11th December, 2025
Our client in California is seeking a Director of Innovation & Insights to join their team!
This is a remote/full-time/direct-hire position
Salary based on experience: $175k-$225k
Position Summary:
The Director of Innovation & Insights leads the end-to-end insights and innovation pipeline, shaping strategic growth opportunities rooted in consumer understanding and market foresight. This role establishes and operationalizes a consumer-centric insights function, guiding early-stage ideation through concept testing, validation, and post-launch optimization. Partnering closely with Brand, Product, Sales, E-Commerce, and Executive Leadership, this leader ensures the organization advances a differentiated, insight-driven pipeline aligned with long-term vision and commercial goals.
Key Responsibilities
Consumer & Market Insights Leadership
- Build and oversee an integrated insights ecosystem leveraging qualitative and quantitative research, syndicated data, social listening, segmentation, and trend tracking.
- Translate consumer and market learning into actionable strategies, refined brand positioning, and innovation concepts.
- Champion the internal voice of the consumer, advocating for unmet needs, behaviors, and demand drivers.
- Synthesize insights to inform strategic decisions across teams and business units.
- Maintain frameworks that ensure insights are accessible, actionable, and aligned to business priorities.
Innovation Strategy & Pipeline Development - Lead cross-functional ideation, innovation steering, pipeline prioritization, and stage-gate readiness.
- Identify white-space opportunities across categories, formats, benefits, and channels.
- Develop compelling product concepts and business cases to address emerging opportunities.
- Partner with Product, R&D, Brand, Sales, Operations, and Regulatory to advance concepts from idea to execution.
- Ensure the pipeline balances creativity with commercial viability and long-term strategic fit.
Foresight & Strategic Growth Planning - Conduct long-range foresight and category mapping to identify future-state growth platforms.
- Maintain a rolling three-year innovation roadmap aligned to brand, channel, and consumer priorities.
- Monitor competitive activity, cultural trends, ingredient innovation, and regulatory dynamics to guide strategic planning.
- Anticipate shifts in consumer expectations and market dynamics to proactively shape investment focus.
- Provide strategic recommendations that inform planning cycles and executive decision-making.
Testing, Learning, & Optimization - Design and manage concept testing, pricing studies, volumetrics, and market research initiatives.
- Partner with Retail, Performance Marketing, and E-Commerce teams to structure A/B and in-market testing.
- Lead post-launch analysis, synthesizing performance results and consumer feedback.
- Translate learning loops into ongoing product and pipeline improvements.
- Establish best-practice testing frameworks that accelerate organization-wide learning.
Cross-Functional Collaboration & Influence - Act as a strategic partner to Brand, DTC, Amazon, Sales, and International teams, ensuring insights shape messaging, positioning, and expansion.
- Communicate insights and recommendations visually and compellingly for stakeholders at all levels.
- Build and lead a high-performing insights function.
- Manage research vendors, agencies, and external partners.
- Foster an insight-driven culture that influences decision-making across the business.
Qualifications: - 8-12+ years of experience in Consumer Insights, Innovation, Strategy, or Growth roles within CPG, wellness, or supplement industries.
- Proven success in building consumer-first product pipelines and influencing cross-functional partners.
- Deep expertise in insight methodologies and turning research into strategic action.
- Strong innovation acumen with a balance of creativity and commercial rigor.
- Demonstrated ability to lead end-to-end research, new product development, and innovation governance.
- Experience operating across multiple channels, including Amazon, DTC, Retail, and Professional.
- Bachelor's degree required.
Preferred Qualifications: - MBA or advanced degree in marketing, psychology, behavioral science, or business.
- Experience leading high-performing insights or innovation teams.
- Background in wellness, nutrition, supplements, or adjacent consumer categories.
Applicants must be authorized to work in the U.S.
We are an equal-opportunity employer. We do not discriminate in hiring or employment against any individual based on race, color, gender, national origin, ancestry, religion, physical or mental disability, age, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, pregnancy, citizenship, or any other factor protected by anti-discrimination laws.
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