The Head of the Innovation Center of Expertise (CoE) is responsible for defining and driving the organization's innovation strategy, embedding a culture of agility and transformation, and ensuring measurable business impact through innovation programs. This role provides visionary leadership, oversees governance, and fosters collaboration across all business units.
Core Responsibilities:
Strategic Leadership
- Define the vision, mission, and strategic roadmap for the Innovation CoE aligned with corporate objectives
- Serve as the executive sponsor for major innovation initiatives and ensure alignment with enterprise goals
Enterprise Innovation Portfolio Management
- Oversee the design and execution of enterprise-wide innovation programs and transformation initiatives
- Establish governance frameworks for innovation programs, including prioritization, resourcing, and risk management
- Report progress and impact to key stakeholders
Organizational Transformation
- Champion new ways of working across the organization, embedding agile and lean principles at scale
- Drive process re-engineering and digital transformation initiatives to enhance operational efficiency
- Lead change management efforts to ensure adoption and sustainability of innovation practices
Capability Building & Culture
- Develop and implement enterprise-wide capability-building programs on innovation, agile, and design thinking
- Partner with Learning & Development to curate advanced learning paths for leaders and teams
- Foster a culture of experimentation, collaboration, and continuous improvement
People Leadership & Talent Development
- Lead and mentor the Innovation CoE team, ensuring high performance and succession planning
- Attract and retain top innovation talent to strengthen organizational capabilities
Performance Measurement & Impact
- Define KPIs and success metrics for innovation programs and transformation initiatives
- Ensure measurable business outcomes such as revenue growth, operational efficiency, and customer experience
Qualifications:
- Bachelor's degree in a business-related course (Master's preferred; Doctorate a plus)
- 10+ years in innovation, transformation, or strategy leadership roles
- Proven track record of leading enterprise-wide innovation programs
- Strong business acumen and ability to influence at C-suite level
- Expertise in agile methodologies, design thinking, and emerging technologies
- Exceptional leadership, communication, and stakeholder management skills
- Certifications in process excellence or Agile are advantageous
- Proficiency in Microsoft 365 tools (Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Visio) and other agile tools
