Senior Director of Operations Strategy

Ascend Wellness Holdings•Morristown, NJ

1d•Remote

About The Position

The Senior Director of Operations Strategy will help write the operational playbook Ascend will follow for years to come, defining how we plan, execute, measure, and continuously improve across the enterprise. This role is designed for a leader who wants to apply the full breadth of their experience while testing their analytical rigor, judgment, and leadership skills in new ways. This opportunity is for someone who feels they haven't yet tested their full potential-someone who knows they could do more if given the chance and wants to be rewarded for the results they create. You will have the authority and latitude to solve unstructured, high-impact problems, shape executive decision-making, and translate strategy into durable business outcomes. Ascend is a lean, flat, fast-paced, and goal-oriented organization, and this role sits at the center of that momentum. You'll partner closely with senior leaders who value clarity, speed, and accountability-and play a meaningful role in helping Ascend remain on the winning side of cannabis history. The Senior Director of Operations Strategy is a senior enterprise leader responsible for shaping, driving, and embedding operational strategy across Ascend's vertically integrated platform. This role serves as a strategic extension of executive leadership and owns initiatives that materially improve performance, scalability, and profitability. The ideal candidate is equally comfortable setting direction, building frameworks from scratch, diving deep into data, and leading cross-functional teams through changes.

Requirements

MBA required from a top-tier, nationally or globally recognized business school
4-6+ years of progressive experience in operations strategy, management consulting, or senior operational leadership roles
Proven track record of leading complex, cross-functional, enterprise-level initiatives with measurable results
Understanding of P&L management, including methods for controlling and reducing COGs
Exceptional analytical rigor and ability to translate complexity into clear, actionable recommendations
Strong presentation development skills, including analyzing data and presenting insights in a way that drives executive decision-making
Strong executive presence, communication, and influence skills
Proven ability to operate effectively in ambiguity and build structure where none exists
Comfort and proficiency using AI in daily tasks to enhance analysis, efficiency, and decision quality
Experience in highly regulated, multi-site, or consumer-facing businesses strongly preferred

Nice To Haves

Experience in top-tier or well-regarded strategy consulting firms (e.g., MBB or Tier-2) or equivalent internal strategy roles strongly preferred
Cannabis industry experience a plus, but not required

Responsibilities

Lead development of enterprise-wide operational strategies aligned with Ascend's long-term growth objectives
Design and evolve operating models, planning processes, and execution frameworks
Translate strategy into clear priorities, roadmaps, and measurable outcomes
Build and oversee KPI frameworks, dashboards, and management reporting used by executive leadership
Identify performance gaps and improvement opportunities across cultivation, manufacturing, retail, supply chain, and corporate operations
Use data-driven insights to inform decision-making and resource allocation
Build analytical frameworks, including decision trees and routing matrices, to support complex operational and commercial decision-making
Lead key strategic initiatives, including COGs reduction efforts and supply chain continuity initiatives
Bridge Operations and Commercial teams, including partnership on new product development and stage-gate processes to ensure disciplined execution and value realization
Serve as a trusted thought partner to senior and executive leadership
Lead large-scale, cross-functional initiatives without direct authority
Drive alignment across teams around shared goals, metrics, and execution rhythms
Lead initiatives focused on efficiency, scalability, cost structure, and consistency
Own ambiguous, high-impact problems that lack predefined solutions
Drive initiatives such as process standardization, organizational design, footprint optimization, and readiness for new capabilities or markets