Product Innovation Manager

IMI Process Automation

19h • Remote

About The Position

IMI plc is a global specialist engineering company focused on creating breakthrough solutions in fluid and motion control applications. We are looking for a Product Innovation Manager to drive early-stage innovation across the Growth Hub, turning opportunities into validated business concepts. Reporting to the Growth Hub Director, you will lead Phase 0-2 innovation sprints, helping teams identify opportunities, challenge assumptions, test ideas, and build evidence-based business cases. Once opportunities are validated and ready for scaling, ownership transfers to the relevant sector teams. This is a highly visible, hands-on role for someone who thrives in ambiguity, enjoys bringing people together, and can quickly move ideas from concept to validation. You will act as a facilitator, coach, challenger, and connector, helping teams make smarter and faster innovation decisions. You won't be managing innovation from a distance. You'll be in the room where ideas are tested, challenged, validated, and transformed into future businesses.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Engineering, Innovation, Design, Technology, or a related field.
• 4-8 years of experience in innovation consulting, venture building, growth strategy, business transformation, startups, or innovation-focused corporate roles.
• Proven experience leading innovation sprints, customer discovery, MVP validation, and cross-functional workshops.
• Strong practitioner of Design Thinking, Lean Startup, Agile, customer discovery, and rapid experimentation.
• Excellent facilitator who can guide diverse teams and influence stakeholders at all levels.
• Confident challenger who uses data and evidence to test assumptions and drive decisions.
• Strong relationship builder with the ability to connect people, expertise, and opportunities across the organization.
• Fluent with AI tools and rapid prototyping solutions.

Nice To Haves

• Additional certifications or qualifications in innovation, entrepreneurship, strategy, or design thinking are a plus
• Experience in B2B environments is preferred; exposure to industrial, automation, manufacturing, or technology sectors is an advantage.

Responsibilities

• Lead innovation sprints from opportunity discovery to customer and market validation.
• Apply Design Thinking, Lean Startup, and experimentation methodologies to test ideas and develop MVPs.
• Drive evidence-based Go / Pivot / Stop decisions and present recommendations to leadership.
• Facilitate workshops, hackathons, design sprints, and co-creation sessions across the business.
• Personally lead multiple sprints per year from discovery to Go/Pivot/Stop decision.
• Promote a practical test-and-learn culture throughout the organization.
• Build strong relationships across sectors, functions, and regions.
• Connect teams with relevant internal and external experts to accelerate innovation.
• Act as a Growth Hub ambassador through showcases, pitch events, and leadership forums.

Benefits

• This is a unique opportunity to help shape the future of innovation within Process Automation.
• You will work with senior leaders, experts, and innovators across the organization to identify new growth opportunities, build innovation capability, and turn promising ideas into future businesses.
• IMI is an inclusive employer; diversity is very important to us, and we want to receive applications from people from all backgrounds

What This Job Offers

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