Chief Innovation Officer

About this role

We're hiring a Chief Innovation Officer (CIO) to lead our NPD and Innovation team. This role will be the main driver in the conception and development of new products, using industry and technical knowledge to bring signature Trinny London products to life. The CIO will lead and manage our product development team while working very closely with our Founder, Trinny Woodall, and the rest of the business. The ideal candidate will be responsible for throwing out the rule book, developing industry leading and profoundly innovative breakthrough ideas whilst blending innovative vision with complex technical formulation expertise.

Welcome to Trinny London!

Here at Trinny London, we’re changing the face of makeup and demystifying skincare, and we're only just getting started. Founded in 2017 by Trinny Woodall, Trinny London is challenging people all over the world to rethink their routines.
We have achieved tremendous growth since 2017 and we’re proud to be one of Europe’s fastest-growing beauty brands. We’re generating millions in sales by developing innovative products, acquiring hundreds of thousands of supporters and customers all over the world, and more importantly, building a talented and motivated team to support our fantastic growth.

Our Values

We live by three core values: we bring fearless passion, we act with smart intent and we all wear yellow.
We always go the extra mile, working together to push boundaries and celebrate our wins and learnings as a team. We listen to every idea, big or small, and make considered decisions. We support each other to achieve our goals and thrive on collaboration.

The Role

As Chief Innovation Officer, working closely with our Founder, Trinny Woodall, you will define what comes next for Trinny London - and challenge what comes next for beauty.
You will lead our innovation vision, turning breakthrough science, emerging technologies, customer insight and bold ideas into industry leading products that genuinely change the way people experience and think about beauty.
From the first spark of an idea through to formulation, clinical validation, development and launch, you will own the full NPD and Innovation journey - building a pipeline that is technically exceptional, commercially powerful and unmistakably Trinny London.
You will bring together the worlds of science, technology, creativity and consumer need, pushing our partners and our team to go further and create products that are not simply new to market, but meaningfully ahead of it.

Responsibilities

Strategic Innovation & Pipeline Leadership

• Challenge what is possible in beauty - spot the next breakthrough before it becomes mainstream and bring new thinking, ingredients, technologies and formats into the brand.

• Own the Trinny London innovation pipeline, ensuring the product roadmap reflects our vision and commercial targets.

• Partner directly with Trinny and the leadership team to turn ambitious ideas, customer insight and emerging science into products people genuinely want to use.

• Build a forward-looking innovation pipeline across new ingredients, delivery systems, formulation technologies, clinical science and emerging areas of skin health.

• Bring an external lens to the business - constantly scanning scientific research, technology, consumer behaviour, ingredient innovation and competitor developments to identify what we should be exploring next.

• Translate complex scientific and technical developments into clear opportunities for the brand, balancing scientific ambition with consumer relevance and commercial potential.

Product Development & Scale-Up

• Manage the product lifecycle from the first spark of inspiration through to formulation and manufacturing to a flawless commercial launch.

• Direct our technical strategy across unique formulation to Trinny London, texture engineering, and sensory performance

• Implement thorough testing protocols, claims testing, stability assessments, and safety reviews to ensure every product meets our exacting standards.

Innovation Lifecycle Governance

• Direct regulatory strategies so all Trinny London products and marketing claims align with global compliance frameworks.

• Oversee the preparation of technical documentation, safety assessments, and registrations in coordination with internal legal experts.

• Create a best in class external innovation network across formulators, manufacturers, ingredient innovators, laboratories and technical partners.

• Oversee NPD budgets and COGS management to maintain strong margins without compromising on product performance or quality.

Team Leadership & Collaboration

• Lead, develop and inspire a high-performing NPD team, setting a culture of ambition, curiosity and scientific rigour.

• Build strong, collaborative relationships across Marketing, Commercial, Operations and the wider Leadership Team.

• Partner closely with the business to turn bold ideas and emerging science into commercially successful products.

• Raise the technical capability and confidence of the wider business, bringing scientific expertise into key product decisions.
Requirements

• Proven senior leadership experience within an NPD beauty environment, with an extensive background in skinare product creation, formula engineering, or cosmetic advancement across the beauty and wellness industry, with a specific focus on skincare formulation.

• Experience in leading high performing Product and Formulation teams

• Master’s degree or PhD in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Cosmetic Science, Biology, or a related scientific/technical field strongly preferred.

• Innovative and customer obsessed commercial thinker, with the ability to bring ideas to life, whilst meeting deadlines and budget margins.

• Proven history of developing and successfully launching award-winning or commercially disruptive skincare from concept to market.

• Good understanding of global cosmetic regulatory standards, labelling guidelines, safety…