VP, Innovation

Curaleaf•Stamford, CT

1d•Onsite

About The Position

Curaleaf is looking for a Vice President of Innovation to define, lead, and scale the company’s end-to-end innovation agenda across its house of brands and major product categories, including flower, pre-rolls, vapes, edibles, and emerging cannabis formats. The VP of Innovation will be responsible for the renovation pipeline from consumer insight through commercialization, ensuring that new products are differentiated, brand-led, technically feasible, margin-accretive, regulatory-compliant, and executable across Curaleaf’s multi-state operating model. This leader must bring the rigor of best-in-class CPG innovation while understanding the unique complexity of cannabis: state-by-state regulations, operational variability, supply constraints, product quality variation, evolving consumer behavior, and a category that is still early in the development of true national brands.

Requirements

12+ years of experience in innovation, product development, product strategy, R&D, commercialization, brand-led innovation, or portfolio strategy within CPG, cannabis, food and beverage, wellness, beauty, alcohol, nicotine alternatives, or adjacent consumer industries.
Strong understanding of CPG innovation best practices, including stage-gate processes, concept development, consumer validation, business case development, commercialization planning, and post-launch performance measurement.
Strong commercial and financial acumen, including experience evaluating revenue potential, margin impact, pricing, cost of goods, incrementality, and portfolio tradeoffs.
Experience working closely with R&D, Operations, Supply Chain, Quality, Regulatory, Finance, Sales, Brand Marketing, and external partners.
Curiosity, adaptability, consumer orientation, and the ability to learn the category quickly are essential.
Ability to lead through influence in a complex, matrixed organization.

Nice To Haves

Cannabis experience is a plus, but not required.
Experience in regulated, operationally complex, or multi-market environments strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

Define and lead Curaleaf’s enterprise innovation strategy across brands, categories, formats, and markets, ensuring alignment with long-term brand strategy, category growth priorities, consumer opportunities, and commercial goals.
Build and manage a prioritized innovation and renovation pipeline across flower, pre-rolls, vapes, edibles, and emerging categories, balancing near-term revenue opportunities with longer-term platform, technology, and brand-building innovation.
Ensure the pipeline is sufficient in terms of revenue potential, margin impact, scalability, timing, and strategic importance to deliver Curaleaf’s short-term and long-term growth objectives.
Create a clear framework for how Curaleaf evaluates innovation opportunities, including consumer desirability, brand fit, technical feasibility, regulatory feasibility, operational complexity, commercial viability, margin impact, and portfolio role.
Partner with Brand, Commercial, Finance, and Operations to ensure innovation choices strengthen the portfolio rather than create unnecessary complexity, cannibalization, or fragmentation.
Prepare and deliver regular updates to the Executive Leadership Team on innovation pipeline health, priority initiatives, key decisions, risks, launch readiness, and post-launch performance.
Partner with R&D to manage relationships with external partners across ingredients, hardware, packaging, equipment, product technology, formulation, sensory, manufacturing support, and enabling innovation capabilities.