Director, Product Development

Vancouver, BC

The Director, Product Development will be responsible for leading a technical team to develop new products from concept to launch. As the cannabis industry continues to evolve, consumers and patients are seeking novel and innovative products that align with their usage needs and quality expectations. Aurora’s recreational and medical brands deliver a range of product formats today, including dried flower, pre-rolls, oils, vapes and concentrates, and edible products. As we seek to evolve those portfolios to offer continued differentiation and innovation, we’re seeking a key individual to lead and apply a strong science focus to these activities.

This role requires a capable people leader who effectively works with interdisciplinary teams to conduct comprehensive research and development, map critical paths and timelines, and execute and deliver market-ready products to the business.

This industry moves at a rapid pace with a need to deliver on short-term needs while ensuring the long-term strategy is not sacrificed. The successful candidate will be an expert at navigating competing interests, prioritizing and communicating with stakeholders across the organization.

MAIN RESPONSIBILITES:

Analyze consumer and market research, both from data and on the ground, to identify emerging trends and capitalize on these to develop novel products
Work closely with the Brand & Marketing and Consumer Insights teams to understand consumer and market needs, leveraging data to support decision-making
Identify areas that Aurora can lead in providing consumers and patients with innovations that improve the way they consume and use cannabis
Exploit both cannabis-specific (e.g. novel cannabinoid and terpene profiles) and cannabis-agnostic (e.g. edible delivery formats) innovations to create differentiated portfolios across all of Aurora’s brands
Develop and pitch concepts across all cannabis product forms that balance consumer preference with business return
Work with Commercial teams to create and manage long-term portfolio strategy development
Conduct competitive intelligence and report back to the business on new market launches, trends, and successes and failures
Create and communicate critical paths for projects to enable success and the ability to “fail fast”
Support the implementation and cultural adoption of innovations, innovation processes, and outcomes within the organization
Identify key categories where Aurora needs to build critical mass of R&D capacity; build and lead those teams
Where required, cultivate relationships with third parties to support product innovation and contract manufacturing
Work closely with Brand & Marketing, Operations, Sales and Finance on the development of business cases, with the end goal of presenting winning opportunities
Ensure high levels of stakeholder engagement throughout the innovation process, and ensure high degree of communication is maintained throughout the process
Collaborate with cross-departmental teams to develop a cohesive and comprehensive understanding of our key business drivers
Other duties as required

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ATTRIBUTES:

Superior ability to work cross-functionally
A background in science or engineering or related field
Excellent people development skills, with strong experience successfully developing scientists and technical experts
Strong leadership skills with an ability to set a vision and lead change
Proven success leading multidisciplinary teams
Demonstrated ability to quickly adapt; the ability to work in a fast-paced environment and operate with a sense of urgency is highly valued
Understanding and experience in intellectual property is an asset
Deep knowledge of, and a passion for, cannabis and the cannabis industry

QUALIFICATIONS:

A Bachelor's or Master’s degree in a relevant field of science or engineering is required
10+ years of experience in product development, product management, or related innovation roles
Familiarity with Health Canada Regulations and or Good Manufacturing Principles an asset
Strong ability to bring innovative ideas from concept to market
Innovation experience from a pharmaceutical, agriculture or food, and/or manufacturing company is required
Project Management experience is required, including experience managing projects through a formal stage-gate process
High level of Problem Solving and Analytical skills

We would like to thank all applicants for their interest but only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

Aurora is an equal opportunity employer. At Aurora, we are committed to do business inclusively and accommodate applicants with disabilities. If you require accommodation (including, but not limited to, an accessible interview site, alternate format of job posting) during the recruitment and selection process, please let our Recruitment team know.