Innovation Program Leader
Rockwell Automation
Rockwell Automation is a global technology leader focused on helping the world’s manufacturers be more productive, sustainable, and agile. With more than 28,000 employees who make the world better every day, we know we have something special. Behind our customers - amazing companies that help feed the world, provide life-saving medicine on a global scale, and focus on clean water and green mobility - our people are energized problem solvers that take pride in how the work we do changes the world for the better.
We welcome all makers, forward thinkers, and problem solvers who are looking for a place to do their best work. And if that’s you we would love to have you join us!
Job Description
The Innovation Program Leader will lead the execution and evolution of the company's internal innovation programs, including Global Innovation Challenge, Rockwell's marquee innovation program. You will be responsible for managing a funnel of over 100 global, multi-disciplinary innovation teams and coaching them from idea to implementation, ensuring they are aligned with business and function strategic imperatives, empowered to work entrepreneurially, challenge current thinking and practices, and create customer and business value in ways unlikely to emerge from traditional methods.
You will report to the Director, Innovation, UX and Design Thinking COE and will work a hybrid schedule at one of our office locations in either Milwaukee, WI or Mayfield Heights, OH.
Your Responsibilities:
- Lead Innovation Initiatives: Drive the innovation process, including pipeline management, team coaching, and executive engagement.
- Align Strategy & Vision: Ensure innovation efforts align with company strategy, vision, and customer value.
- Advance Sponsored Projects: Ensure progress of innovation teams by maintaining sponsor support, connecting them to stakeholders, removing obstacles, and guiding decision-making.
- Deliver Training & Facilitation: Provide innovation training and facilitate sessions for cross-functional groups to build capability.
- Enable Cross-Functional Collaboration: Connect people and initiatives across functions to accelerate innovation and shared learning.
- Innovation Culture & Relationships: Lead change courageously, promote experimentation, and build strong internal and external relationships, and support innovators through networking and feedback.
- Leverage New Business Models: Explore and apply new business models and revenue streams for long-term growth.
- Maintain Innovation Expertise: Stay current on innovation methodologies, frameworks, and research to apply best practices internally.
- Build External Partnerships: Cultivate relationships with external innovation ecosystems and peer companies for benchmarking and collaboration.
- Develop Innovation Champions: Assemble and support a Community of Practice to scale innovation globally across businesses and functions.
- Curate Best Practices: Create and share examples, tools, and success stories to guide innovation efforts company-wide.
- Measure Impact: Develop and report innovation metrics that reflect both activity and business impact.
The Essentials - You Will Have:
- Bachelor's Degree in Relevant Field.
- Legal authorization to work in the U.S. We will not sponsor individuals for employment visas, now or in the future, for this job opening.
- The ability to travel 15% of the time.
The Preferred - You Might Also Have:
- Typically requires a minimum of 5 years of related experience.
- Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical/Computer/Mechanical Engineering, Computer Science, or equivalent.
- 5+ years' experience with an emphasis on product development, customer outcomes, strategic marketing, business case development, and innovation.
- MBA focused on entrepreneurship.
- Experience managing concurrent, complex, high-profile projects.
- Experience defining and presenting business models and business cases.
- Deep skills and experience engaging executive stakeholders and gaining project sponsorship.
- Experience leading projects in both large corporations and technology startups.
- Experience leading teams in Design Thinking and Lean Startup methodologies.
- Experience working in an Agile framework.
- Knowledge of industry-recognized innovation models and best practices.
- Success leading global culture change.
What We Offer:
- Health Insurance including Medical, Dental and Vision
- 401k
- Paid Time off
- Parental and Caregiver Leave
- Flexible Work Schedule where you will work with your manager to enjoy a work schedule that can be flexible with your personal life.
- To learn more about our benefits package, please visit at www.raquickfind.com.
At Rockwell Automation we are dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive and authentic workplace, so if you're excited about this role but your experience doesn't align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right person for this or other roles.
This position is part of a job family. Experience will be the determining factor for position level and compensation.
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We are an Equal Opportunity Employer including disability and veterans.
If you are an individual with a disability and you need assistance or a reasonable accommodation during the application process, please contact our services team at +1 (844) 404-7247.
Rockwell Automation’s hybrid policy aligns that employees are expected to work at a Rockwell location at least Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays unless they have a business obligation out of the office.