Head of Product Innovation & Development (Dietary Supplements)

Location: Costa Mesa, CA

Type: Full-Time

Reports To: Founder / Executive Team

Role Overview

We are seeking a Head of Product Innovation & Development to architect and launch entirely new dietary supplement product lines from the ground up.

This role owns end-to-end product creation — from initial concept and formulation vision to packaging engineering, vendor execution, and market storytelling. You will sit at the intersection of science, design, branding, and speed, translating bold ideas into commercially viable, shelf-ready products.

This is not a maintenance role. This is a creation role.

Core Responsibilities

Product Ideation & Line Creation

• Conceptualize and build new supplement lines (capsules, powders, liquids, functional formats, novel delivery systems).

• Identify whitespace opportunities in performance, wellness, longevity, mood, recovery, and metabolic health.

• Translate consumer insight and emerging science into compelling product theses.

Formula Direction & Development

• Work closely with formulators, chemists, and contract manufacturers to develop distinct, high-performance formulas.

• Push beyond commodity ingredients into functional dosing, bioavailability, delivery innovation, and stack synergy.

• Balance efficacy, compliance, cost, and scalability without sacrificing edge.

Packaging & Industrial Design

Own packaging development from concept to execution:

• • Primary packaging (bottles, sachets, pouches, vials, proprietary formats)

  • Secondary packaging (boxes, inserts, kits)

• Collaborate with designers and packaging vendors to create unique, premium, and functional packaging.

• Source and vet packaging partners globally; understand MOQs, lead times, tooling, and constraints.

Vendor & Supply Chain Communication

Act as the central point of contact between:

• • Formulators

  • Packaging manufacturers

  • Printers

  • Co-packers

     

     

• Rapidly communicate requirements, iterate designs, and problem-solve production limitations.

• Drive timelines aggressively from prototype ? pilot ? production.

Product Narrative & Marketing Vision

• Define the story, positioning, and reason for existence behind each product.

• Collaborate with marketing and creative teams to ensure:

   

  • Naming logic

  • Claims alignment

  • Visual identity coherence

  • Education-forward storytelling

   

• Ensure the product feels inevitable, not forced.

Execution & Speed

• Operate with a builder’s mindset: fast iterations, decisive action, minimal bureaucracy.

• Manage multiple product launches simultaneously without sacrificing quality.

• Anticipate problems before they surface — formulation, compliance, or packaging-related.

Ideal Candidate Profile

Experience

• 5–10 years in:

   

  • Dietary supplements

  • Functional foods/beverages

  • Wellness, performance, or nutraceutical product development

   

• Proven experience launching multiple products from scratch.

• Direct experience working with:

   

  • Contract manufacturers

  • Packaging vendors

  • Ingredient suppliers

Skill Set

• Deep understanding of supplement formats, ingredients, and delivery systems.

• Strong packaging literacy — materials, finishes, costs, logistics.

• Brand-first thinking with aesthetic taste.

• Ability to communicate complex ideas simply to vendors and internal teams.

• High tolerance for ambiguity and fast decision-making.

Mindset

• Builder > manager.

• Obsessed with quality, detail, and differentiation.

• Comfortable challenging “industry norms.”

• Thinks in systems, not SKUs.

• Operates with founder-level ownership.

What Success Looks Like (First 12 Months)

• Multiple new supplement lines launched or in late-stage production.

• Proprietary or defensible product concepts introduced.

• Packaging that clearly differentiates on shelf and online.

• Streamlined vendor network with faster turnaround times.

• A repeatable framework for rapid product innovation.

Why Join

• Direct access to founders and decision-makers.

• Ability to shape the future of an ambitious wellness brand.

• Creative freedom paired with real execution power.

• Opportunity to build products people actually feel and remember.

Compensation

• Competitive salary performance incentives

• Equity / long-term upside (for the right candidate)