Innovation Manager: Facts, Skills, and Next Paths

An Innovation Manager connects research and development efforts with operational missions, translating technology into mission outcomes. Day-to-day, you partner with engineering teams, conduct technology assessments, and propose solutions in data science, artificial intelligence, and machine learning. You also design and execute in-business control frameworks, ensuring compliance with regulations and managing audits, reviews, and exams.

Core responsibilities include strategic planning, project management, and brand management, often sitting within enterprise strategy or marketing teams. For example, at Siemens Healthineers, you would drive enterprise strategy to shape the future of diagnostics, while at General Atomics, you would engage stakeholders in the Intelligence Community to shape impactful solutions. The role typically requires a bachelor’s degree and experience in managing enterprise systems or brand management.

The median salary for Innovation Managers is approximately $128,500. The most requested skills in current job postings include Compliance (30%), Machine Learning & Deep Learning (30%), Strategic Planning (20%), and Project Management (20%).