Director, Innovation - Senior Living

HumanGood • Pleasanton, CA

22h • $140,000 - $190,000 • Remote

About The Position

The Director of Innovation leads enterprise innovation initiatives that support HumanGood’s strategic priorities, resident and consumer experience, operational effectiveness, and long-term organizational growth. This individual contributor role partners with senior leaders, community teams, residents, vendors, and external stakeholders to identify opportunities, evaluate needs, design solutions, and implement scalable improvements. The Director applies human-centered design, research, project management, data analysis, and change leadership practices to move ideas from concept through testing, implementation, and measurement. The role develops business cases, manages cross-functional innovation projects, and supports adoption of new programs, services, systems, tools, and processes across the organization.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in business, marketing, technology, organizational development, behavioral sciences, design, engineering, statistics, mathematics, or a related field.
• 5-8 years of related experience in innovation, business development, organizational development, strategy, design, transformation, process improvement, or related work.
• Demonstrated experience applying user-centered or human-centered design methods.
• Demonstrated experience managing projects from concept through implementation.
• Demonstrated ability to conduct research, analyze information, synthesize findings, and translate insights into practical recommendations.
• Demonstrated ability to solve complex problems and deliver practical, measurable results.
• Strong project and program management skills, including scope definition, planning, risk management, issue resolution, stakeholder communication, and outcome measurement.
• Strong facilitation, presentation, written communication, and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to manage multiple complex projects, priorities, and stakeholders in a changing environment.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and exercise sound judgment with sensitive information.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications and related business, collaboration, project management, and research tools.
• Ability to travel 25-30% of the time.

Nice To Haves

• Master’s degree in business, marketing, technology, statistics, mathematics, engineering, behavioral sciences, organizational development, or a related field.
• Experience in a senior living, healthcare, hospitality, nonprofit, service-based, or multi-site environment.
• Experience developing business cases, pilot programs, prototypes, service models, or enterprise process improvements.
• Experience leading cross-functional projects, workgroups, consultants, vendors, or implementation teams preferred.
• Vendor management experience.
• Experience working directly with senior leadership, executive teams, residents, field operators, and external partners.
• Strong business acumen and ability to understand operational, financial, resident experience, and organizational implications of innovation initiatives.

Responsibilities

• Supports the vision, strategy, and priorities of the innovation function in alignment with HumanGood’s broader organizational strategy, resident experience goals, and operational priorities.
• Leads enterprise innovation initiatives from ideation through research, design, testing, implementation, measurement, and scaling.
• Partners with senior leaders, department heads, community leaders, residents, vendors, and external stakeholders to identify opportunities, define needs, evaluate options, and develop practical solutions.
• Consults with leaders on business strategy, innovation opportunities, process improvement, and strategic planning efforts, including facilitating workshops and related planning processes.
• Designs and conducts qualitative and quantitative research, including interviews, focus groups, stakeholder discovery, data analysis, and other methods to understand needs, test assumptions, and inform recommendations.
• Analyzes and synthesizes research findings, stakeholder feedback, operational data, and business information to identify themes, risks, opportunities, and actionable insights.
• Develops prototypes, experiments, pilots, business cases, and decision-support materials to evaluate potential solutions and support leadership decision-making.
• Manages multiple innovation projects concurrently, including scope, timelines, milestones, risks, dependencies, resources, vendor coordination, communications, documentation, and outcome measures.
• Coordinates the launch, implementation, monitoring, refinement, and transition of new programs, services, systems, tools, and processes.
• Tracks project progress, resolves issues, provides troubleshooting support, and communicates updates, recommendations, and outcomes to appropriate stakeholders.
• Builds strong working relationships across corporate functions, communities, residents, vendors, and external partners to support adoption, alignment, and successful innovation outcomes.
• Participates in senior leadership or executive-level meetings as needed, including supporting agenda design, preparation, follow-up, and communication.
• Leads cross-functional project teams, consultants, vendors, and initiative workgroups through influence to support planning, execution, implementation, adoption, and sustainment of assigned innovation initiatives.
• Models HumanGood’s mission, values, service expectations, and commitment to continuous improvement.

Benefits

• Health, Dental and Vision Plans - start the 1st of the month following your start date
• 20 days of paid time off (increases with years of service), plus 7 company holidays
• 401(k) with up to 4% employer match and no waiting on funds to vest
• HSA option with employer contribution
• Tuition Reimbursement and continuing education programs
• $25/line unlimited cell phone plan (plus taxes and fees)
• Cell Phone Stipend
• 5-star employer-paid employee assistance program

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior