LEEP Is Hiring: Senior Innovation Manager – Remote

LEEP (Lead Exposure Elimination Project) is seeking an entrepreneurial and technically confident Senior Innovation Manager to lead a high-impact project focused on developing a credible, lead-free alternative to lead-adulterated surma, also known as kohl or kajal.

Closing Date: Rolling applications until a suitable candidate is found

Hours: Full-time, 37.5 hours per week

Start Date: As soon as possible

Travel: 8–12 weeks per year required

Surma is a traditional eye cosmetic used across South Asia, the Middle East, North Africa and diaspora communities worldwide. It is sometimes applied to babies and young children and may contain high levels of lead sulphide, making it an important source of childhood lead exposure.

About LEEP

LEEP is an impact-driven, evidence-based nonprofit organisation working to eliminate childhood lead poisoning, which affects an estimated one in three children worldwide. The organisation currently focuses on three major sources of lead exposure: paint, spices and traditional eyeliners. Its work combines research and data generation, government engagement, regulatory support and collaboration with industry to eliminate lead from consumer products. LEEP operates programmes in more than 40 countries across Africa, Asia and Latin America and has developed programmes with the potential to protect millions of children from lead exposure.

About the Senior Innovation Manager Role

The successful candidate will lead the technical reformulation project, working with cosmetic chemists, analytical laboratories, sourcing specialists, process engineers and advisers with expertise in traditional medicine and religious acceptability. Prior expertise in lead poisoning or surma reformulation is not required. LEEP is particularly interested in candidates who demonstrate strong judgement, technical confidence, intellectual range and the ability to manage specialist teams outside their own core area of expertise.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead technical development
• Manage and direct specialist technical teams working on lead-free surma formulations.
• Understand technical work deeply enough to challenge assumptions, identify gaps and make informed decisions.
• Evaluate competing technical recommendations and determine appropriate pathways forward.
• Develop and independently validate promising lead-free formulations.

Research, testing and validation

• Identify the scientific, traditional-medicine and religious requirements a replacement product must satisfy.
• Work with scholars of Unani, Tibb, Ayurveda and Islamic jurisprudence where appropriate.
• Commission and interpret analytical characterisation, safety and stability testing.
• Coordinate consumer testing and cultural-acceptability assessments.
• Evaluate scientific and other claims critically and identify where evidence is weak or incomplete.

Manufacturing and scale-up

• Establish what is required to reformulate products at manufacturing scale.
• Assess production processes, equipment segregation, decontamination and capital requirements.
• Commission appropriate engineering and industrial hygiene expertise.
• Develop indicative unit-cost and manufacturing models.

Knowledge transfer

• Ensure that technical outputs can be applied beyond a single manufacturer or country.
• Develop practical guidance that other manufacturers and LEEP programmes can use directly.
• Work closely with LEEP’s country teams, which retain responsibility for local manufacturer, government and stakeholder relationships.

Expected Outcomes

During the first six months, the successful candidate is expected to develop and independently validate at least two promising lead-free formulations for one priority country. This will include establishing indicative costs and manufacturing requirements and conducting initial consumer and cultural-acceptability testing. During the second six months, the role will focus on replicating the formulations for three additional priority countries.

Essential Qualifications and Experience

LEEP is looking for candidates who demonstrate:

• A track record of managing technical specialists outside their own area of expertise.
• Experience hiring, directing and holding consultants, laboratories or technical staff accountable.
• The ability to learn unfamiliar technical subjects quickly and to a level that enables critical interrogation.
• Strong entrepreneurial and action-oriented qualities.
• Comfort working in ambiguous and rapidly changing environments.
• Strong judgement and the ability to make decisions without complete information.
• Intellectual range and willingness to engage seriously with traditional and religious knowledge systems.
• Experience working in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).
• Strong ability to use AI tools to accelerate research and technical learning, while recognising their limitations.

Potentially Relevant Backgrounds

The following backgrounds may be advantageous, although they are not exhaustive requirements:

• Chemical engineering
• Materials science
• Pharmacy

LEEP emphasises talent, judgement and demonstrated capability rather than credentials alone.

What Success Looks Like

The successful Senior Innovation Manager will be able to:

• Rapidly master an unfamiliar technical field.
• Lead specialists confidently without needing to be the subject-matter expert.
• Balance technical, cultural, religious, marketing and affordability considerations.
• Build solutions that manufacturers can realistically adopt.
• Work independently with a high degree of autonomy.
• Move projects forward despite uncertainty and incomplete information.
• Deliver practical, scalable results that can reduce childhood lead exposure.

Benefits of Working with LEEP

LEEP offers:

• The opportunity to make a significant positive impact on children’s lives globally.
• Experience working with a rapidly growing, high-impact and evidence-based nonprofit.
• Flexible working arrangements.
• A supportive and collaborative team environment.
• 33 days of paid leave.
• Generous sick leave and parental leave policies.
• 4% pension contribution or equivalent.
• Health insurance in locations where government healthcare is limited.
• An annual team retreat.

Location and Travel

The position can be performed remotely or from LEEP’s London office. Regular travel to programme countries is required, with an expectation of approximately 8–12 weeks of travel per year. Applicants must be located within the UTC-5 to UTC+5 time-zone range.

Contract and Salary

The position is offered initially as a 12-month fixed-term contract. Depending on performance and future project requirements, there may be opportunities for additional projects or transition to a permanent position. LEEP is asking candidates to propose their fee expectations as part of the application process rather than advertising a fixed salary or fee rate.

LEEP is an equal opportunity employer committed to creating an inclusive working environment. Candidates and employees are evaluated on merit, qualifications and performance.