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Associate Product Development Manager Jobs in Riverside, CA

Product Development Manager

Corona, CA ยท On-site

$118K - $147K/yr

As the Product Development Manager, you will lead projects with flavor houses, suppliers, and production facilities to develop new beverages and raw materials. Manage the review of all formulas ...

Product Development Manager

Corona, CA ยท On-site

$76K - $104K/yr

As the Product Development Manager, you will lead projects with flavor houses, suppliers, and production facilities to develop new beverages and raw materials. Manage the review of all formulas ...

Product Development Manager

Chino, CA ยท On-site

$23 - $28/hr

Review and test product samples to evaluate new developments and market fit. * Analyze product defects, generate detailed reports, and provide actionable insights to management for quality ...

New Product Development Manager

Irvine, CA ยท On-site

$90 - $120/hr

Role Description The New Product Development Manager is responsible for leading cosmetic skin and hair care projects from concept ideation through formulation approval and technology transfer to ...

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Associate Product Development Manager information

See Riverside, CA salary details

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How much do associate product development manager jobs pay per hour?

As of Aug 28, 2026, the average hourly pay for associate product development manager in Riverside, CA is $31.82, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $24.57 and $39.62 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What does an associate product development manager do?

An Associate Product Development Manager supports the product development process by assisting in planning, coordinating, and overseeing new product initiatives. They collaborate with cross-functional teams such as engineering, marketing, and design to ensure products meet market needs and business goals. Their responsibilities often include conducting market research, tracking project timelines, and helping manage budgets. This role is typically entry- to mid-level and serves as a stepping stone to more senior product management positions.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as an associate product development manager?

To thrive as an Associate Product Development Manager, you need a solid understanding of product life cycles, market research, and project management, often supported by a relevant bachelor's degree. Familiarity with tools like JIRA, Agile or Scrum methodologies, and product management software such as Trello or Asana is typical for the role. Strong communication, collaboration, and problem-solving skills help differentiate high performers in this position. These skills are essential to ensure that products are developed efficiently, meet market needs, and are delivered on time and within budget.

How does an associate product development manager typically collaborate with cross-functional teams during a product launch?

An Associate Product Development Manager frequently works alongside cross-functional teams such as engineering, design, marketing, and sales to ensure a smooth product launch. This collaboration involves organizing meetings to align on project timelines, gathering input on product requirements, and communicating updates on development progress. Effective communication and coordination are key, as the Associate Manager often acts as a bridge, ensuring that all teams are informed and any issues are addressed promptly. This collaborative environment not only helps in delivering successful product launches but also provides valuable experience in stakeholder management for career growth.

What is the difference between Associate Product Development Manager vs Product Manager?

AspectAssociate Product Development ManagerProduct Manager
ResponsibilitiesSupports product development, assists in project coordination, and conducts researchOwns product strategy, defines features, and manages product lifecycle
Required SkillsBasic product knowledge, teamwork, communication skillsStrategic thinking, leadership, market analysis
ExperienceEntry-level to mid-level, often 1-3 yearsMid to senior level, often 3+ years
Work EnvironmentCollaborative teams within product development departmentsCross-functional teams including marketing, engineering, and sales

The Associate Product Development Manager typically supports product teams with research and coordination, while the Product Manager leads product strategy and decision-making. Both roles require strong communication skills, but the Product Manager has greater responsibility for the product's success and lifecycle management.

Is an associate product development manager an entry-level role?

An Associate Product Development Manager is typically an entry-level or early-career role that involves supporting product development teams, conducting market research, and assisting with project coordination. It often requires some prior experience or relevant skills, such as knowledge of product lifecycle management tools, but generally serves as a stepping stone to more senior product management positions.

Is being an Associate Product Development Manager a stressful job?

The role of an Associate Product Development Manager can involve stress due to tight deadlines, cross-functional collaboration, and responsibility for product success. However, workload and stress levels vary depending on company size, industry, and project complexity, and strong organizational and communication skills can help manage pressure.

What cities near Riverside, CA are hiring for Associate Product Development Manager jobs?

Cities near Riverside, CA with the most Associate Product Development Manager job openings:

Infographic showing various Associate Product Development Manager job openings in Riverside, CA as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 80% Full Time, 17% Part Time, and 2% Contract. Highlights an 86% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 11% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $66,176 per year, or $31.8 per hour.

Associate Product Development Project Manager

Corona, CA โ€ข On-site

Developlus, Inc.
Manufacturingย โ€ขย 51 - 200 employees

$118K - $147K/yr

Full-time

Posted 21 days ago


Job description

POSITION: Associate Product Development Project Manager
DEPARTMENT: Product Development
REPORTS TO: Product Development Director
LOCATION: Corona, California / Hybrid
POSITION SUMMARY
The Product Development Project Manager is responsible for managing both new product development and existing product change initiatives across Developlus's hair color, remover, hair care, and styling portfolio. This role serves as the central project leader responsible for coordinating cross-functional activities from concept approval through commercialization while also managing product lifecycle changes after launch.
The position owns project execution, Engineering Change Request (ECR) coordination, packaging change management, stage-gate governance, and documentation control activities. The Project Manager ensures successful launches within established development timelines while maintaining alignment across Product Development, Marketing, Packaging, Regulatory, Quality, Operations, Purchasing, Supply Chain, Sales, and external manufacturing partners.
The ideal candidate has extensive beauty industry experience and understands the complexities of launching products into major retail channels including Ulta Beauty, Target, CVS, Walgreens, Walmart, Amazon, and specialty beauty retailers. The successful candidate must possess strong project management skills, exceptional organizational abilities, and the ability to manage multiple new product launches and existing product updates simultaneously.
NEW PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT MANAGEMENT
  • Lead multiple new product development projects through the entire stage-gate process from concept through commercialization.
  • Build and maintain detailed project timelines spanning 10-18 month development cycles.
  • Establish critical milestones and ensure adherence to launch schedules.
  • Monitor project progress and proactively address risks, delays, and resource constraints.
  • Develop mitigation plans and contingency strategies for critical project risks.
  • Ensure projects are delivered on time, within budget, and aligned with brand objectives alongside PD Director.
  • Support prioritization and management of the innovation pipeline across multiple brands and product categories.

ENGINEERING CHANGE REQUEST (ECR) MANAGEMENT
  • Own the changes for the Engineering Change Request (ECR) process for product, packaging, formula, artwork, component, and supplier changes.
  • Schedule, facilitate, and document ECR review meetings.
  • Coordinate review and approval activities across all impacted departments.
  • Track ECR status, approvals, implementation plans, and completion dates.
  • Ensure approved changes are communicated and executed according to established procedures.
  • Provide ECR status updates and escalation recommendations to leadership.

EXISTING PRODUCT & CHANGE MANAGEMENT
  • Manage updates and revisions to existing products and packaging.
  • Prioritize and coordinate existing product changes alongside new product development initiatives.
  • Drive implementation of approved formula, packaging, artwork, supplier, specification, and process changes.
  • Ensure all changes comply with stage-gate requirements and change-control procedures.
  • Maintain visibility of all active product and packaging change initiatives.

CROSS-FUNCTIONAL LEADERSHIP
  • Coordinate activities across Product Development, Marketing, Packaging, Regulatory, Operations, Quality, Purchasing, and Sales.
  • Lead weekly cross-functional project meetings and communicate project status updates to core team.
  • Manage action items, deliverables, and accountability across all departments.
  • Escalate issues and recommend solutions to the Director of Product Development.
  • Foster collaboration, accountability, and project management best practices across cross-functional teams.

BEAUTY PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT
  • Support development of innovative beauty products across hair color, hair care, styling, and personal care categories.
  • Coordinate formulation development, testing, stability programs, and product evaluations alongside the Product & Education Lead.
  • Track product samples, approvals, and development revisions.
  • Support competitive benchmarking and innovation pipeline initiatives.
  • Proactively research, track, and analyze new product launches across the beauty market, identifying key trends, innovations, and competitive insights.
  • Monitor emerging ingredient, formulation, packaging, and consumer trends to support innovation strategy.
  • Attend supplier presentations, industry events, and trade shows as appropriate to identify new technologies and opportunities.

PACKAGING DEVELOPMENT & CHANGE CONTROL
  • Manage packaging development timelines, artwork approvals, and component sourcing.
  • Coordinate packaging readiness to support commercialization timelines.
  • Ensure packaging components meet quality, regulatory, and retailer requirements.
  • Partner with packaging suppliers to support component development, qualification, and timeline execution.

DOCUMENTATION CONTROL & PROJECT GOVERNANCE
  • Coordinate documentation control activities associated with product and packaging changes.
  • Ensure specifications, artwork files, BOMs, technical documents, and supporting records are reviewed, approved, and maintained.
  • Maintain project documentation, meeting records, approval records, and change-control documentation.
  • Partner with documentation control personnel to maintain revision history and document accuracy.
  • Ensure accountability and ownership of projects after documentation release and approval.

COMMERCIALIZATION & LAUNCH READINESS
  • Coordinate first production runs and launch preparation activities.
  • Monitor inventory planning and launch execution milestones.
  • Ensure all commercialization requirements are completed before launch.
  • Partner with Operations, Supply Chain, and Purchasing to ensure manufacturing readiness and successful launch execution.

RETAIL & CUSTOMER REQUIREMENTS
  • Support retailer-specific launch requirements and milestone management.
  • Coordinate timelines to meet customer presentation, line review, and launch deadlines.
  • Collaborate with Sales and Marketing teams to support retailer launch strategies.
  • Support retailer presentations, customer meetings, and retailer-exclusive development initiatives as needed.

REGULATORY & QUALITY COMPLIANCE
  • Coordinate required product testing, claims support, and documentation alongside Product & Education Lead.
  • Partner with Regulatory Affairs to ensure compliance with domestic and international requirements.
  • Support compliance with FDA, MoCRA, retailer, and applicable international regulatory requirements.

SUPPLIER & VENDOR MANAGEMENT
  • Coordinate activities with contract manufacturers, packaging suppliers, testing laboratories, and external development partners.
  • Track supplier deliverables and timelines to support project milestones.
  • Support supplier evaluations and continuous improvement initiatives.

REPORTING & PROCESS IMPROVEMENT
  • Maintain project management systems, Microsoft Project Management timelines and documentation.
  • Prepare project status reports, agendas, and updates.
  • Track key project metrics and identify opportunities for process improvement.
  • Develop and maintain project dashboards, timelines, and launch tracking tools.
  • Support continuous improvement initiatives within Product Development.
  • Highly organized and self-driven with an entrepreneurial mentality.

QUALIFICATIONS
Education
  • Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing.
  • Experience utilizing project management/timeline or workflow management systems.
  • Strong understanding of product commercialization processes, manufacturing readiness, and supply chain coordination.
  • Knowledge of FDA cosmetic regulations, MoCRA requirements, claims substantiation, and retailer compliance standards preferred.
  • Experience managing multiple concurrent projects in a fast-paced environment.
  • Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, and Project reporting tools.

EXPERIENCE
  • Minimum 4-5 years of project management experience in the beauty, cosmetics, hair care, hair color or personal care industry.
  • Experience managing mass and/or prestige beauty product launches required.
  • Experience with hair color and hair care product development strongly preferred.
  • Proven success managing product development timelines of 10-18 months.
  • Experience working with contract manufacturers and packaging suppliers.
  • Experience supporting launches into major retail channels.
  • Experience managing packaging development and packaging change initiatives.
  • Experience leading cross-functional change-control or ECR processes preferred.

CORE COMPETENCIES
  • Strong organizational and project management skills.
  • Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
  • Excellent communication and cross-functional leadership abilities.
  • Strong attention to detail and follow-through.
  • Self-driven with an entrepreneurial mindset.
  • Ability to influence without direct authority.