Director, Sprouts Brand - Innovation & Product Development

Sprouts Farmers Market • Phoenix, AZ

7d • Hybrid

About The Position

The Director, Innovation & Product Development leads Sprouts Brand’s Product Development function and serves as the organization’s innovation leader. The role identifies emerging trends and category white-space opportunities, develops differentiated product concepts, and leads the creation of innovative products that strengthen Sprouts Brand’s competitive advantage. As the team grows, the Director will act as a hands-on player-coach, balancing strategic leadership with direct responsibility for high-priority product development projects while building the processes, capabilities, and partnerships needed for a best-in-class innovation organization.

Working closely with Category Strategy, Merchandising, Brand, Packaging, Quality, Supply Chain, and supplier partners, the Director ensures products respond to evolving customer needs, accelerate innovation, and offer customers distinctive choices. The role is based at the Store Support Office in Phoenix, Arizona, on a hybrid schedule, with in-office work Tuesday through Thursday. Some travel is required.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Product Development, Consumer Science, Business, Marketing, or a related field.
• 10 or more years of progressive experience in product development, innovation, category management, merchandising, private brand, or related functions.
• 5 or more years of leadership experience managing teams, developing talent, and leading cross-functional business initiatives.
• Demonstrated success developing and commercializing innovative consumer products and driving measurable business growth.
• Experience presenting strategic recommendations and business performance updates to senior and executive leadership teams.
• Long-term strategic and financial planning skills.
• Ability to preserve confidentiality, communicate with all levels of management, and work within strict time frames and deadlines.
• Complete understanding of P/L statements, general ledgers, and margins.
• Thorough understanding of the Microsoft Office suite.
• Some travel required.

Nice To Haves

• Master’s degree preferred.

Responsibilities

• Develop and lead a multi-year innovation strategy for the Sprouts Brand portfolio, setting priorities that support sustainable growth, differentiation, and long-term brand equity.
• Own the enterprise innovation pipeline and maintain a balanced portfolio of breakthrough innovation, platform expansion, renovation initiatives, and future growth opportunities aligned with business objectives.
• Translate emerging consumer, health and wellness, culinary, ingredient, sustainability, and marketplace trends into innovation platforms, category opportunities, and strategic growth initiatives.
• Partner with executive and cross-functional leaders to set innovation priorities, allocate resources, and align product development investments with enterprise growth strategies.
• Lead development and commercialization of high-impact products and innovation platforms that strengthen Sprouts Brand differentiation and market position.
• Establish and govern innovation portfolio management processes, assessing opportunities through customer, competitive, operational, and financial lenses to maximize return on investment and business impact.
• Build strategic relationships with suppliers, manufacturers, ingredient partners, and external innovation networks to accelerate innovation and identify capabilities and growth opportunities.
• Establish scalable innovation frameworks, best practices, stage-gate processes, and commercialization standards to improve speed to market and launch effectiveness.
• Continuously improve innovation and product development processes to increase agility, reduce development cycle times, and improve commercialization success rates.
• Serve as the enterprise subject matter expert for product innovation and development, influencing category, merchandising, sourcing, and brand strategies with consumer and market insights.
• Lead, develop, and build organizational capability within the Product Development team through coaching, succession planning, talent development, and creation of a high-performance innovation culture.
• Communicate innovation strategy, portfolio performance, business cases, and growth opportunities to senior leadership and influence strategic decisions.
• Personally lead high-priority product development projects while the team and its capabilities are being established and expanded.

Benefits

• Competitive pay
• Sick time plan
• Vacation accrual plan
• Opportunities for career growth
• 15% discount for the employee and one other household family member on purchases at Sprouts
• Flexible schedules
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• 401(k) retirement savings plan with company match
• Company-paid life insurance
• Contests and appreciation events
• Bonus based on company and/or individual performance (eligibility requirements may apply)
• Medical, dental, and vision coverage (eligibility requirements may apply)
• Health Savings Account with company match (eligibility requirements may apply)
• Pre-tax Flexible Spending Accounts for healthcare and dependent care (eligibility requirements may apply)
• Company-paid short-term disability coverage (eligibility requirements may apply)
• Paid parental leave for mothers and fathers (eligibility requirements may apply)
• Paid holidays (eligibility requirements may apply)
• DailyPay access for eligible employees

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director