Project Manager, Process Engineering

ABOUT KENDO        

Kendo Holdings, Inc. is a San Francisco-based beauty brand developer and wholesaler owned by LVMH Moët Hennessy - Louis Vuitton, the world’s largest luxury group. A play on the words “can do”, Kendo has become the hub of creativity and next generation beauty product development for global Sephora channels and selective retailers outside of Sephora.

Through original development, collaborations and acquisitions the Kendo stable of brands will always be creative, inspiring and innovative. A dynamic engine of speed, expertise and market-savvy, the Kendo team continues to redefine the beauty industry through great product, great storytelling, great retail and direct-to-consumer partnerships. This shows up in everything we do and in what we stand for:

• “Can Do” Spirit: We work together to make our wildest dreams a reality: As entrepreneurs, we embrace optimism and find creative ways to reach our goals

• Advocacy, Diversity, and Inclusion: We recognize and celebrate the full spectrum of personal identities. We create safe spaces so everyone’s voice is heard. We listen with humility and act with courage.

• Storytelling: We tell authentic stories like no, one else. It’s our key to inspire trust and build relationships, rallying, our people, partners, and consumers around our brands.

• Resilience: We embrace challenges as opportunities. Change is ever- constant, and agility is our strength.

• Product Excellence: We put the consumers first: We constantly raise the bar to create products of the highest quality that everyone just has to have.

 

The salary range for this position is $108,300 - $130,200 per year. Offered salary is dependent upon experience and San Francisco location. This is a hybrid role based in our downtown San Francisco office – Tues through Thursday in-office, with Monday and Friday remote.

Kendo Total Rewards offerings also include an annual bonus and a comprehensive benefits package including: medical, dental and vision insurance, flex paid time off program, parental leave, employee discount/perks, a retirement plan with employer contributions, Summer Fridays, opportunity to work from anywhere for two weeks during the calendar year and December wellness/shutdown week for applicable positions.

 

The Kendo house of brands currently includes: Fenty Beauty, Fenty Skin, Fenty Eau de Parfum, Fenty Hair, Ole Henriksen, Lip Lab.

 

SUMMARY

Kendo is seeking a Manager, Process Engineering to oversee technical project execution and product lifecycle management for Fenty Beauty and other core brands.

Serving as a critical liaison between Operations and Development, this role provides technical expertise and leadership to ensure new products meet all internal and external requirements. You will facilitate the seamless transfer of products from development to industrialization and mass production—collaborating closely with Packaging Development, Product Development, Quality, and external suppliers to align technical specifications with manufacturing feasibility.

The ideal candidate thrives in a fast-paced, ambiguous environment, demonstrates strong entrepreneurial leadership, and possesses exceptional documentation and communication skills.

 

RESPONSIBILITIES

Project Execution & Industrialization

• Manage new product development (NPD), newness execution, and the lifecycle of existing products for Fenty Beauty.

• Manage and monitor pilot batches, line trials, and first productions, ensuring industrialization success criteria are defined and translated into technical requirements.

• Lead and schedule pilot and line trial meetings for all new products through commercialization or first production.

• Oversee pilot project tasks, including batching, filling, and assembly.

Technical Documentation & Reporting

• Create comprehensive reports summarizing scale-up and line trial outcomes, detailing corrective action plans where necessary.

• Maintain detailed records of work undertaken and summarize findings for senior management presentations.

• Support essential project documentation, including specifications, product dossiers, manufacturing procedures, process reports, and launch compliance documents.

Quality, Testing & Continuous Improvement

• Support Quality assurance on non-conformances, including investigations and the updating of manufacturing procedures.

• Develop testing protocols and control plans in partnership with Quality and Development teams.

• Implement a manufacturing design review process incorporating manufacturing Cost of Goods Sold (COGS) assessments.

• Standardize processes for risk assessment and failure identification during the development phase.

• Support change requests and change controls for existing products in coordination with Contract Manufacturing (CM) sites.

 

REQUIREMENTS

• Education: Bachelor’s degree required; a major in Science or Engineering is strongly preferred.

• Experience: 5+ years of experience in cosmetic product formulation. Experience in makeup/beauty and skincare emulsions is highly desired.

• Background: Prior experience working in Packaging, R&D, or a laboratory setting is advantageous.

• Technical Skills: Proficiency with the MS Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).

• Communication & Organization: Exceptional interpersonal, written documentation, and presentation skills; ability to read, analyze, and interpret technical protocols and draft operating procedures.

• Soft Skills: Exceptional organizational and time-management skills; creative problem-solving and analytical abilities with keen attention to detail; flexible, positive attitude; capable of working independently and cross-functionally.

• Work Environment: Thrives in a fast-paced, dynamic, and rapidly changing startup environment.