Innovation Director

DUKE CANNON SUPPLY CO • Minneapolis, MN

1d • $130,000 - $150,000

About The Position

Duke Cannon Supply Co. is a growth-oriented CPG company that operates with an entrepreneurial mindset – and has become one of the fastest-growing brands in the men’s grooming category. Our mission is to better the day of hard-working men, and we fulfill this mission through the products we build, the conversations we create, and our give-back program to veterans.

We are currently seeking applicants for the role of Innovation Director.

Requirements

• 7–10+ years of product innovation experience within high-growth CPG, with demonstrated ownership of front-end innovation and concept development.
• Proven track record of building and advancing innovation pipelines, translating consumer insight into commercially viable products.
• Bachelor’s degree required (or equivalent practical experience).
• Strong executive communication skills, with the ability to clearly present ideas, strategies, and recommendations to senior leadership.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to craft compelling concept narratives and decision materials.
• Demonstrated leadership and influence, with the ability to build alignment, inspire cross-functional teams, and lead without direct authority.
• Highly organized and detail-oriented, with strong project discipline and a continuous improvement mindset.

Nice To Haves

• Experience in personal care, cosmetics, or adjacent consumer categories, with a strong understanding of formulation-led products and brand-driven innovation.

Responsibilities

• Own a multi-year innovation pipeline, accountable for delivering approximately 50% of Duke Cannon’s projected growth across near-, mid-, and long-term horizons.
• Lead the front end of innovation from Discovery through Concept Development, building a consumer-led, brand-right pipeline aligned to Duke Cannon’s growth strategy.
• Lead cross-functional Discovery and Design, including trend exploration, category learning, consumer interactions, competitive analysis, ideation, and concept creation.
• Own concept quality and strategic fit, ensuring all concepts clearly deliver on consumer insight, brand intent, differentiation, and commercial viability before entering development.
• Steward concepts through Development, partnering with Product & Packaging Development and Supply Chain to ensure products and packaging deliver against approved concept, consumer, and business requirements.
• Support Brand, Creative and Sales in go-to-market development, including claims substantiation, positioning, packaging design alignment, and creation of compelling sales and marketing materials.
• Support Commercialization execution, partnering with Product Development and Quality to ensure production meets design intent and product performance expectations.
• Lead cross-functional post-launch evaluation, assessing in-market performance, consumer feedback, and learnings to inform optimization and future innovation.
• Provide innovation leadership and storytelling, aligning teams and leadership through clear opportunity framing, decision support, and concept narratives.

Benefits

• Duke Cannon offers a competitive market salary and bonus based on role and professional experience.
• The salary range for this position is $130,000 - $150,000.
• Our benefits are top-notch and include health & dental insurance, HSA and 401k programs supported by regular company contributions, a tuition reimbursement program, and monthly parking stipend.
• We also host monthly moments of Team camaraderie ranging from community service events to social hours in the Main Lodge (aka the office) to Lunch & Learns covering business, team, and industry topics.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director
• Number of Employees: 11-50 employees