Manager, Innovation & Partnerships

Ochsner Health•New Orleans, LA

About The Position

This job supports strategic projects and programs that align with growth team priorities and strategies that deliver new value to the organization. Works closely with venture leadership on special projects as needed that could include project management, research, content development and event planning. Conducts extensive market and company research to educate and inform team priorities and strategy. Role Summary This job supports Ochsner Ventures' mission of creating new strategic value for Ochsner Health by advancing the team’s enabling innovation and partnership priorities. The role reports to the Assistant Vice President of Ochsner Ventures and sits within Ochsner’s Corporate Development Division. The Manager of Innovation & Partnerships will support internal innovation infrastructure and innovators, coordinate statewide ecosystem engagement, and help connect Ochsner leaders, partners, companies, and community stakeholders in ways that create strategic value for the system. This role is responsible for supporting and managing key activities related to external innovation partnerships with national and local companies and organizations, developing strong relationships and engagements with the statewide entrepreneurial and economic development ecosystem, and strengthening Ochsner Health’s internal innovation support function and processes. The individual in this role represents Ochsner as a member of the innovation ecosystem and develops strong relationships with key stakeholders inside and outside Ochsner to be successful in achieving team priorities. The ideal candidate is passionate about healthcare innovation and excels at building relationships, connecting people and ideas, and advancing initiatives in complex environments. This individual is a self-starter who is resourceful, highly organized, and comfortable navigating ambiguity. The successful candidate possesses strong interpersonal skills, enjoys developing new partnerships, and can see the bigger picture while effectively connecting opportunities, stakeholders, and resources to achieve meaningful outcomes.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in healthcare administration, business administration, public health, communications, innovation, entrepreneurship, life sciences, health sciences, or related field.
Five years of experience in healthcare administration, innovation, partnerships, program management, project management, business development, entrepreneurship, community engagement, strategic initiatives, or related field.
Knowledge of healthcare innovation, entrepreneurship, digital health, clinical innovation, and emerging healthcare trends.
Strong relationship-building skills and ability to work effectively with internal and external stakeholders, including physicians, leaders, innovators, entrepreneurs, investors, community partners, and ecosystem organizations.
Ability to represent the organization professionally in external meetings, events, panels, conferences, and community partnership settings.
Ability to connect the dots across people, ideas, opportunities, organizational priorities, and external resources.
Strong project management skills, including the ability to manage timelines, follow-ups, meeting coordination, stakeholder communication, and deliverables.
Strong content development and communication skills, including the ability to develop presentations, event materials, summaries, talking points, newsletters, reports, and other stakeholder-facing content.
Ability to coordinate events, sponsorships, programming, and partnership activities in a way that maximizes value and reputation for the organization.
Ability to work independently, set priorities, manage ambiguity, and move work forward in a dynamic and evolving environment.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, web-based tools, and other business productivity platforms.
Ability to travel between company facilities and attend external meetings, conferences, and events as needed.

Nice To Haves

Master's degree in healthcare administration, business administration, public health, innovation, entrepreneurship, or related field.
Experience working in a healthcare system, innovation organization, venture group, startup ecosystem, economic development organization, or other complex cross-functional environment.
Experience supporting innovation programs, stakeholder networks, events, strategic partnerships, entrepreneur engagement, clinical innovation, commercialization, or internal program development.
Familiarity with commercialization principles, innovation processes, intellectual property considerations, startup development, and/or bioinnovation preferred.

Responsibilities

Supports and manages Ochsner Ventures initiatives related to national and statewide ecosystem partnerships, external innovation engagement, internal innovation support, and other projects as needed.
Coordinates, manages and builds processes for internal cross-functional groups focused on connecting internal innovators with resources to support their endeavors.
Supports innovators as they navigate Ochsner processes, resources, and stakeholders, helping clarify project needs, potential pathways, next steps, and appropriate internal or external connections.
Builds and maintains relationships with ecosystem partners, community organizations, entrepreneurs, investors, innovation organizations, health systems, companies, and other external stakeholders looking for opportunities to create strategic value for Ochsner.
Supports sponsorship discussions, event participation and content development, and partnership navigation to ensure Ochsner receives meaningful strategic, reputational, relationship, and community value from ecosystem engagement.
Conducts market, company, healthcare innovation, and ecosystem research to inform team priorities, leader education, partnership decisions, and internal innovation support.
Tracks project activity, stakeholder follow-ups, event outcomes, innovator progress, partnership opportunities, and other relevant information to support reporting and decision-making.
Maintains awareness of healthcare innovation trends, startup activity, local and national ecosystem developments, and relevant partnership opportunities.
Supports special projects and emerging priorities within Ochsner Ventures as assigned.
Performs other related duties as required.