Innovation Operations Principal (E6110)

Job SummaryThe Innovation Operations Principal is responsible for driving the day-to-day execution of the innovation pipeline as a mechanism for testing and advancing IEEE's strategy. Serving as the lead operator for the innovation portfolio, this individual ensures that the systems for capturing, evaluating, and advancing ideas are seamless, disciplined, and firmly anchored to IEEE's strategic priorities.This role serves as a critical bridge, working in close partnership with the Strategy team to translate enterprise priorities, landscape insights, and emerging opportunities into actionable problem statements and themes that guide idea generation. The Principal is also the primary interface between the innovation portal's capabilities and the community it serves. By maintaining high-touch engagement with internal stakeholders and leveraging GenAI to streamline workflows, the Principal ensures the innovation portal remains a productive and measurable asset for the organization. This position reports to the Chief Innovation Officer and works in close coordination with the Product Operations Lead to align the portal's functional capabilities with both strategic and operational needs.Key ResponsibilitiesAligning Innovation with IEEE StrategyPartner closely with the Strategy team to translate enterprise priorities, landscape insights, and emerging opportunities into innovation idea campaignsFeed portfolio analytics back to the Strategy team to help identify emerging patterns or signals that may inform future areas of strategic focusIdea Portfolio & Pipeline Management:Serve as the primary operator of the innovation submission process, managing the lifecycle of ideas as they move through the funnelMonitor and manage the workflow of the innovation portal, ensuring timely progression of ideas and identifying bottlenecks in the processCoordinate with internal delegates and stakeholders to ensure active participation and high-quality feedback during the evaluation phasesProcess OptimizationManage the operational lifecycle of innovation challenges, ensuring workflows are designed to test and validate strategically aligned conceptsContinuously evaluate the "front-end" user experience to ensure the submission and feedback process is intuitive, transparent, and accessibleCollaborate with the Product Operations Lead to ensure the platform’s technical configuration supports strategy-driven workflows and evolving business needsGenAI Integration & CapabilitiesImplement GenAI tools to drive operational efficiency, including automated idea summarization, problem framing, and initial feasibility scanningDevelop and maintain a library of innovation prompts and synthetic personas to assist users in refining their submissionsExplore and integrate emerging AI capabilities to enhance the quality of data moving through the innovation funnelPerformance MeasurementOwn the tracking and reporting of portfolio KPIs, ensuring data provides a clear view of strategic alignment, pipeline health, and impactSynthesize portfolio data into "strategy signals" to help the Strategy team validate or pivot landscape assumptions based on real-world submission trendsTranslate raw pipeline data into actionable insights to help inform the office's operational improvementsStakeholder EngagementAct as the operational liaison for the innovation office, fostering cross-functional collaboration between departmentsManage the network of innovation delegates, providing the necessary process guidance and support to ensure consistent evaluation standardsFacilitate intake sessions and workshops to help teams transition raw concepts into structured, actionable proposalsTravel Information20% Domestic and International will require nights and weekends.EducationBachelor's degree or equivalent experience Req Work Experience7-10 years Experience: 7–10 years in operations, project management, or innovation management, with a focus on process execution and stakeholder engagement Req Skills and Requirements Strategy Translation: Demonstrated ability to synthesize high-level strategic priorities and landscape research into actionable themes and operational problem statements Operational Rigor: Proven ability to manage complex pipelines and maintain disciplined, repeatable workflows Data Literacy: Comfortable defining and reporting on KPIs; ability to use data to tell a story of operational success and strategic alignment Technical Aptitude: Experience with innovation management platforms and a practical understanding of how to apply GenAI tools to enhance business processes Communication: Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to navigate a complex, multi-stakeholder environment and drive participation Other RequirementsAs defined in IEEE Policies, individuals currently serving on an IEEE board or committee are not eligible to apply.PLEASE NOTE: This position is not budgeted for employer-sponsored immigration support, this includes all persons in F (both CPT and OPT), J, H, L, or O status.For information on work demands and conditions required for this position, please consult the reference document, ADA Requirements. This position is classified under Category I - Office Positions.All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.===============================================Disclaimer: This job description is proprietary to IEEE. It outlines the general nature and key features performed by various positions that share the same job classification. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties and qualifications required of all employees assigned to the job. Nothing in this job description restricts management’s right to assign or re-assign duties to this job at any time due to reasonable accommodations or other business reasons.KNW-C70JobMin: $142,000Primary LocationUnited States-New Jersey-PiscatawayScheduleFull-timeJob TypeRegularJob PostingApr 6, 2026, 1:05:20 PM