Category Head - Market Research & Innovation

Description: We are searching for a visionary executive to join our leadership team as the Category Head Market Research & Innovation.

This pivotal role will define the future product and service portfolio by translating deep consumer insights and trend forecasting directly into a commercially viable, premium retail assortment.

The successful candidate will own the entire innovation lifecycle, driving multi-channel growth and maintaining brand dominance in the competitive luxury space.

Key Responsibilities & Strategic Deliverables:

- Strategic Innovation & White Space Identification

- Future-Ready Assortment: Develop and own the strategic 35 year innovation roadmap, ensuring the creation of a future-ready assortment that secures long-term market leadership.

- Whitespace Identification: Lead the definitive process for whitespace identification, using advanced analytics and primary research to uncover lucrative, untapped consumer needs across offline and digital ecosystems.

- Category Creation: Drive category creation and segmentation strategies, ensuring all new product and service lines reinforce the brand's sophisticated and premium positioning.

- Advanced Market Research & Consumer Insights

- Trend Forecasting: Oversee a sophisticated trend forecasting model, analyzing macroeconomic shifts, cultural movements, and premium consumer behavior to guide all R&D and product decisions.

- Deep Consumer Insight: Direct all qualitative and quantitative research initiatives, ensuring the delivery of deep, actionable consumer insights that inform product development, pricing, and retail experience design.

- GTM Strategy: Partner with Marketing, Merchandising, and Sales to define the Go-to-Market (GTM) strategy for all major launches, ensuring brand messaging aligns with consumer value perception.

- P&L Impact & Cross-Functional Leadership

- Commercial Viability: Ensure all innovation projects are filtered through a stringent commercial lens, driving profitable revenue growth and securing market share gains.

- Stakeholder Influence: Present strategic recommendations and innovation concepts to the Board and Executive Leadership, influencing major investment decisions and resource allocation.

- Team & Culture: Mentor and lead a high-performing team of Category Managers and Research Analysts, fostering a culture of data-driven innovation and commercial excellence.

Ideal Profile & Qualifications:

- Experience (Mandatory): 15-20 years of progressive experience in Market Research, Innovation Strategy, or Category Management, with at least 5 years in a senior leadership role.

- Industry Expertise: Mandatory experience and a proven track record within the Premium Retail, Luxury Goods, or high-end D2C consumer brand sector.

- Skills: Exceptional analytical ability, strategic thinking, and proven expertise in fundraising, investor relations, and financial management as they relate to startup operations.

- Leadership: Demonstrated capability to lead strategy, own P&L-level impact, and manage complex cross-functional relationships at the executive level