Sr. Regulatory Manager

Company

"A perfume is a world you can return to over and over again-a keyhole into far off places-material and imaginary."

D.S. & Durga is a Brooklyn fragrance house on a quest to create thrilling perfumes inspired by music, myth, and the mundane. Founded in 2009 by David (D.S.) and Kavi (Durga) Moltz, the brand is known for its uniquely distinguished perfumes, candles, and aromatic products. All fragrances and design worlds are original compositions, rooted in specificity, surrealism, and clarity.

With distribution across 600 doors globally and five freestanding stores in NYC and LA, the brand is entering a new phase of growth following Manzanita Capital's majority investment in 2024.

Role Overview

The Sr. Regulatory Manager owns the day-to-day regulatory compliance and execution of D.S. & Durga's global fragrance, home fragrance and personal care portfolio.

Working cross-functionally across Product Development, Operations, Marketing, Creative, Wholesale and International, the role is responsible for ensuring that new launches, existing products and packaging changes meet applicable regulatory requirements and are completed on time and in full across the markets in which D.S. & Durga operates.

This is a highly autonomous individual-contributor role. The Sr. Regulatory Manager will manage the core regulatory workflow internally, including product registrations, formula and ingredient documentation, artwork and claims review, testing coordination, technical documentation and regulatory tracking, while working with external regulatory experts, Responsible Persons, laboratories, manufacturers and distributors where specialized expertise or local representation is required.

Success in this role requires both strong regulatory fundamentals and exceptional operating discipline. The ideal candidate does not simply identify regulatory requirements or issues; they create structure around them, anticipate dependencies, establish clear actions and timelines, and drive work through resolution.

Key Responsibilities

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform the following satisfactorily; other duties may be assigned:

1. Product Registration & Market Compliance

• Own and coordinate regulatory submissions, registrations, notifications and renewals required to commercialize D.S. & Durga products across the U.S. and international markets.
• Maintain required U.S. registrations and listings, including applicable MoCRA requirements.
• Coordinate EU/UK and other international registrations with Responsible Persons, distributors and external regulatory partners.
• Maintain clear market-by-market requirements and regulatory calendars to support launch readiness and ongoing compliance.
• Proactively identify regulatory changes or requirements that could affect product availability, launch timing or continued commercialization.

2. Formula, Ingredient & Technical Documentation

• Review and maintain formula, ingredient and technical documentation required for regulatory compliance and product registration.
• Coordinate with manufacturers, fragrance houses and suppliers to obtain and maintain IFRA certificates, SDS, allergen documentation, Certificates of Analysis and other required technical documentation.
• Maintain complete, accurate and audit-ready product regulatory files and dossiers.
• Identify documentation gaps early and drive internal and external partners to resolution.
• Escalate complex formula, ingredient, safety or toxicological matters to external regulatory specialists when appropriate.

3. Artwork, Labeling & Claims

• Review packaging artwork, ingredient declarations, warning statements, symbols and other required labeling for regulatory compliance prior to production.
• Review marketing and product claims for regulatory compliance and confirm appropriate substantiation is available.
• Partner closely with Creative, Marketing and Product Development to identify and resolve compliance issues while protecting commercialization timelines.
• Maintain clear documentation of regulatory artwork and claims approvals.

4. Testing & Product Safety

• Coordinate required product safety, stability, compatibility, microbiological and claims-substantiation testing with Product Development, manufacturers and external laboratories.
• Maintain testing schedules, required documentation and final reports.
• Identify and escalate testing failures, adverse events, safety concerns or other material regulatory risks promptly.
• Support applicable adverse-event reporting and related compliance processes.

5. Launch & Cross-Functional Execution

• Serve as D.S. & Durga's internal Regulatory point person throughout the product-development and commercialization process.
• Maintain a forward-looking view of regulatory requirements and dependencies across the innovation and commercial calendar.
• Ensure regulatory registrations, documentation, testing, artwork approvals and external dependencies are completed on time and in full against agreed launch and market-entry timelines.
• Work closely with Product Development, Operations, Marketing, Creative, Wholesale and International to identify potential regulatory blockers early and drive them through resolution.
• Support distributors and commercial teams with regulatory documentation and market-specific compliance requirements.

6. Regulatory Planning & Business Visibility

• Own and maintain a single, up-to-date view of regulatory priorities, launch readiness, market readiness, compliance risks and remediation activities.
• For material regulatory issues, clearly identify the affected product, market or business; commercial impact; status and trend; recommended mitigation; next action; accountable owner and due date; and any decision or support required.
• Ensure regulatory risks and dependencies are identified sufficiently early to protect launches, shipments and existing business.
• Lead the weekly regulatory review, focusing discussion on changed, at-risk, overdue and decision-dependent items.
• Drive agreed actions across internal teams and external partners and escalate when timelines or compliance requirements are at risk.
• Maintain disciplined closure and documentation of completed regulatory work to preserve institutional knowledge and prevent recurring issues.

7. External Partners & Regulatory Resources

• Manage day-to-day workflow with external Responsible Persons, regulatory consultants, testing laboratories and other regulatory service providers.
• Identify when matters require specialist technical expertise and escalate appropriately.
• Coordinate external regulatory projects, deliverables and timelines through completion.
• Help manage external regulatory spend efficiently by using specialist resources where they add value rather than as a substitute for internal ownership.

8. Regulatory Operations & Continuous Compliance

• Maintain regulatory SOPs, workflows, trackers, documentation standards and change-control processes.
• Monitor relevant regulatory developments and coordinate required actions with internal teams and external experts.
• Support ongoing compliance requirements, including EPR, applicable U.S. federal and state requirements and international regulatory obligations.
• Maintain appropriate confidentiality and access controls for proprietary formulas and regulatory documentation.
• Support regulatory inquiries from retailers, distributors and Customer Service.

Competencies: To perform the job successfully, an individual should demonstrate the following.

Regulatory Expertise: Demonstrates strong working knowledge of U.S. cosmetic regulations, including MoCRA, as well as EU/UK cosmetic requirements, IFRA standards and fragrance allergen rules. Stays current on federal, state and international regulatory developments and understands how they affect formulas, packaging, claims and market access. Knows when an issue is routine and when it requires specialist input.

Attention to Detail: Reviews formulas, ingredient declarations, artwork, labels and claims with rigor and accuracy. Catches errors and documentation gaps before they reach production or market. Maintains complete, accurate and audit-ready regulatory files.

Planning and Organization: Manages multiple products, launches, markets and deadlines at once. Works backwards from launch and commercial milestones to identify dependencies and risks early. Builds and maintains clear trackers, calendars and timelines, and ensures nothing falls through the cracks.

Judgment and Risk Assessment: Distinguishes routine activity from issues carrying real compliance or commercial risk. Weighs regulatory requirements against business priorities to recommend practical, compliant solutions. Escalates material risks promptly with a clear view of impact, options and next steps.

Problem Solving: Identifies regulatory blockers early and drives them through resolution. Investigates root causes rather than only fixing symptoms. Develops workable alternatives when requirements, timelines or markets change, and stays calm and solution-focused under pressure.

Communication: Translates technical regulatory requirements into clear business implications, recommendations and actions for non-technical colleagues. Writes clearly and concisely, including regulatory assessments, issue summaries and partner correspondence. Keeps leadership and cross-functional teams informed of status, risks and decisions needed.

Teamwork and Collaboration: Partners effectively with Product Development, Operations, Marketing, Creative, Wholesale and International to keep launches on track. Builds strong working relationships with manufacturers, suppliers, laboratories, Responsible Persons and consultants. Is open to others' perspectives and balances compliance needs with commercial goals.

Ownership and Accountability: Operates autonomously as the company's dedicated internal Regulatory resource. Takes responsibility for outcomes, defines next actions and owners, and follows work through to completion. Manages external resources and spend thoughtfully.

Integrity and Confidentiality: Upholds the highest standards of accuracy and honesty in regulatory documentation and submissions. Protects proprietary formulas and sensitive information. Raises compliance concerns openly and promptly.

Use of Technology: Is proficient in Microsoft Office/Google Workspace, with strong Excel or Sheets skills for tracking and reporting. Navigates regulatory portals and databases with confidence. Adapts quickly to new systems and uses technology to streamline regulatory workflows.

Organizational Commitment: Follows company policies and procedures. Completes administrative tasks accurately and on time. Supports the organization's goals and values. Contributes to an inclusive, respectful workplace.

Qualifications: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Education/Experience:

• Bachelor's degree in Chemistry, Cosmetic Science, Biology, Pharmaceutical Sciences or a related scientific discipline preferred; advanced degree or Regulatory Affairs Certification (RAC) a plus.
• 5-7+ years of progressive Regulatory Affairs experience within fragrance, cosmetics, personal care or beauty, with a demonstrated ability to independently own regulatory workstreams end to end.
• Hands-on experience with product registrations, formula and ingredient documentation, artwork and labeling review, claims compliance and technical documentation.
• Working knowledge of U.S. cosmetic regulations, including MoCRA, and experience supporting products sold internationally.
• Familiarity with EU/UK cosmetic requirements, including Responsible Person, CPNP/SCPN and product information file (PIF) processes, strongly preferred.
• Fragrance regulatory experience, including IFRA standards and fragrance allergen requirements, strongly preferred.
• Familiarity with EPR, California requirements and evolving U.S. state-level cosmetic regulations preferred.
• Experience coordinating product safety, stability and claims-substantiation testing.
• Experience working directly with manufacturers, suppliers, laboratories, regulatory consultants and/or Responsible Persons.
• Strong project-management and organizational skills, with a demonstrated ability to manage multiple launches, markets and deadlines simultaneously.
• Experience within a growing beauty or fragrance business with a high new-product launch cadence preferred.

Language Ability:

Read, analyze and interpret scientific and technical documents, regulatory texts, legal documents and governmental regulations. Write regulatory assessments, technical correspondence, SOPs and procedure manuals. Effectively present information and respond to questions from leadership, cross-functional teams, external partners, retailers and regulators.

Mathematical Ability:

Apply concepts such as fractions, percentages, ratios and proportions to practical situations, including calculating ingredient concentrations and allergen thresholds. Interpret formula data, test results and basic statistical information.

Reasoning Ability:

Define problems, collect data, establish facts and draw valid conclusions. Interpret an extensive variety of technical and regulatory requirements and apply them to specific products and markets. Deal with several abstract and concrete variables, often where requirements are evolving or differ by market.

Computer Skills:

• MS Office / Google Workspace
• Strong proficiency in Excel or Google Sheets for trackers, calendars and reporting.
• Experience with regulatory submission portals (e.g., FDA Cosmetics Direct, CPNP/SCPN) required.
• Experience with formula-management, regulatory compliance or PLM software is a plus.
• Experience with an ERP system is a plus (Business Central, NetSuite, etc.)

Benefits:

• The salary range for this role is $110,000-$125,000 dependent upon experience
• Location: Brooklyn, NY (Hybrid- 3 days per week in office)
• Full Time employees are eligible for medical, dental and vision insurance, employer paid life insurance, 401k plan, pre tax commuter benefits, quarterly gratis, employee discount, long-term & short- term disability leave and much more.

Supervisory Responsibilities: This job has no direct supervisory responsibilities.

Work Environment: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

The work environment is dog friendly.

Physical Demands: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit. The employee is frequently required to use hands to finger, handle, or feel and talk or hear. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision.

The above job description is not intended to be an all-inclusive list of duties and standards of the position. Incumbents will follow any other instructions, and perform any other related duties, as assigned by their supervisor.

D.S. & Durga is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, gender (including gender identity or expression), pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, sexual orientation, marital status, domestic violence, sexual violence or stalking victim status, ancestry, national origin, alienage or citizenship, age, disability, military or veteran status, genetic information or predisposing genetic characteristic, or other protected status.