Innovation – Brand Manager

The Role 

At Green Thumb, continuous innovation is a key focus area as we seek to create the best product experiences for cannabis consumers.  As an Innovation – Brand Manager, you will be critical in executing our innovation strategy across one or more key product categories (flower, pre-rolls, vape, concentrates, edibles), through both the expansion of existing product lines and the commercialization of new-to-world products. 

As an Innovation - Brand Manager, you will work collaboratively & cross-functionally with operations, consumer insights, brand & commercial marketing, quality, compliance, and R&D to turn innovation concepts into revenue-generating products that grow our business and delight both our trade partners and our consumers. You will also support our VP, Innovation & Commercial Strategy and our Innovation – Brand Director in the development of our portfolio strategy. 

This is a hybrid position and requires onsite work 2 days a week (Tuesdays and Thursdays) at our office in downtown Chicago (River North).  

Responsibilities 

Strategy: 

• Support the development of a multi-year innovation pipeline, grounded in category and consumer insights, industry trends, and local market needs. 
• Support the continued optimization of our overall innovation processes and systems. 
• Own the life cycle of the existing product portfolio, evaluating and recommending cost savings opportunities, formulation/packaging optimizations, and/or SKU rationalizations.  
• Maintain intelligence on the market dynamics, including competitive landscape, market share, and environmental factors impacting GTI’s optimal product portfolio. 

Execution: 

• Lead the cross-functional development of business cases to validate new product ideas. 
• Lead the cross-functional development of new formulations, including the briefing process, internal and consumer sampling, and approvals with key stakeholders. 
• Lead the cross-functional development of new packaging structures, including the briefing process, partnership with the packaging team, and approvals with key stakeholders. 
• Partner with Project Management to ensure a seamless connection to Operations throughout the new product development process. 
• Partner with Brand Marketing to ensure seamless transitions of creative deliverables throughout the new product development process. 
• Partner with Consumer Insights to identify research opportunities and/or custom data resources to inform product strategy and features. 
• Lead the packaging artwork development process for all market expansion projects. 
• Understand all state-specific regulations impacting both formulations and packaging. 

People Management: 

• Coach, develop, and manage a team of one or more Assistant Brand Managers. 

Qualifications  

• 5+ years of progressive business experience; cannabis or CPG experience is a plus. 
• Experience partnering with internal stakeholders to drive complex, cross-functional projects. 
• Ability to synthesize consumer and business insights into clear recommendations. 
• Strong analytical, commercial, and financial acumen; experience managing a P&L is a plus. 
• Exceptional organization and project management skills; strong attention to detail is a must. 
• Strong writing, presentation, and verbal communication skills 
• Bachelor’s degree in marketing, operations, or a related field preferred
• Comfortable with ambiguity and able to effectively prioritize and pivot in a fast-paced environment. 
• Strong product acumen and cannabis knowledge. 

Additional Requirements 

• Must pass any and all required background checks  
• Must be and remain compliant with all legal or company regulations for working in the industry  
• Must be a minimum of 21 years of age 

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