Sr. Innovation Manager

ROLE SUMMARY

The Senior Innovation Manager will be responsible for leading end-to-end delivery of innovation consulting engagements while serving as a strategic partner to leadership. This role is expected to independently manage client relationships, make delivery decisions, mentor junior team members, and ensure projects are executed to the highest standards. As the company grows, the Senior Innovation Manager will play a critical role in building delivery capacity, enabling faster decision-making, and ensuring successful execution across multiple projects.

CLIENT & PROJECT LEADERSHIP

• Own end-to-end delivery of innovation consulting engagements, ensuring projects are delivered on time, within scope, and to a high-quality standard.
• Act as the primary point of contact for clients, building trusted relationships through proactive communication and strategic guidance.
• Translate client objectives into actionable project plans, execution strategies, and measurable outcomes.
• Lead project planning, resource allocation, timelines, risk management, and stakeholder coordination.
• Make day-to-day project decisions independently while escalating strategic issues when required.

TEAM LEADERSHIP & DELIVERY EXCELLENCE

• Mentor and guide Associates and Project Managers, providing direction, feedback, and support throughout project execution.
• Review deliverables to ensure consistency, quality, and alignment with client expectations before submission.
• Foster a culture of accountability, ownership, and continuous improvement across project teams.
• Support capability building by coaching team members and sharing best practices.

BUSINESS & RESOURCE PLANNING

• Work closely with leadership to forecast resource requirements across existing and upcoming projects.
• Support project staffing decisions and optimize resource allocation across engagements.
• Identify delivery risks early and proactively recommend solutions to ensure project success.
• Contribute to improving internal processes, project management frameworks, and operational efficiency.

CLIENT GROWTH & STRATEGIC ENGAGEMENT

• Identify opportunities to expand client engagements and support business development initiatives.
• Build long-term client relationships by consistently delivering value and identifying follow-on opportunities.
• Support proposal development, project scoping, and client presentations when required.

KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT & CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT

• Capture project learnings and develop best practices for future engagements.
• Improve delivery methodologies, templates, playbooks, and project documentation.
• Stay informed on emerging trends in innovation, startups, technology, and corporate innovation to strengthen client engagements.

WHAT WE’RE LOOKING FOR

• 5–8 years of experience in innovation consulting, management consulting, corporate innovation, startup ecosystems, or program management.
• Demonstrated experience independently managing client engagements and cross-functional teams.
• Strong decision-making, stakeholder management, and leadership capabilities.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and facilitation skills.
• Strong project management and organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple engagements simultaneously.
• Experience mentoring junior team members and driving team performance.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment with a high degree of ownership.
• Familiarity with AI tools, project management platforms, and productivity software is an advantage.
• Continuous improvement of internal delivery processes and team capabilities.