Innovation Manager

Vancity • Vancouver, BC

60d • Hybrid

About The Position

As an Innovation Manager, you will literally be shaping the future of banking
in Canada. You will do this by bringing together our members, internal experts
and external partners to design, test, and scale values‑based innovation
solutions that directly support Vancity’s strategic impact and growth
priorities. You will work closely with our Innovation Director and support
leaders across the organization to drive the end-to-end innovation lifecycle
while coaching teams across the organization to build their innovation
capability.

This role is instrumental in generating new revenue opportunities, strengthening
creative problem‑solving capacity across the organization, and accelerating the
development of transformational initiatives at a provincial and national scale.
We’re seeking a creative, experienced, strategic, and highly collaborative
practitioner who thrives in complex problem spaces and is motivated by
purpose-driven transformation.

This is a Full-time, Permanent role based at our Vancity head office and reports
directly to the Director, Innovation. While this position provides a hybrid work
arrangement, you will be expected to be on-site for events and business demands.

Requirements

• Post-secondary degree in business, innovation, design, strategy, technology, or a related field
• 5+ years of experience in innovation management, service design, product development, strategy, design thinking, or transformation roles
• Demonstrated experience leading end-to-end innovation cycles, including research, ideation, prototyping, testing, and scaling. Working with AI tools to accelerate your work whilst maintaining a high-quality bar
• Experience coaching teams in innovation frameworks such as design thinking, agile, lean experimentation, or service design
• Strong facilitation skills, with experience leading workshops or co-creation sessions
• Ability to synthesize data, trends, and emerging technologies to generate insights and opportunity areas
• Proven ability to manage multiple projects and navigate complex cross-functional environments
• Strong communication and stakeholder engagement skills at any level of the organisation

Nice To Haves

• Certifications in innovation, agile, design thinking, or change management
• Experience in financial services, credit unions, other regulated sectors or purpose-driven organizations
• Experience developing innovation toolkits, training programs, or capability‑building initiatives

Responsibilities

• Managing the end-to-end innovation lifecycle from problem definition through research, ideation, prototyping, testing, and transition to implementation
• Re-imagining how we use the tools of finance to solve societal challenges across the following priority areas affordable housing, equity & reconciliation, climate action and local economies
• Leading and collaborating with cross-functional teams to advance values-based innovation opportunities
• Coaching teams on design thinking, agile practices, and innovation frameworks to build innovation capability across the organization
• Facilitating workshops, co-creation sessions, and innovation training as part of the organization-wide rollout
• Tapping data, trends, and emerging technologies to identify opportunities and inform decision-making
• Measuring impact, setting clear success metrics, and ensuring alignment with risk and regulatory requirements
• Contributing to innovation governance, standards, and toolkits to promote scalability and consistency
• Supporting enterprise-wide activation events that increase awareness, capability, and engagement in innovation
• Managing a pipeline of transformational innovation opportunities annually
• Accelerating time-to-learning and time-to-launch through effective innovation practice management

Benefits

• Living Wage Employer: We’re the largest private-sector Living Wage Employer in Canada and consistently ranked among Canada’s Top Employers.
• Customizable Benefits: Permanent employees receive flexible benefit packages that can be tailored annually to meet evolving needs.
• Generous Vacation: New employees start with 3-4 weeks of vacation per year, with additional days earned over time.
• Extra Stat Holidays: In addition to BC’s 11 statutory holidays, we offer 2 extra days, plus care days for personal or family illness.
• Immediate Health Coverage: Health and dental benefits begin on your hire date, with three levels of coverage to choose from.
• Defined Benefit Pension: Our retirement plan provides a guaranteed income for life, recognizing that retirement looks different for everyone.

What This Job Offers

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