• About CITTA
• CITTA is a growing Indian skincare and personal care brand built on the philosophy of combining up-to-date science with the wisdom of Indian traditions. We develop thoughtful, quality-driven products across skincare, bath and body, and personal care, with a focus on product efficacy, ingredient transparency, and consumer needs.
• We are looking for a proactive and detail-oriented NPD & Procurement Specialist to manage the end-to-end new product development process while ensuring timely, cost-effective, and quality-driven sourcing of raw materials, packaging components, and finished products.
•

About the Role
• The NPD & Procurement Specialist will be responsible for coordinating new product development from concept to commercialisation, working closely with product development teams, third-party manufacturers, vendors, quality assurance, regulatory teams, and internal stakeholders.
• The role will involve identifying suitable suppliers, sourcing ingredients and packaging, coordinating sampling and product trials, negotiating commercial terms, tracking development timelines, and ensuring that products meet CITTA’s quality, cost, and launch requirements.
•

Key Responsibilities
• 1. New Product Development (NPD)
• Coordinate the end-to-end development of new skincare, bath and body, and personal care products from concept to launch.
• Work with internal teams and third-party manufacturers to develop product briefs, specifications, formulations, and packaging requirements.
• Research market trends, competitor products, emerging ingredients, consumer preferences, and new product opportunities in the skincare and beauty industry.
• Coordinate product sampling, formulation trials, stability testing, compatibility testing, and product performance evaluations with relevant technical teams.
• Track product development milestones, sample approvals, revisions, and launch timelines.
• Coordinate with marketing, packaging, quality, and regulatory teams to ensure product readiness before launch.
• Maintain comprehensive records of product specifications, approved samples, costing sheets, development status, and supplier documentation.
• 2. Procurement & Vendor Management
• Identify, evaluate, and onboard suppliers and vendors for skincare ingredients, raw materials, packaging materials, labels, cartons, and other product components.
• Source suitable third-party manufacturers and contract manufacturing partners based on product requirements, quality standards, production capabilities, and commercial terms.
• Obtain and compare quotations, negotiate pricing, payment terms, minimum order quantities (MOQs), lead times, and delivery schedules.
• Raise purchase orders and coordinate with vendors to ensure timely delivery of materials as per approved requirements.
• Develop and maintain a reliable vendor database, including supplier credentials, pricing, lead times, and performance records.




• Build strong vendor relationships to ensure consistent supply, competitive pricing, and timely resolution of procurement issues.
• Identify cost-saving opportunities without compromising product quality, safety, or brand standards.
• 3. Costing & Budget Management
• Prepare product costing sheets covering raw materials, packaging, manufacturing, testing, and other applicable development costs.
• Evaluate vendor quotations and support cost negotiations to achieve target product costs and margins.
• Track actual costs against approved budgets and highlight significant cost variations.
• Support management in evaluating product feasibility based on target pricing, minimum order quantities, and expected commercial viability.
• Maintain updated records of product costs, supplier pricing, and procurement commitments.
• 4. Quality & Regulatory Coordination
• Coordinate with quality assurance and regulatory teams to ensure that ingredients, packaging materials, formulations, and finished products meet applicable quality and compliance requirements.
• Obtain and maintain relevant supplier documentation, including specifications, Certificates of Analysis (CoAs), Safety Data Sheets (SDS), and other applicable technical documents.
• Ensure that required product testing, stability assessments, packaging compatibility checks, and approvals are completed before commercial production, in coordination with the responsible technical teams.
• Support documentation and compliance requirements applicable to cosmetics and personal care products in India.
• Coordinate the resolution of quality issues, rejected samples, material discrepancies, and supplier non-conformities.
• 5. Production Planning & Coordination
• Coordinate with manufacturers and suppliers to align procurement schedules with product development and launch timelines.
• Monitor material availability, production schedules, order status, and delivery commitments.
• Follow up on pending samples, purchase orders, packaging approvals, and manufacturing requirements to avoid delays.
• Identify potential supply chain risks and escalate issues affecting product development, cost, quality, or launch dates.
• Work closely with inventory and operations teams to support material planning and avoid excess inventory or stock shortages.
• 6. Documentation & Reporting
• Maintain an NPD tracker covering product concepts, sampling stages, approvals, costs, testing status, and expected launch dates.
• Maintain procurement trackers for purchase orders, vendor quotations, delivery schedules, and outstanding materials.




• Prepare regular reports on product development progress, procurement savings, vendor performance, and pending activities.
• Ensure proper documentation of product development decisions, supplier agreements, commercial terms, and approvals.
• Requirements
• 3–6 years of experience in new product development, procurement, sourcing, or product operations, preferably within skincare, cosmetics, beauty, personal care, or FMCG.
• Experience coordinating with third-party manufacturers, ingredient suppliers, and packaging vendors.
• Understanding of skincare product development, including formulations, ingredients, packaging components, sampling, and testing processes.
• Working knowledge of procurement processes, vendor negotiations, purchase orders, costing, and supplier management.
• Ability to evaluate quotations, compare commercial terms, and identify cost optimisation opportunities.
• Strong coordination and project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple product development projects simultaneously.
• Proficiency in MS Excel, Google Sheets, and documentation or procurement tracking tools.
• Strong communication, negotiation, follow-up, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment and manage deadlines across multiple stakeholders.
• Good to Have
• Experience working with contract manufacturers and private-label skincare or cosmetic brands.
• Familiarity with cosmetic ingredients, INCI nomenclature, formulation briefs, and packaging compatibility.
• Understanding of cosmetic quality documentation, stability testing, and Indian cosmetics regulatory requirements.
• Experience with ERP, inventory management, or procurement management systems.
• Exposure to product launches across e-commerce, D2C, retail, or modern trade channels.
• Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
• Timely completion of NPD milestones and product launches.
• Reduction in product development lead times and sample approval cycles.
• Achievement of target product costs and measurable procurement savings.
• Timely sourcing and delivery of raw materials and packaging components.
• Vendor performance in terms of quality, pricing, responsiveness, and delivery adherence.
• Accuracy and completeness of product development and procurement documentation.
• Compliance with approved quality standards and completion of required testing and approvals before launch.
• What Success Looks Like in the First 6–12 Months
• Establish a structured NPD pipeline with clear timelines, responsibilities, and approval stages.
• Build a dependable vendor network for ingredients, packaging, and contract manufacturing.
• Improve development turnaround time and procurement efficiency.
• Deliver new products within approved cost, quality, and launch timelines.
• Create a well-maintained database of product specifications, supplier quotations, costing sheets, and development records. •

📌 NPD & Procurement Specialist (Pune)
🏢 CITTA (Lexicon Lifestyle - A Lexicon Group Enterprise)
📍 Pune