The Role
Leads global microbial risk management and product safety for cosmetic products and OEM suppliers. Develops lifecycle quality-control plans, conducts microbial risk assessments, coordinates CAPA and root-cause investigations, troubleshoots major supplier quality incidents, provides microbiology expertise and training, and builds a global quality knowledge base. The role requires strong cosmetic manufacturing, microbiology, regulatory, quality-system, and cross-functional leadership expertise, with travel for supplier support.
Summary Generated by Built In
About the Company
e.l.f. Beauty's purpose is to make the world a better place for every eye, lip, and face.
Our deep commitment to clean, cruelty free beauty at an incredible value has fueled the success of our flagship brand e.l.f. Cosmetics since 2004 and driven our portfolio expansion. Today, our multi-brand portfolio includes e.l.f. Cosmetics, e.l.f. SKIN, e.l.f. Hair, Well People, Naturium and rhode.
In our Fiscal year 26, we had net sales of $1.6 Billion and our business performance has been nothing short of extraordinary with 7 consecutive years of net sales growth. This consistent, category-leading growth is a testament to the strength of our team, strategy, and portfolio of brands.
Our total compensation philosophy offers every full-time new hire competitive pay and benefits, bonus eligibility (200% of target over the last seven fiscal years), equity, flexible time off, year-round half-day Fridays, and a hybrid 3 day in office, 2 day at home work environment. We believe the combination of our unique culture, total compensation, workplace flexibility and care for the team is unmatched across not just beauty but any industry.
Visit our Career Page to learn more about our team: https://www.elfbeauty.com/work-with-us
Purpose of Job
This role is designed to establish and execute the company’s microbial risk and product safety control system, implement standardized risk management across the full product lifecycle, and build unified microbial risk governance capabilities for multi-region OEM suppliers. The position leads the implementation of company microbial strategies, cross-functional risk assessments and closed-loop improvement initiatives. Serving as the company’s microbiology technical expert, it provides technical support and capability training for internal and external teams, and coordinates the investigation and on-site resolution of critical quality deviations. In addition, it builds a global quality knowledge base and replicates proven best practices to strengthen preventive quality management, systematically reduce recurring quality risks, and sustain consistent and compliant product quality for the brand.
Primary Duties and Responsibilities
- Lead the development and iteration of company’s global microbial risk control and product safety management strategies, ensuring the framework align with quality objectives, cosmetic regulations, regional market compliance requirements and brand quality standards.
- Build standardized, actionable global product safety control baselines with full awareness of regional implementation variances.
- Design, deploy and maintain systematic microbial risk control plans covering new product development formula screening and safety verification, process & equipment assessment, OEM manufacturing process control, product transportation & storage risk management, and post-launch quality monitoring.
- Continuously refine control measures in response to business needs, changes of key influencing factors and market feedback, to achieve effective microbial safety oversight throughout the entire product lifecycle.
- Own microbial risk assessment across business and manufacturing workflows; proactively identify potential microbial hazards, process vulnerabilities and systemic quality risks.
- Develop targeted risk mitigation plans, coordinate cross functional resources to implement corrective and preventive actions (CAPA), track execution progress and verify improvement effectiveness to sustain reduction of product quality risks.
- Serve as the in house subject matter expert for microbiology and product safety; provide technical consultation, standard interpretation and problem-solving solutions for internal quality, R&D, sourcing teams and global external OEM partners.
- Deliver regular standardized training sessions covering microbial control requirements, risk prevention and deviation handling, to continuously elevate quality awareness and technical competence of e.l.f. employees and supplier personnel.
- Lead manufacturing process quality control for cosmetic finished goods suppliers; organize on site quality support and technical troubleshooting for critical production abnormalities.
- Drive investigation, root cause analysis, CAPA development and cross functional alignment for major and recurring quality incidents, to ensure timely resolution of quality issues.
- Establish and continuously update the quality knowledge base, including microbial control specifications, typical failure modes, manufacturing process troubleshooting experience and proven best practices.
- Systematically document global quality cases; replicate validated control methods and improvement learnings across all OEM sites to implement standardized preventive quality management and proactively reduce recurrence of similar quality issues.
Establish e.l.f.’s global microbial risk management and product safety strategy
Develop end to end microbial risk control plans across the full product lifecycle
Lead cross functional microbial risk assessment and closed loop improvement
Act as e.l.f.’s microbiology subject matter expert to deliver technical consultation and capability enablement
Supplier manufacturing process control, on site troubleshooting and major quality incident management
Build and update the quality knowledge pool to enable preventive quality management
Education/Knowledge/Experience
- Bachelor's degree or above in microbiology, chemistry, pharmacy, biology, food science, or related fields; Master's degree preferred.
- 8+ years of quality management experience in the cosmetics or related FMCG industry, including 3+ years in a quality manager or equivalent management role.
- Be familiar with cosmetics regulations and standards, and quality management tools (FMEA, 8D, 5Whys, SPC).
- Strong data analysis, problem-solving, and root-cause analysis capabilities; excellent communication and cross-functional coordination skills.
- Proficiency in English (reading, writing, listening, speaking) for global collaboration; able to travel for onsite supplier support.
- Strategic thinking and quality system design capability.
- Leadership and cross-functional team coordination.
- Expert-level microbiology knowledge and risk assessment proficiency.
- Cosmetic manufacturing processes, raw‑material properties, production equipment and facility environmental requirements.
- Cosmetic microbial hazards, preservation‑system‑related risks, clean‑manufacturing controls, and packaging‑material microbial risks.
- Microbial‑safety‑related clauses under major cosmetic regulations in China, Europe and the United States.
Minimum request:
Competency:
Relevant knowledge demand:
This job description is intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed in this position. It also reflects the general details considered necessary to describe the principal functions of the job identified, and shall not be considered, as detailed description of all the work required inherent in the job. It is not an exhaustive list of responsibilities, and it is subject to changes and exceptions at the supervisors’ discretion.
e.l.f. Beauty respects your privacy. Please see our Job Applicant Privacy Notice (www.elfbeauty.com/us-job-applicant-privacy-notice) for how your personal information is used and shared.
Skills Required
- Bachelor's degree or higher in microbiology, chemistry, pharmacy, biology, food science, or a related field
- 8 or more years of quality management experience in the cosmetics or related FMCG industry
- 3 or more years of experience in a quality manager or equivalent management role
- Familiarity with cosmetics regulations and standards
- Knowledge of quality management tools including FMEA, 8D, 5 Whys, and SPC
- Strong data analysis, problem-solving, and root-cause analysis capabilities
- Excellent communication and cross-functional coordination skills
- English proficiency in reading, writing, listening, and speaking
- Ability to travel for onsite supplier support
- Strategic thinking and quality system design capability
- Leadership and cross-functional team coordination capability
- Expert-level microbiology knowledge and microbial risk assessment proficiency
- Knowledge of cosmetic manufacturing processes, raw materials, production equipment, and facility environmental requirements
- Knowledge of cosmetic microbial hazards, preservation-system risks, clean-manufacturing controls, and packaging-material microbial risks
- Knowledge of microbial-safety clauses in major cosmetic regulations in China, Europe, and the United States
- Master's degree
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The Company
What We Do
e.l.f. Beauty, Inc. stands with every eye, lip, face and paw. Celebrating the beauty of every eye, lip and face is fundamental to our DNA. It’s in our name and inspires us as a company. We are committed to creating a culture internally – and in the world around us – where all individuals are encouraged to express their truest selves, are empowered to succeed and where we do the right thing for people, the planet and animals. Our deep commitment to inclusive, accessible, cruelty-free beauty has fueled the success of the e.l.f. Cosmetics brand online and at retail since 2004. With the 2020 acquisition of the pioneering clean-beauty brand W3LL People, and the new lifestyle beauty brand Keys Soulcare created with Alicia Keys, we continue to strategically expand our portfolio with brands that support our purpose and values. Our brands are widely available online, and at leading beauty, mass-market, and natural specialty retailers.
