The Sr Innovation Principal brings thought leadership, deep expertise, and senior judgment to the Global Innovation Center (GIC) to reimagine the way eye care and eyewear are delivered to the world. This position is responsible for identifying, assessing, advancing, and activating innovation opportunities within their assigned domain area(s) that will have a clear impact on the future success of the enterprise and the various stakeholders we serve. As a recognized authority in their assigned area, the incumbent develops relationships with internal and external partners, quantifies the value of new opportunities to the enterprise, and guides ideas through the full innovation lifecycle. The incumbent uses skilled communications, both in writing and verbally, to distill complex trends and findings into meaningful insights that can be understood broadly and acted upon.

Develop points-of-view and promote understanding of assigned domain area(s) by monitoring trends, solution maturity, and impact to our business

Quantify potential value to the enterprise from innovation opportunities in assigned domain area(s). Identify and define problems and opportunity areas, develop hypotheses, and select appropriate testing methods to validate assumptions

Lead and advise multiple project teams on project design, execution, and when to pivot, close out, or transition an initiative. Projects may involve technology evaluation, business model innovation, prototyping, proof-of-concept creation, and/or pilot execution

Design and lead initiatives requiring concept testing and validation, user research, or other related innovation methodologies, ensuring evidence and proof are acquired through iterative development

Seek out new technologies, business models, markets, and consumer trends and translate them into insights that can be shared broadly

Establish rapport and confidence with senior internal and external stakeholders, and represent GIC in internal and external meetings, presentations, and conferences

Document insights, learnings, and recommendations from projects to inform future innovation initiatives and business decisions

Identify, evaluate, and mitigate risks across initiatives, applying sound judgment to balance ambition with feasibility

Nurture our culture of innovation to encourage all members of the team to pitch new project ideas and help them develop them into projects

Maintain cross-functional relationships with internal and external partners that deepen current and future knowledge between the company and emerging markets

Mentor junior team members

Job Specifications

Typically has the following skills or abilities:

Bachelor’s degree in a related field; or equivalent experience. Master’s degree or PhD highly preferred

Minimum 8 years of experience in relevant topics including: Innovation, Emerging Technology, Research & Development, Product Design, Pilot Execution, or another relevant domain

Industry experience in healthcare, manufacturing, retail, and technology is preferred

Demonstrates superior expertise in a relevant subject matter domain and broad understanding of adjacent spaces, including healthcare, business models, and technology

Experience leading projects and initiatives in creative cultures in either consulting or large corporate environments

Brings order to projects in undefined opportunity areas or with gaps in information. Able to clarify, prioritize, and guide teams to meaningful and measurable outcomes

Strong execution mindset with the ability to drive results and manage complex initiatives from concept through validation and transition

Exemplary presentation and communication skills, including writing research briefs and presentations (PowerPoint). Strong facilitation skills with an ability to balance conversation in mixed groups and manage political dynamics

Demonstrates mastery at teaching or explaining complex concepts to non-technical people, including the relevance to their work or business

Highly skilled at providing thoughtful and constructive feedback to others and helping ideas grow and move forward towards realization

For roles that are remote (i.e., Work From Home (WFM)) or hybrid (i.e., partial onsite at a VSP location and WFM), must demonstrate a high level of engagement in virtual environments, including maintaining camera presence during meetings to support effective communication and team alignment

Preferred Skills

Demonstrated experience designing and executing pilot and proof-of-concept initiatives, including business case development, establishing frameworks, success metrics, and stage-gate criteria to evaluate feasibility and progress

Proven ability to manage the thoughtful hand-off of validated innovations to the business, including all stabilization activities including scaling strategies, supporting user adoption, and ensuring continuity of insights

Proven experience building relationships with emerging industry leaders and business stakeholders to translate partnerships into pilots and ensure smooth transition to the business

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Compensation range for the role is listed below. Applicable salary ranges may differ across markets. Actual pay will be determined based on experience and other job-related factors permitted by law. As a part of the compensation package, this role may include eligible bonuses and commissions. For more information regarding VSP Vision benefits, please click here. 

Salary Ranges: $105,000.00 - $165,375.00

Unincorporated LA County Residents: Qualified Applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers and the California Fair Chance Act, and any other similar laws.

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