Location: San Diego, CA (Onsite Full-time required)

 

Summary

The Senior Account Manager is the primary liaison between our external brand partners and our internal formulation and manufacturing teams. The person is responsible for owning the customer relationship from submission of the new product brief through to product delivery and repeat order. This role ensures customer satisfaction, commercial alignment, and cross-functional coordination to deliver high-quality personal care products, on time and within scope. You’ll work closely with a project manager, operations, and our contract manufacturing partners to communicate client needs, manage client expectations, and provide a seamless customer experience across development and production. This role is ideal for someone who combines strong relationship management with operational awareness and a passion for supporting high-impact beauty and personal care brands. 

 

Essential Functions

Customer Relationship & Commercial Management 

• Serve as the primary point of contact for assigned brand partners, managing all communications from project kickoff through launch. 
• Build deep relationships with customers to understand their brand vision, timelines, technical needs, and success metrics. 
• Lead customer calls and project reviews; ensure expectations are aligned and clearly communicated internally. 
• Translate customer needs into actionable product briefs and work with internal teams to ensure feasibility, accuracy, and timely responses. 
• Support customer and internal review of development samples, collecting feedback and routing formulation revisions as needed. 
• Provide timely and accurate quotes, cost estimates, and commercial documents (pricing, MOQs, lead times, etc.). 
• Partner with the Project Manager to ensure internal and external project milestones are met and that all stakeholders remain aligned throughout the lifecycle of each project. 
• Full vision on multi-year NPD, securing new business, and driving repeat orders on successful products. 

New Product Development (NPD) Oversight 

• Coordinate with customers and internal formulation teams/ project management to ensure clear communication of revisions, testing status, and development timelines. 
• Review and validate formulation briefs, sample approvals, compatibility requirements, and claim substantiation needs with customers. 
• Manage customer feedback loops during the development phase, escalating technical or feasibility concerns when needed. 
• Communicate lab and pilot batch results and coordinate with the Project Manager and R&D for any follow-up actions. 

Operational Alignment & Risk Management 

• Collaborate cross-functionally with R&D, quality, regulatory, production, and supply chain to ensure execution aligns with customer expectations and production realities. 
• Escalate risks, delays, or changes in scope to customers in a timely and professional manner. 
• Ensure accurate and complete R&D and costing documentation is shared with the customer for review and sign-off. 
• Actively support the internal team in managing customer PO timelines, delivery updates, and change orders. 

Business Development & Strategic Growth 

• Support the growth of existing accounts by identifying opportunities for repeat business, new launches, and strategic partnerships. 
• Work with leadership to vet and onboard new customer accounts; participate in customer pitch meetings and presentations as needed. 
• Contribute to market and competitor research to support internal development and positioning. 
• Collaborate with the BD and Marketing teams to prepare samples, decks, and case studies tailored to each customer’s brand story. 

Reporting & Communication 

• Maintain up-to-date records of customer projects, timelines, and communications using CRM and project tracking tools. 
• Contribute to internal project meetings and weekly status reviews; share customer insights, changes, or escalations proactively. 
• Help drive improvements in customer-facing processes and documentation to improve efficiency and experience. 

 

Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering, Cosmetic Science, Chemistry, or a related technical field preferred. 
• 5+ years of account management experience in the personal care or beauty industry. 
• Experience working directly with or alongside contract manufacturers (CMOs). 
• Proven track record of managing customer relationships and delivering high-value, high-quality products. 
• Expert understanding  of personal care or skincare product development lifecycle, including formulation, testing, and manufacturing. 
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to tailor messaging to technical and non-technical audiences. 
• Strong organizational and problem-solving skills; ability to manage multiple customer projects simultaneously. 
• Proficiency with project tracking, CRM tools, and shared communication platforms including Monday.com and Teams. 
• Ability to thrive in a dynamic, fast-paced, and customer-focused environment. 
• Occasional travel to customer or manufacturing sites (<15%) may be required. 
• Understanding of GMP, regulatory, and product testing standards (stability, compatibility, preservative efficacy). 
• Previous experience in a hybrid commercial + technical role (e.g., technical sales, product development, brand manager). 
• Ability to interpret and communicate basic formulation or technical information to customers with varying levels of product knowledge. 

 

Essential Physical Characteristics:

• The physical characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of a job, on a case-by-case basis.
• Continuous upward and downward flexion of the neck.
• Frequent sitting, repetitive use of hands to operate computers, printers and copiers.
• Occasional walking, standing, bending and twisting of neck, bending and twisting of waist, squatting, simple grasping, reaching above and below shoulder level, and lifting and carrying of files weighing up to 15 pounds.
• The performance of this position will present exposure to an industrial environment and requires support and compliance with the published Company PPE policy including but not limited to the use of personal protective equipment as needed.

 

Condition of Employment

As part of Debut’s pre-employment process, prospective candidates will undergo a background check prior to beginning employment. Additional types of background investigations may be conducted based on the job-related activities of the position.

Debut is an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran, or disability status.

 

Salary:  $95,000 – $115,000

 

*Debut is not outsourcing this role to external recruiting agencies.