Project Manager R&D

Research & Development

The R&D teams at Mary Kay are passionate about science. They continuously research products that allow our consultants to offer their end-users an experience of unsurpassed quality and unrivaled benefit. The products we develop must make people feel confident about themselves and their choice of Mary Kay.  Our research teams travel internationally, finding new ideas and presenting Mary Kay science on a worldwide stage.  Our innovative teams include roles in product safety, product formulation, skin and clinical research, nutritionals, regulatory affairs, quality and other disciplines.

Job Summary:

With some oversight and guidance, creates and manages timelines for multiple global projects with moderate complexity from initiation through to product launch. Effectively communicates and begins to influence a variety of functional representatives across many management levels to explore alternative solutions and reach decisions in a manner that meets project timeline commitments. Consistently demonstrates a general understanding of task dependencies and critical milestones and how they relate to other steps in the product launch cycle. Manages a basic scope of projects with some complexity.

About the Role:

•              With some oversight and guidance, provides support to NPD team members including representation from teams such as Brand, Purchasing, R&D, Package Engineering, Contract Services, Regulatory Affairs, Engineering, Operations, Creative Services, GIC/Planning, and Finance. Oversees all aspects of the project, ensuring team members remain on track and any delays are effectively addressed. Presents projects at Gate Reviews to senior leadership to assess project progress, share identified risks and action plans created, and gain approval to continue using resources to keep the projects moving forward. Follows up on any action items from the gate review and keeps team informed of discussions and decisions made by senior leadership. Elevates issues to senior team member or leadership as needed.

•              Demonstrates effective meeting facilitation skills to create and manage multiple Project Plans (schedules, budgets, resources, risks and deliverables) securing input from all affected functional areas of the company. Sets appropriate timelines, tracks key milestones, and reports project progress against key milestones. Demonstrates basic understanding of timing and steps required for each task in a product launch. Works with NPD team to negotiate reduced timing when necessary. Begins to demonstrate understanding of cross functional dependencies and the ability to identify risks and creates action plans.

•              With some guidance, utilizes Product Lifecycle Management system to track, document, analyze and report project progress. Acts as a gatekeeper for all project related items, including but not limited to the Project Justification and project timelines. Also manages change control for the Project Justification, project timelines and scope of the project. With some oversight and guidance from supervisor or senior team members, determines preparedness for gate reviews.

•              Monitors critical path activities. Follows up with team members to ensure project stays on track. With some guidance from supervisor or senior team member, works to resolve timing constraints if critical task is delayed. Begins to demonstrate the ability collaborate and lead discussion with project teams to formulate sound recommendations for the project based on the triple constraint priority. Delivers the project successfully - on time, on budget within financial scope and meeting product costs. Elevates issues when addressing non-standard or new technical issues escalates to PMO management, as needed to keep project on track and to remove barriers to success.

•              Begins to effectively navigate through undefined/ambiguous environments and influence cross functional team members. Monitors project progress and provides updates to PMO management to align on action plan prior to execution. Provides guidance on project issues and works with the team to resolve issues. Continues building relationships with team members, functional teams, and global partners to start leading and influencing a team.

•              Independently schedules and conducts cross functional team meetings and executes routine tasks/responsibilities. Publishes meeting agendas and minutes with identified action items to help drive team members accountable. Reviews past due and upcoming items to ensure team is aware of what is expected to keep the project on track. Uses the cross functional team meetings as a forum to discuss issues and determine next steps.

•              Demonstrates basic understanding of NDP financial concepts, including understanding of how project decisions impact COG%, overhead, direct labor, line decisions, and contract manufacturing costs to provide assessments of where costs can be reduced.

•              This job requires on-site work at a Mary Kay facility.