Job Summary:
SheaMoisture has been a trailblazer in multicultural beauty for over 30 years, rooted in purpose and committed to creating products that empower women to express their most versatile, resilient selves.
As the Associate Director, Innovation - SheaMoisture, you will be responsible for shaping the future of the brand’s two most critical categories by translating long-term strategy into a disruptive, consumer-loved pipeline of innovation for the U.S. and Canada. This role demands a bold and strategic innovator who can craft superior, desirable mixes rooted in multicultural consumer insight, navigate ambiguity with problem-solving agility, and mobilize cross-functional partners to bring big ideas to life with excellence. You will lead a team of direct reports, inspiring and developing talent while embedding the Unilever Standards of Leadership in everything you do.
Above all, you will bring expertise and passion for making SheaMoisture deeply relevant to the next generation of Black women—especially Gen Z—ensuring the brand stays at the center of culture.
Key Accountabilities:
Strategy & Pipeline Delivery
- Translate SheaMoisture’s long-term brand growth strategy into a focused 12-quarter innovation and renovation pipeline for Hair & Skin, delivering sustained, profitable growth in the U.S. and Canada.
- Ensure all innovations reinforce SheaMoisture’s distinctive brand assets, purpose, and equity—strengthening both brand love and business results.
- Deliver breakthrough products, packs, and experiences with bold creativity, balancing premium sensibility, risk-taking, and consumer & data-led rigor.
Culture & Consumer Impact
- Embed cultural fluency, foresight, and consumer insight to ensure all innovations reflect the evolving needs, styles, and aspirations of Black Gen Z women.
- Champion innovations that not only deliver business growth but also advance SheaMoisture’s mission of serving and empowering polycultural communities.
- Anticipate cultural shifts and consumer behaviors to ensure SheaMoisture innovation remains competitive and resonant.
Cross-Functional Execution
- Provide clarity and creative solutions in uncertain contexts, ensuring innovation momentum stays strong.
- Inspire alignment across R&D, Supply Chain, Finance, Sales, and external partners to bring disruptive ideas to life with speed and excellence.
- Partner with key retailers, agencies, and select industry forums to champion SheaMoisture innovation and reinforce the brand’s leadership in multicultural beauty.
People Leadership & Project Vision
- Manage and coach direct reports, fostering a culture of consumer obsession, creativity, accountability, and growth.
- Take personal accountability to deliver results with speed and excellence while maintaining personal mastery, resilience, and optimism.
- Bring the voice of multicultural consumers into every decision while balancing disruptive creativity with commercial discipline.
- Anticipate future shifts in culture and consumer needs to stay three steps ahead, focusing on high-impact opportunities that cut through the noise.
- Provide clarity in complexity, balance disruptive creativity with disciplined execution, spark passion and accountability, and create future leaders.
Required Qualifications:
- 7–10 years in innovation, brand management, or product development (beauty, personal care, or adjacent).
- Proven track record of delivering disruptive innovation at scale.
- Demonstrated ability to craft winning mixes that balance desirability, cultural resonance, and commercial impact.
- Experience leading large projects and influencing senior stakeholders in a matrixed environment.
- Proven track record of managing cross-functional matrixed teams across R&D, supply chain, and finance.
- Direct experience handling price-pack architecture, margin, and mix from a P&L perspective.
- People management experience required.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Experience in beauty, personal care, or adjacent consumer goods categories.
Pay: The pay range for this position is $146,200 to $219,400. Unilever takes into consideration a wide range of factors that are utilized in making compensation decisions including, but not limited to, skill sets, experience and training, licensure and certifications, qualifications and education, and other business and organizational needs.
Bonus: This position is bonus eligible.
Long-Term Incentive (LTI): This position is LTI eligible.
Benefits: Unilever employees are eligible to participate in our benefits plan. Should the employee choose to participate, they can choose from a range of benefits to include, but is not limited to, health insurance (including prescription drug, dental, and vision coverage), retirement savings benefits, life insurance and disability benefits, parental leave, sick leave, paid vacation and holidays, as well as access to numerous voluntary benefits. Any coverages for health insurance and retirement benefits will be in accordance with the terms and conditions of the applicable plans and associated governing plan documents.
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At Unilever, inclusion is at the heart of everything we do. We welcome applicants from all walks of life and are committed to creating an environment where everyone can thrive/succeed. All applicants will receive fair and respectful consideration, and we actively support the growth and development of every employee.
Unilever is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Persons with Disabilities.
For more information on your federal rights, please see Know Your Rights: Workplace Discrimination is Illegal
Employment is subject to verification of pre-screening tests, which may include drug screening, background check, credit check and DMV check.
If you are an individual with a disability in need of assistance at any time during our recruitment process, please contact us at [email protected]. Please note: This email is reserved for individuals with disabilities in need of assistance and is not a means of inquiry about positions or application statuses. The Protected Veterans or Individuals with Disabilities AAP narratives are available for inspection by any employee or applicant for employment Monday through Friday during normal business hours at establishment.
Skills Required
- 7-10 years of experience in innovation, brand management, or product development, preferably in beauty, personal care, or an adjacent category
- Proven track record of delivering disruptive innovation at scale
- Ability to craft winning product mixes balancing desirability, cultural resonance, and commercial impact
- Experience leading large projects and influencing senior stakeholders in a matrixed environment
- Experience managing cross-functional matrixed teams across R&D, supply chain, and finance
- Direct experience handling price-pack architecture, margin, and product mix from a P&L perspective
- People management experience
- Experience in beauty, personal care, or adjacent consumer goods categories
Unilever Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Unilever and has not been reviewed or approved by Unilever.
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Healthcare Strength — Healthcare coverage is described as comprehensive, spanning medical, dental, vision, life insurance, and occupational health support alongside a 24/7 employee assistance program. Wellbeing offerings such as health checks, resilience tools, and counseling support the perceived depth of health-related benefits.
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Retirement Support — Retirement support includes a 401(k) match that reaches up to 5% of base salary, strengthening the overall value of the package. Share and savings options are also referenced as part of longer-term financial support beyond salary.
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Flexible Benefits — Benefits customization is enabled through tools such as a “My Reward” system and a “Benefits Envelope” that allows employees to personalize selections. Flexible working approaches are also associated with improved overall satisfaction, reinforcing perceived choice and adaptability in the total rewards offering.
Unilever Insights
What We Do
Be part of the world’s most successful, purpose-led business. Work with brands that are well-loved around the world, that improve the lives of our consumers and the communities around us. We promote innovation, big and small, to make our business win and grow; and we believe in business as a force for good. Unleash your curiosity, challenge ideas and disrupt processes; use your energy to make this happen. Our brilliant business leaders and colleagues provide mentorship and inspiration, so you can be at your best. Our portfolio ranges from nutritionally balanced foods to indulgent ice creams, affordable soaps, luxurious shampoos and everyday household care products. We produce world-leading brands including Lipton, Knorr, Dove, Axe, Hellmann’s and Omo, alongside trusted local names and innovative-forward thinking brands like Ben & Jerry’s, The Dollar Shave Club and Dermalogica. Every individual here can bring their purpose to life through their work. Join us and you’ll be surrounded by inspiring leaders and supportive peers. Among them, you’ll channel your purpose, bring fresh ideas to the table, and simply be you. As you work to make a real impact on the business and the world, we’ll work to help you become a better you.
