Director Innovation Lab, Open Innovation

Band

Level 6

Job Description Summary

#LI-Hybrid
Novartis has an incredible opportunity for a talented individual to join our team as a Director Innovation Lab. The Director Innovation Lab Open Innovation sits within the US Innovation Lab (iLab) a part of the Marketing Technology Product Management team. In this role you will join a highly innovative and intrapreneurial group focused on accelerating innovation creating customer-centric solutions that deliver impact. With a deep passion for innovation and strong experience in marketing strategy consumer behavior and customer experience design you will serve as the iLab program owner for open innovation advancing marketing strategy objectives to create innovative marketing solutions and manage the innovation lab physical space. You will serve as the resident expert in open innovation aligning fostering and nurturing the internal innovation community designing hosting and/or supporting the planning and execution of community events both live and virtual including hackathons Innovation Jamms! and other activities/events that accelerate innovation.
This position is based is East Hanover NJ and will not have the ability to be located remotely. Please note that this role would not provide relocation and only local candidates will be considered. The expectation of working hours and travel (domestic and/or international) will be defined by the hiring manager. This position will require up to 25% travel.

Job Description

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead and showcase marketing ideation and design of customer experiences via new and emerging tech through curated experiences in the GARAGE
• Nurture open innovation in the GARAGE and empower iLab asEnablersof Innovation including strategy innovation strategy alignment programs design event calendar stakeholder and participant identification and engagement
• Manage iLab physical space and Pop-Up Spaces ensuring curated activities and events by team need to elevate customer-centric solutioning
• Design host and/or support the planning and execution of community events both live and virtual including hackathons Innovation Jamms! and other activities/events that accelerate innovation
• Lead/support/enable cadenced innovation-focused touchpoints around all topics (e.g. Innovation emerging technology)
• Serve as resident SME in Open Innovation and engage with cross-functional stakeholders in fostering a life-long learner innovation mindset and culture
• Identify and engage the external innovation community and partner with thought leaders and mavericks for cross-pollination across industries academia and start-ups to bring the outside in fueling our orgs innovation mindset and customer-centric innovation pursuits
• Lead multi-functional multi-disciplinary teams of functional experts and external partners to co-develop and provide immersive experiences learning experiences and connection around new and emerging technologies aligned to business needs and stakeholder gaps and opportunities.
• Build and lead execution of Hack That! Hackathon Program working closely with iLab teammates and other stakeholders to develop hackathons that bring business impact
• Work with iLab leader and other stakeholders to increase knowledge bank around the discipline of innovation with heavy focus team upskilling with a demonstrated understanding and proficiency as a team competency

Essential Requirements:

• Bachelors degreein Business Management Marketing Innovation or a related field

• Minimum of 8 years of Marketing Strategy and/or Innovation creating unique and compelling user experiences with a strong marketing innovation focus
• Minimum of 8 years of AI and Innovation Management including Big Tech with a focus on new and emerging technologies
• Strong expertise in consumer behavior and customer experience design
• Strong Experience in Event Management executing enterprise-wide events and hosting enterprise hackathons
• Strong engagement/presence with the external innovation community and/or health tech/tech industry
• Demonstrated strategic thinker who can envision and build a new organizational capability
• Deep demonstrated passion for innovation with intrapreneurial behaviors such as strategic thinking and problem-solving to drive change management necessary for ideation learning and realizing business value from those activities
• Excellent communication collaboration and interpersonal skills (verbal written presentation) for bridging between scientific and business participants with the ability to explain complex technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders and for driving a program to effective implementation
• Demonstrated ability to lead without authority influence all levels of organization toward a defined common objective

Desirable Requirements:

• Minimum of 5 years of experience leading marketing teams in start-ups innovation digital marketing tech or related fields
• MBA Masters in related field preferred.

Benefits and Rewards:

The pay range for this position at commencement of employment is expected to be between $185500 and $344500/year; however while salary ranges are effective from 1/1/25 through 12/31/25 fluctuations in the job market may necessitate adjustments to pay ranges during this period. Further final pay determinations will depend on various factors including but not limited to geographical location experience level knowledge skills and abilities. The total compensation package for this position may also include other elements including a sign-on bonus restricted stock units and discretionary awards in addition to a full range of medical financial and/or other benefits (including 401(k) eligibility and various paid time off benefits such as vacation sick time and parental leave) dependent on the position offered. Details of participation in these benefit plans will be provided if an employee receives an offer of employment. If hired employee will be in an at-will position and the Company reserves the right to modify base salary (as well as any other discretionary payment or compensation program) at any time including for reasons related to individual performance Company or individual department/team performance and market factors.

EEO Statement:

The Novartis Group of Companies are Equal Opportunity Employers. We do not discriminate in recruitment hiring training promotion or other employment practices for reasons of race color religion gender national origin age sexual orientation gender identity or expression marital or veteran status disability or any other legally protected status. We strive to create an inclusive workplace that cultivates bold innovation through collaboration and empowers our people to unleash their full potential.

Accessibility and reasonable accommodations

The Novartis Group of Companies are committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodation to individuals with disabilities. If because of a medical condition or disability you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application process or in order to perform the essential functions of a position please send an e-mail to call 1 and let us know the nature of your request and your contact information. Please include the job requisition number in your message.

Range

$185500.00 - $344500.00

Skills Desired

Agility Brand Awareness Cross-Functional Collaboration Customer Engagement Customer Experience Customer Insights Data Strategy Digital Marketing Go-To-Market Strategy Influencing Skills Inspirational Leadership Marketing Strategy Media Campaigns People Management Product Marketing Product Roadmap Return on Investment (ROI) Stakeholder Engagement Stakeholder Management Strategic Marketing