Senior Director of Strategy
Ascend Wellness Holdings (CSE: AAWH.U / OTCQX:AAWH), Morristown, TN, United States
Who We Are
Ascend Wellness Holdings (AWH) is a vertically integrated cannabis cultivator, processor, and retailer with assets in Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. Our mission is to shape the future of cannabis as a leading healthcare solution while delivering a premium, customer-focused retail experience. We are committed to building a high-performing team that is passionate about our products, our communities, and creating operational excellence across our growing footprint.
Why This Role & Why Now This is a role for someone who wants to leave their fingerprints on an organization.
The
Senior Director of 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.
Role Overview The Senior Director of 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.
Key Responsibilities Enterprise Strategy & Operating Model Design
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
Performance Management & Analytics
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
Strategic Analytics & Value Creation
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
Cross-Functional Leadership
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
Operational Excellence & Special Projects
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
What Success Looks Like
A clearly defined, scalable operational playbook adopted across the enterprise
Improved visibility into performance and faster, higher‑quality decision‑making
Measurable improvements in execution consistency, efficiency, and profitability
Strong alignment between strategy, planning, and day‑to‑day operations
Tangible business results directly tied to initiatives you lead
Qualifications & Experience
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
Experience in top‑tier or well‑regarded strategy consulting firms (e.g., MBB or Tier‑2) or equivalent internal strategy roles strongly preferred
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
Cannabis industry experience a plus, but not required
Work Environment This position primarily performs duties in a remote office setting when not onsite in a dispensary or manufacturing facility environment.
Physical Requirements While performing the duties of this job, this position is regularly required to sit and regularly use hand(s) to handle, grasp, feel, and or touch. This position is occasionally required to stand, walk and reach with hands and arms. This position is required to speak and listen regularly.
EEO Statement Ascend Wellness Holdings, Inc., ("AWH") and its subsidiaries is an equal opportunity employer and celebrates the population of differences and does not discriminate in its hiring / hiring practices, regardless of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.
Nothing in this job specification restricts management's right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time. Critical features of this job are described under various headings above. They may be subject to change at any time due to reasonable accommodation or other reasons. The above statements are strictly intended to describe the general nature and level of the work being performed. They are not intended to be construed as a complete list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of employees in this position.
This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the employee(s) incumbent in this position. Employees will be required to follow any other job‑related instructions and to perform any other job‑related duties requested by any person authorized to give instructions or assignments. All duties and responsibilities are essential functions and requirements and are subject to possible modification to reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities.
To perform this job successfully, the incumbents will possess the skills, aptitudes, and abilities to perform each duty proficiently. Some requirements may exclude individuals who pose a direct threat or significant risk to the health or safety of themselves or others. The requirements listed in this document are the minimum levels of knowledge, skills, or abilities. This document does not create an employment contract, implied or otherwise, other than an "at will" relationship.
#J-18808-Ljbffr
Why This Role & Why Now This is a role for someone who wants to leave their fingerprints on an organization.
The
Senior Director of 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.
Role Overview The Senior Director of 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.
Key Responsibilities Enterprise Strategy & Operating Model Design
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
Performance Management & Analytics
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
Strategic Analytics & Value Creation
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
Cross-Functional Leadership
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
Operational Excellence & Special Projects
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
What Success Looks Like
A clearly defined, scalable operational playbook adopted across the enterprise
Improved visibility into performance and faster, higher‑quality decision‑making
Measurable improvements in execution consistency, efficiency, and profitability
Strong alignment between strategy, planning, and day‑to‑day operations
Tangible business results directly tied to initiatives you lead
Qualifications & Experience
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
Experience in top‑tier or well‑regarded strategy consulting firms (e.g., MBB or Tier‑2) or equivalent internal strategy roles strongly preferred
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
Cannabis industry experience a plus, but not required
Work Environment This position primarily performs duties in a remote office setting when not onsite in a dispensary or manufacturing facility environment.
Physical Requirements While performing the duties of this job, this position is regularly required to sit and regularly use hand(s) to handle, grasp, feel, and or touch. This position is occasionally required to stand, walk and reach with hands and arms. This position is required to speak and listen regularly.
EEO Statement Ascend Wellness Holdings, Inc., ("AWH") and its subsidiaries is an equal opportunity employer and celebrates the population of differences and does not discriminate in its hiring / hiring practices, regardless of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.
Nothing in this job specification restricts management's right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time. Critical features of this job are described under various headings above. They may be subject to change at any time due to reasonable accommodation or other reasons. The above statements are strictly intended to describe the general nature and level of the work being performed. They are not intended to be construed as a complete list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of employees in this position.
This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the employee(s) incumbent in this position. Employees will be required to follow any other job‑related instructions and to perform any other job‑related duties requested by any person authorized to give instructions or assignments. All duties and responsibilities are essential functions and requirements and are subject to possible modification to reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities.
To perform this job successfully, the incumbents will possess the skills, aptitudes, and abilities to perform each duty proficiently. Some requirements may exclude individuals who pose a direct threat or significant risk to the health or safety of themselves or others. The requirements listed in this document are the minimum levels of knowledge, skills, or abilities. This document does not create an employment contract, implied or otherwise, other than an "at will" relationship.
#J-18808-Ljbffr