Innovations Officer - Innovation

Qualification and experience

• A Masters and Bachelors degree in Business Management, International Business Relations, Information Technology, Entrepreneurship, Innovation Management, Statistics, Social Sciences or a related field from an accredited University.
  
• At least 3 years of experience in innovation management, or project administration in an academic, research, or innovation-driven environment.
  
• Certifications in innovations management, Design Thinking, Agile, or Lean Startup are highly regarded.
  
• Proficiency in innovation management platforms (e.g., IdeaScale, Trello), data analysis software (e.g., SQL, Tableau, Python), and collaboration tools (e.g., Miro).
  
• Understanding of emerging technology trends (e.g., AI, machine learning, robotics, IoT) to evaluate their applicability for new product development or process improvement.
  
• Strong understanding of research processes, innovation ecosystems, and knowledge transfer practices
  
• Familiarity with innovation funding mechanisms, grant management, and reporting requirements.
  
• Knowledge in innovation methodologies including design thinking, and Scenario planning
  
• Excellent organisational and event planning skills, with proven ability to plan,coordinate, and execute meetings, seminars, workshops, and innovation-related events.
  
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
  

• Assist in the day-to-day management of the innovation pipeline, from idea generation through to implementation.
  
• Support the coordination of innovation workshops, brainstorming sessions, and hackathons.
  
• Provide innovation support to Innovation Hubs by facilitating Design Thinking workshops and Innovation Labs for future products and services
  
• Maintain and update the innovation project database, tracking progress, milestones, and key performance indicators (KPIs).
  
• Assist in managing intellectual property (IP) documentation and liaise with legal or patent professionals as required.
  
• Support donor communication and Contribute to the preparation of research proposals,grant applications, and project reports.
  
• Support the preparation of technical documentation, including standard operating procedures (SOPs) and Innovation
  
• Support product management process in extracting, designing, and implementing innovation pipeline
  
• Support the selection process of internal and external key partners for innovation development, support collaboration and execution.
  
• Act as the central point of contact for innovation project-related inquiries.
  
• Plan and coordinate meetings, workshops, seminars, and events.
  
• Any other duties may be assigned from time to time by the supervisor or as captured in the detailed job description.