Design Innovation Manager

Innovation Operations

• Establish design standards, innovation frameworks, methodologies, best practices, and evaluation criteria.
• Identify applications for AI, automation, immersive technologies, advanced visualization, digital platforms, and other emerging technologies.
• Establish innovation metrics and evaluate project performance, impact, customer outcomes, and business value.
• Maintain innovation portfolios, project documentation, research findings, prototypes, and design knowledge.
• Build internal innovation capabilities through training, coaching, workshops, and knowledge-sharing programs.
• Present concepts, prototypes, research findings, and strategic recommendations to senior stakeholders.
• Protect intellectual property, confidential concepts, research data, and commercially sensitive information.
• Ensure initiatives comply with applicable brand, accessibility, regulatory, safety, sustainability, and operational requirements.
• Conduct post-launch reviews and establish feedback loops for continuous refinement and organizational learning.

Ideal Candidate

• Strong experience in design innovation, product design, service design, experience design, design strategy, innovation management, architecture, digital innovation, or a related discipline.
• Strong understanding of design-thinking and human-centered innovation methodologies.
• Experience leading multidisciplinary design and innovation programs.
• Experience with research, ideation, prototyping, testing, and concept validation.
• Strong strategic, creative, analytical, and commercial thinking.
• Experience managing external design agencies, consultants, creative partners, or technology providers.
• Strong project-management and stakeholder-management skills.
• Ability to manage multiple innovation initiatives, priorities, and deadlines.
• Familiarity with emerging technologies, digital products, AI, visualization, and innovation tools.
• Strong presentation and storytelling capabilities.
• Strong written and verbal English communication skills; additional languages are advantageous.

Candidate Attributes

• Ability to communicate effectively with executives, designers, engineers, developers, marketers, and operational teams.
• Strong understanding of customer experience and market-driven design.
• Experience developing innovation roadmaps, business cases, and strategic recommendations.
• Strong attention to detail while maintaining a broad strategic perspective.
• Ability to work effectively in international and distributed teams.
• A curious, collaborative, commercially aware, and experimentation-driven mindset.

Performance Indicators