Senior R&D Category Leader
Ghent, BE, 9050
At Perrigo, we are driven by our mission to Makes Lives Better Through Trusted Health and Wellness Solutions, Accessible to All. We are proud to be a Top 10 player in the European Consumer Self-Care market and the largest U.S. store brand provider of over the counter and infant formula. Dedicated to providing The Best Self-Care for Everyone, we are the people behind the brands you trust. We are Opill®, Compeed®, Solpadeine®, NiQuitin®, and many more. We Are Perrigo. We are committed to enhancing the wellbeing of our colleagues and consumers alike. We pride ourselves on fostering an inclusive, collaborative culture where each person can experience a sense of belonging.
Join us on our One Perrigo journey as we evolve to win in self-care.
Description Overview
The Senior R&D Lead – Skin Health is a senior scientific and strategic leadership role responsible for defining and executing the innovation and product strategy for Perrigo’s insect repellent and head lice portfolio. Operating across global markets and multiple regulatory frameworks, the role combines deep category expertise with business leadership to drive science-led, consumer-focused innovation that supports sustainable growth and strengthens Perrigo’s position within the self-care market.
Working at the intersection of health, science, and commercial strategy, the role leads the development, optimization, and lifecycle management of products across medical device, biocide, cosmetic, and OTC categories. The Senior R&D Lead ensures that innovation pipelines align with consumer needs, market trends, regulatory requirements, and business objectives, while delivering high-quality, compliant, and commercially viable solutions. Through close collaboration with cross-functional teams and global stakeholders, the position plays a critical role in protecting existing product portfolios, identifying new growth opportunities, and translating scientific advancements into meaningful consumer health benefits.
Scope of the Role
Innovation & Scientific Leadership
- Lead category innovation strategy with Marketing, driving consumer-led, science-based growth.
- Build and deliver a robust innovation pipeline from insight generation to launch, leveraging AI, digital tools, and external partnerships.
- Shape scientific strategy, evidence generation, and regulatory alignment to create differentiated, credible products.
Cross-Functional Execution
- Partner across Regulatory, Clinical, Medical, Quality, Supply Chain, and Commercial functions to accelerate innovation and ensure compliance.
- Embed scientific excellence throughout the product lifecycle while enabling agile, digital-first ways of working.
Consumer-Centric Growth
- Drive insight-led, scalable innovations that address unmet consumer needs and create competitive advantage.
- Leverage modular platforms, predictive analytics, and emerging science to increase speed to market and portfolio impact.
Strategic & Organizational Leadership
- Act as strategic partner to Category and Commercial leaders, shaping long-term portfolio and growth strategies.
- Build and inspire high-performing teams, fostering collaboration, innovation, inclusion, and continuous development.
- Represent the category internally and externally as a trusted scientific leader and innovation ambassador.
Experience Required
- R&D and Innovation Leader with 6+ years of experience in consumer health, pharmaceuticals, and FMCG.
- Proven track record of delivering science-led, consumer-centric innovations from concept to commercialization.
- Expertise in innovation strategy, product development, regulatory frameworks, and evidence-based decision-making.
- Strong cross-functional leader, partnering across R&D, Regulatory, Medical, Supply Chain, and Commercial teams.
- Experienced in driving category growth through consumer insights, market trends, and data-driven innovation.
- Passionate about building high-performing teams, fostering collaboration, and accelerating business impact.
- Global mindset with experience working across diverse markets, stakeholders, and regulatory environments.
Benefits
We believe our people are our greatest asset. Alongside competitive compensation, we offer benefits tailored to supporting you and your family, as well as career development opportunities to ensure you feel valued and supported, both professionally and personally.
Find out more about Total Rewards at Perrigo.
Hybrid Working Approach
We love our offices and the setting they provide for in-person collaboration and celebration. But we also appreciate the opportunity to work remotely can energise you too, so we promote flexibility with the ability to work two days a week from home in many roles.
We are proud to be included in the Forbes list of "America's Best Employers by State 2024". Find out more here
Applicants please note: To apply to this position please click the APPLY button at the bottom of the application. (The SAVE button will only save your profile information but not submit an application for this open position.) All application materials, including resumes and CVs, must be submitted in English. Thank you.
We are an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, status as a protected veteran, or other characteristics protected by law. #weareperrigo