New Vacancy - Senior Manager - Innovation and Product Development
Insurer
London / Hybrid
I am currently partnered with a leading Insurer Business who are seeking a Senior Manager to join their Innovation and Product Development team on a 12M FTC basis.
This is a very exciting market-facing role that will be identifying problem areas and opportunities, taking ideas from concept to launch, designing and running innovation workshops, supporting training programmes and more.
My client is looking for someone with extensive leadership, product development & innovation experience from any industry.
Key Responsibilities:
- Lead the innovation partnership, commercialisation, and consulting agenda, ensuring innovation activity translates into tangible adoption and measurable commercial value.
- Own the development and implementation of innovation frameworks, oversee consulting and advisory delivery, strengthen strategic partnerships, and act as a senior representative to external stakeholders.
- Ensure all programmes, partnerships, and innovation initiatives are aligned, commercially relevant, and deliver meaningful impact.
Strategy
- Shape and continuously evolve the approach to product development, innovation frameworks, and commercialisation, ensuring consistency, credibility, and quality.
- Provide strategic leadership across consulting and innovation partnership activities.
- Contribute to long-term roadmap planning, aligning innovation activity with broader business strategy and market needs.
- Oversee and prioritise innovation initiatives, programmes, and events.
- Act as a senior advisor on innovation methodology, product strategy, market challenges, and commercial pathways.
Market Development & Strategic Partnerships
- Build and maintain strong relationships with key stakeholders, including insurers, brokers, innovation leads, and external partners.
- Develop a deep understanding of market needs, commercial pressures, and innovation opportunities to shape support offerings.
- Represent the function in senior-level discussions, providing trusted insight and strategic guidance.
- Strengthen positioning within the global innovation ecosystem through partnerships, knowledge sharing, and thought leadership.
Programmes: Consulting, Sprints & Testbeds
- Lead consulting and advisory engagements, ensuring they are well-structured, outcome-focused, and aligned to strategic priorities.
- Provide coaching and strategic direction to teams involved in innovation sprints and development initiatives.
- Ensure consistent application of innovation frameworks (e.g. concept → proof of concept → scale) across all programmes.
- Collaborate with programme leads to ensure alignment in delivery, methodology, and commercial outcomes.
- Track performance metrics and KPIs to ensure initiatives deliver measurable business value.
Market & Ecosystem Engagement
- Lead engagement initiatives such as workshops, roundtables, and industry events.
- Share insights on emerging trends and innovation opportunities with both internal and external stakeholders.
- Develop high-quality content, including case studies and thought leadership, to demonstrate impact and value.
- Act as a visible ambassador, representing innovation and commercial capabilities externally.
Global Collaboration
- Partner with regional teams to understand local innovation needs and support strategic objectives.
- Provide guidance on applying innovation frameworks across different markets and initiatives.
- Ensure a consistent approach to how stakeholders access and benefit from innovation support globally.
Team Leadership & Operational Excellence
- Lead and develop a high-performing team, setting clear priorities and fostering a collaborative, inclusive environment.
- Maintain strong operational discipline across planning, governance, communication, and delivery.
- Ensure consistency and quality across all engagements and initiatives.
- Work closely with analytical support functions to track activity, measure impact, and maintain accurate reporting.