Innovation Assistant Manager

Overview

As a key member of the COE-OPAMI team under the Reliability, Asset Management, Performance and Innovation (RAMPi) function at ENOVA by Veolia, the Innovation Assistant Manager leads the charge in fostering innovation and continuous improvements within the company's facilities and energy services operations. This role focuses on establishing effective innovation programs, managing the process of idea generation and implementation, engaging stakeholders, and tracking the innovation portfolio to support the company's strategic goals in the facilities management and energy sectors.

Responsibilities

• Develop and oversee structured innovation workflows that include idea submission, evaluation, prioritization, and execution, ensuring alignment with corporate strategy.
• Organize innovation campaigns and initiatives to involve employees across various levels and locations.
• Assess ideas regarding technical feasibility, potential impact, return on investment, and strategic alignment within facility management and energy services.
• Promote collaboration across functions through innovation working groups for prototyping and idea development.
• Engage with third parties such as academic institutions, research centers, and technology partners to identify emerging innovations and industry best practices.
• Conduct market and competitive research to uncover new innovation opportunities and trends in facilities management and energy sectors.
• Maintain communication with project stakeholders, innovation champions, and site teams regarding the status and challenges of innovation implementations.
• Prepare detailed presentations, business cases, and feasibility analyses for review by the Innovation Committee and senior leadership.
• Monitor the innovation portfolio, tracking progress, timelines, milestones, and resource allocations.
• Maintain comprehensive innovation documentation and a centralized knowledge repository to support information sharing.
• Define and report on innovation-related KPIs to measure performance effectively.
• Compile monthly and quarterly reports that include trends, insights, and recommendations on innovation activities.
• Facilitate knowledge exchange and transfer of proven innovations throughout ENOVA's business units and facilities.
• Oversee recognition programs to reward innovative ideas and contributions, helping to cultivate an innovative corporate culture.
• Conduct site visits to understand operational challenges, explore innovation possibilities, and validate solution effectiveness.
• Support organizational development by promoting a culture committed to innovation and continuous improvement.
• Create innovation roadmaps and strategic plans aligned with business goals and market prospects.
• Document lessons learned from innovation projects and disseminate findings organization-wide.

Additional Requirements

Health, Safety, Environment, and Quality (HSEQ): Adhere strictly to ENOVA's HSEQ policies and procedures to ensure workplace safety and compliance with local legislation. Employees must proactively uphold these standards and seek guidance whenever clarity is needed.

Customer Relations: Build proactive relationships with clients, authorities, and stakeholders to identify areas for service enhancement through innovation. Maintain clear communication about innovation initiatives and form strategic partnerships with universities and research entities to support innovation goals.

Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Business Administration, Innovation Management, or related disciplines.
• Preferred: Master's degree or MBA.
• Professional certifications in Innovation Management or Design Thinking are desirable.
• Familiarity with innovation management frameworks such as Stage-Gate, Lean, and Agile is beneficial.
• Possess a valid UAE driving license.
• At least 8 to 10 years of professional experience, including 3 to 5 years specifically in innovation management or continuous improvement.
• Proven experience in stakeholder engagement and coordinating partnerships with universities, vendors, and technology providers.
• Skilled in presenting complex topics to senior leadership, innovation committees, and clients.
• Competent in managing innovation metrics, KPIs, and performance reports.

Key Skills

• Strong analytical abilities to evaluate innovation opportunities and feasibility assessments.
• Expertise in innovation frameworks, idea management, stage-gate processes, and portfolio oversight.
• Proficiency with innovation management software and tools.
• Understanding of emerging technologies relevant to facilities management and energy sectors, including IoT, AI, automation, renewable energy, smart building technologies, and energy management systems.
• Excellent English communication skills, both written and oral.
• Knowledgeable in design thinking and innovation methodologies.
• High-level stakeholder management and relationship-building skills internally and externally.
• Capability to work autonomously and collaboratively within multi-disciplinary teams.
• Project management skills to handle multiple innovation initiatives concurrently.
• Business insight with abilities in ROI analysis, financial impact evaluation, and cost-benefit assessment.
• Willingness and ability to travel to various ENOVA sites and meet external partners as needed.
• Strategic orientation aligning innovation efforts with overall business objectives.