Demo

Senior Director of Innovation and Product Development

Opella
Chattanooga, TN Full Time
POSTED ON 12/27/2025
AVAILABLE BEFORE 1/31/2026
Opella is the self-care challenger with the purest and third-largest portfolio in the Over-The-Counter (OTC) & Vitamins, Minerals & Supplements (VMS) market globally.  

Our mission is to bring health in people’s hands by making self-care as simple as it should be. For half a billion consumers worldwide – and counting.

At the core of this mission is our 100 loved brands, our 11,000-strong global team, our 13 best-in-class manufacturing sites and 4 specialized science and innovation development centers. Headquartered in France, Opella is the proud maker of many of the world’s most loved brands, including Allegra, Buscopan, Doliprane, Dulcolax, Enterogermina, Essentiale and Mucosolvan.

As a globally certified B Corp company, we are active players in the journey towards healthier people and planet. Find out more about our mission at www.opella.com.

About The Job

The Senior Director of Innovation and Product Development partners with R&D Brand Leads, Marketing Innovation Leads and Manufacturing & Supply to create a pipeline of innovation which is rooted in science and inspired by consumers. Brand Portfolio includes brands like Icy Hot, Cortizone 10, Aspercreme, Selsen Blue, Gold Bond…

Leads product development end-to-end (ideation, prototyping, development and scale up) internally or via CDMO partners, translating Opella’s Science into the best product experiences that consumers love and trust.

Leads a team of ~15 colleagues (Formulation Development, Analytical Development, Process Scale-up, Technical Performance & Modeling). Transforms the culture, developing a consumer-centric mindset, which is required to achieve Opella’s vision of becoming the best Fast Moving Consumer Health company in and for the world.

Transforms the capabilities of the development center, building unique differentiating capabilities that can be leveraged to deliver superior solutions as part of the innovation projects.

Brings in new technologies, raw materials, product forms, and generally new ideas by building an ecosystem of academic or industrial partners.

Accountable for quality and safety at the Chattanooga Development Center, partnering and leveraging the tools from the Quality and HSE organizations.

Main Responsibilities

Delivery of the Innovation pipeline

Ensures delivery of key New Product Development Innovation and Business Protection Projects. Anticipates potential technical issues, ensure robust development and scale-up plans, guide teams through trouble shooting when issues occur, and ensures transparency of communication with key stakeholders.

Develops the vision for the Development Center and the roadmap of Differentiated Capabilities

Develops the vision for the Development Center, and the roadmap to get there. Identifies critical capabilities needed to deliver a superior innovation pipeline and implements them. This might include development and curation of knowledge into Best Practices and Intellectual Property generation, selection and implementation of new equipment/technologies and/or building new systems, procedures and infrastructures.

Accountable for Quality and Safety

Partners with the Quality and HSE organizations to deliver the right levels of quality for all development programs and safety for all employees. Monitors KPIs, ensures that action plans are in place and that the development center culture reaches the desired quality and HSE maturity.

Builds an Ecosystem of partners

Develops a network of Academic partners, suppliers, vendors, CDMOs, which can be inspire and support the innovation capabilities of the development center and spark new innovation.

Represents R&D and Opella internally and externally

Chattanooga development center is expected to deliver a large part of our innovation portfolio. The Development Center head is a high-profile role, who will be presenting our Innovation Strategy and Science program to senior stakeholders (internal and external). He/She needs to have the right posture to be the face of R&D.

Key Working Relationships

  • Global and Regional R&D Brand leads.
  • Global and Regional Marketing Innovation Leads.
  • Global and Regional Project Managers
  • R&D Leads including Platforms, Consumer Science, Packaging, Sustainability.
  • Manufacturing & Supply Colleagues including local Site Head and Leadership Team.
  • Quality and HSE teams.
  • External Network of development Partners and Experts

About You

Education and Qualifications

  • Bachelors Degree Required
  • Master or PhD degree in Science (Pharmacy, Chemistry, etc…) preferred

Knowledge And Experience

  • Minimum 10 years’ experience in Consumer HealthCare or Fast-Moving Consumers Goods.
  • Experience in Topical product solutions is desirable.
  • Track record of bringing products to market in full and on time.
  • Demonstrated experience in identifying consumer’s needs and turning those insights into action.
  • Ability to implement change in large organization, and to build new capabilities
  • Experience in leading and developing high performing teams.
  • Agility to work in a Matrix environment.
  • Autonomy to make daily decisions for a Development Center of ~ 15 colleagues.
  • Risk Management ownership, proactive communication and management for formulation and scaleup risks.

Language Skills

English is mandatory.

Opella and its U.S. affiliates are Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action employers committed to a culturally diverse workforce. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race; color; creed; religion; national origin; age; ancestry; nationality; marital, domestic partnership or civil union status; sex, gender, gender identity or expression; affectional or sexual orientation; disability; veteran or military status or liability for military status; domestic violence victim status; atypical cellular or blood trait; genetic information (including the refusal to submit to genetic testing) or any other characteristic protected by law.

North America Applicants Only

The Salary Range For This Position Is

151,763.00 - 252,938.00 USD Annual

All compensation will be determined commensurate with demonstrated experience. Employees may be

eligible to participate in Company employee benefit programs. Additional benefits information can be

found through the LINK.

#GD-SA

Salary : $151,763 - $252,938

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