Vice President, Innovation

Marmon Holdings, Inc.•Chicago, IL

4d•$200,000 - $300,000•Remote

About The Position

The Vice President of Innovation, reporting to Marmon’s Chief Innovation Officer, supports innovation efforts across Marmon’s diversified industrial portfolio of approximately 150 operating companies spanning 12 industrial groups. This executive will help drive sustainable growth through new product development, technology adoption, business model innovation, strategic partnerships, and enterprise-wide innovation capabilities. The Vice President of Innovation serves as both a strategist and catalyst, helping portfolio companies identify, prioritize, and execute innovation initiatives that accelerate revenue growth, improve competitiveness, increase operational effectiveness, and create long-term shareholder value. Success in this role requires influencing leaders across a decentralized organization, fostering a culture of innovation across diverse markets and industries, as well as maintaining a portfolio of resources that support innovation efforts at Marmon’s operating companies. Up to 50% travel is required.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Science, Technology, or a related technical discipline required
15+ years of progressive leadership experience in innovation, engineering, product development, technology strategy, R&D, or related disciplines
Demonstrated success leading innovation initiatives across multiple business units, industries, and/or geographic regions
Experience in industrial manufacturing, engineered products, automation, transportation, building products, energy, distribution, or related sectors
Experience managing large, complex portfolios of innovation projects and investments
Demonstrated success influencing senior executives and driving change within decentralized organizations
Experience evaluating emerging technologies and translating them into commercial value
Strategic Leadership: Enterprise mindset with the ability to connect innovation initiatives to business strategy
Strategic Leadership: Strong systems thinking and portfolio management capabilities
Strategic Leadership: Ability to balance long-term innovation investments with near-term business results
Business Acumen: Deep understanding of industrial markets, manufacturing economics, and growth strategies
Business Acumen: Ability to evaluate investment opportunities and business cases
Business Acumen: Strong financial and analytical capabilities
Technical Leadership: Broad understanding of engineering disciplines, product development, manufacturing processes, and emerging technologies
Technical Leadership: Ability to engage credibly with technical experts and executive leadership alike
Collaboration & Influence: Exceptional communication and relationship-building skills
Collaboration & Influence: Ability to lead through influence in a decentralized matrix organization
Collaboration & Influence: Strong executive presence and stakeholder management capabilities
Change Leadership: Proven ability to lead organizational transformation and build a culture of innovation
Change Leadership: Comfortable operating in ambiguity and driving change across diverse organizations

Nice To Haves

Master's or Doctoral degree preferred
MBA or equivalent business education strongly desired
P&L management experience is preferred

Responsibilities

Identifies emerging technologies, market trends, customer needs, and industry disruptions that may impact portfolio companies
Manages a portfolio of innovation resources for business units, ensuring alignment with strategic objectives and spending priorities
Partners with Group and Platform leaders and operating company presidents to translate innovation opportunities into measurable business outcomes
Partners with business leaders, engineering teams, and technology providers to pilot and deploy innovative solutions
Establishes best practices for innovation processes, stage-gate development, commercialization, and portfolio management
Monitors and improves innovation performance metrics including: New product revenue and contribution margin, Vitality Index, R&D effectiveness / Innovation ROI, Time-to-market, Project success rates
Facilitates collaboration to leverage new technologies across Groups, Platforms, and individual operating companies
Builds strategic relationships with universities, research institutions, and technology providers
Develops mechanisms to identify and evaluate external innovation opportunities
Leads due diligence efforts related to technology acquisitions, partnerships, licensing, and strategic investments
Represents Marmon within industry, innovation, and technology forums
Fosters a culture that encourages experimentation, continuous improvement, and taking calculated risks
Creates communities of practice and technical working groups across Marmon’s engineering and innovation disciplines
Develops innovation training programs for leaders, engineers, and technical professionals
Identifies and mentors high-potential innovation leaders throughout Marmon
Manages recognition programs that celebrate innovation achievements and value creation
Develops annual innovation scorecards and benchmarking processes
Tracks innovation investments and ensures accountability for results
Leads enterprise-level innovation reviews and strategic planning sessions