Innovation Manager
An innovation manager orchestrates all innovation activities in a company, based on the Guiding Principles of Business Design and the underlying innovation management system. Especially in larger organisations, they are the driving force who makes sure people and ideas develop the way they're supposed to — and gives management a clear overview of past and current innovation performance.
Bernhard Doll
Business Design Maverick
1. The Role in Brief
An innovation manager is the head of the innovation management system. They know everything about ongoing and planned innovation activities — if it's happening, the innovation manager knows about it. Their role is to:
Orchestrate an innovation management system that supports the company's vision (the "Picture of the Future")
Initiate and steer innovation activities according to the defined innovation management system
Report to C-Level Managers on ongoing innovation activities across the company
2. Responsibilities
As an innovation manager, you run the innovation management system, but you don't own its decisions. C-Level Managers and business unit heads decide. You prepare those decisions, make sure they are taken on time and write down what was decided. In practice, that usually includes:
Preparing and facilitating the strategy workshops in which C-level managers develop and update the Picture of the Future and the innovation strategy
Framing Playgrounds together with C-level managers, and making sure the playgrounds with high uncertainty get explored
Keeping the idea pipeline full and supporting idea creators in documenting their ideas in an Idea Charter
Maintaining the Portfolio of ideas and projects, preparing the regular portfolio meetings (Step 3: Evaluate) and documenting every decision
Consolidating the portfolios of different business units to avoid duplicate work and connect related initiatives (see Governance)
Joining Sponsor's Sneak Previews and supporting Project Sponsors in their decisions
Owning the system KPIs and the reporting to C-level management (see Success & Progress)
Owning the System Playbook and updating it after each innovation review
Two things are not part of the job. You don't decide on budgets; that is up to C-level management. And you never sponsor a project you evaluate. Portfolio decisions and project advocacy in one head give you a portfolio full of that person's favourites.
3. Position in the Organisation
An innovation manager stays in close contact with C-level managers and acts as the gatekeeper between management and the Project Sponsor, Team Coaches and Project Teams. They're never directly involved in a project, which keeps them neutral and unemotional about ideas and results. Don't confuse innovation managers with Team Managers.
What matters to them: high-quality results, strict alignment with the methodology, efficient project execution and full transparency on innovation activities and decisions. In smaller organisations with fewer than 50 employees, this role is usually filled by C-level managers. As companies grow, a dedicated innovation manager becomes essential for successful innovation management. Keep that in mind.