Canndescent is a leading cultivator, distributor, and manufacturer of ultra-premium cannabis. We are passionate about creating transformative products that will help tune and enrich the human experience. We strive for excellence by hiring exceptional performers who are energetic, that can contribute to a fun inspiring work culture. We are looking for a Head of Product Development to join our team in Santa Barbara.
What you’ll be doing:
The Head of Product Development will lead the research, development, and launch of current and future Canndescent products by working closely with consumers, retailers, vendors, and internal leadership team. You will be responsible for the R&D, commercialization, and scaling of products including technical formulations, sensory validation, and manufacturing scale-up. Development is focused on supporting category and industry objectives and leading consumer-driven innovation to the market. You will work closely with internal and external vendors, researchers, internal marketing and sales team, and customers to identify opportunities, guide direction, and bring product concepts to life.
Your responsibilities:
- Develop an understanding of current and future cannabis industry trends and represent through collected data
- Identify new product opportunities and present to Executive Team to drive product innovations
- Provide detailed briefs to internal and external vendors if necessary, in tandem with our marketing/ branding team with clear product development targets and timelines.
- Continue to work with the vendors through all stages of the development process to ensure concept to execution targets are met
- Attend production trials and support first productions to optimize the product processing and take corrective actions to ensure products deliver to targets
- Lead new product planning and development to match the needs and desires of the California Cannabis consumer while maintaining fanatical standards of quality
- Establishing specification standards for new products and ensuring appropriate controls are in place to deliver those standards consistently to our consumers
- Build and implement product strategies consistent with the company vision
- Retrieve and analyze feedback from customers, stakeholders, and other teams to shape new products, and new product launches variability of process and work to develop clear standards
- Collaborate with the Executive Team to create product plans and roadmaps
- Ensure on-time management of critical product development control points related to project management and contribute to the total team on-time delivery through collaboratively managing timelines and taking corrective actions to deliver the overall product plans, while ensuring product standards and targets are met
- Becoming the company expert on product categories and competitors
- Coordinating with internal and external suppliers for on-time and on-budget product launches
- Review and report on market trends and new product opportunities
Your experience and skills include:
- Bachelor’s degree in a related area
- A passion for premium cannabis and premium cannabis products
- Highly analytical approach to new product development with a hands-on approach to testing and gaining insights from consumers/ retailers
- 5 years of progressive leadership developing and leading internal and external teams to successfully launch new CPG products
- Minimum of 10 years in a CPG product management/ development role or innovation experience in a related field
- Demonstrated ability to commercialize experiments and product launches
- Strong project management skills
- Research background a plus
- Thorough understanding of California and Federal Marijuana laws
- Ability to work in a fast-paced, changing and challenging environment
- Effective time-management skills and the ability to multitask
- Must be able to pass a Live Scan background check
Benefits:
Equity: When you do well, we all do well. Every employee of Canndescent is an owner of the company
Growth Opportunity: Being part of a company at the forefront of the fastest growing industry in the US.
Healthy work environment: We provide a professional and fun work environment that brings passion and profession together
Health: Medical, Dental, Vision
Paid time-off: Vacation and Holidays