities, believing that diversity strengthens us. We welcome applications from all backgrounds and regions.

Want to learn more: If you feel you are as unique as our products and want to discover why 33,000 people worldwide chose a career with us, please visit