Director - Innovation (ES)

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Job Details
Own the innovation strategy, governance and funnel

• Collaborate with the VP of Business Transformation & Growth and Strategy Manager to define and implement an innovation strategy that supports the company's goals and vision – in line with 5Y strategy and long-range plan.
• Drive the implementation of the innovation process and governance, ensuring its diligent execution, continuous improvement and visibility of our progress towards a new innovation culture in the business. Owns and safeguards idea selection criteria and funnel stage gates.
• Generate a new innovation pipeline to reflect our long-term strategy and new design principles, driving innovation initiatives from ideation to the handoff to our VMO (Value Management Office) for detailed design and implementation.

Chair the Innovation Councils and manage quarterly portfolio reviews in partnership with VMO and IT

• Build & run an external Innovation Council that gathers key opinion leaders across our strategic customer segments to capture and test innovative solutions.
• Build & run an internal Innovation Council that reviews progress of ideas through our funnel, including the clearance of stage gates.
• Collaborate with VMO and IT in preparing quarterly project portfolio reviews including recommendations for the prioritization of innovation projects.
• Foster a culture of innovation within the organization by encouraging creative thinking and collaboration among team members.

Partner with Strategy team for foresight and market trends

• Work closely with WC Strategy team to maintain an active external radar that identifies industry trends, competitive landscape, and emerging technologies that could shape our innovation agenda.
• Effectively include WC Strategy team to drive key market analyses that help qualify, evaluate and prioritize innovation ideas through the funnel.

Partner with VMO to track execution and benefit realization

• Establish key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure the success and impact of innovation initiatives, collaborating effectively with VMO to keep track of benefit realization and innovation contribution to WC growth targets.
• Secure complete handoff of initiatives from innovation funnel to VMO project portfolio to 'set them up for success' in the execution leg of their lifecycle.

Coordinate with Cencora enterprise innovation

• Partner with VP of Business Transformation & Growth to maintain a direct line with communication with Cencora enterprise innovation team in order to secure alignment on innovation priorities and explore potential synergies and funding opportunities.

Preferred Education And Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Marketing, Innovation Management, or a related field. A Master's degree or MBA is preferred.
• Minimum of 7 years of experience in innovation management, R&D, business transformation, or a related role within the pharmaceutical or pharma logistics industries.
• Proven track record of successfully leading and implementing customer-facing innovative projects and initiatives that drive business growth and operational efficiency.
• Experience in managing cross-functional teams and collaborating with various stakeholders to achieve project objectives.

Technical Skills

• Strong passion for and curiosity about new and innovative solutions.
• Thorough knowledge and understanding of pharmaceutical or pharma logistics business principles, processes and technology.
• Strong problem solving, analytical, and decision-making skills.
• Highly detail-oriented with the ability to effectively manage multiple projects at a time. Successfully able to meet deadlines.
• Ability to chair meetings, prepare and present high quality materials to senior (senior director and above) audiences.

Ability to work independently as well as within a team in high-pressure situations, with ambiguity and a variety of moving parts.

**What Cencora offers****
Benefit offerings outside the US may vary by country and will be aligned to local market practice. The eligibility and effective date may differ for some benefits and for team members covered under collective bargaining agreements.

Full time

**Affiliated Companies****
Affiliated Companies: World Courier Management Ltd.

*Equal Employment Opportunity*
Cencora is committed to providing equal employment opportunity without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, age, disability, veteran status or membership in any other class protected by federal, state or local law.

The company's continued success depends on the full and effective utilization of qualified individuals. Therefore, harassment is prohibited and all matters related to recruiting, training, compensation, benefits, promotions and transfers comply with equal opportunity principles and are non-discriminatory.

Cencora is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities during the employment process which are consistent with legal requirements. If you wish to request an accommodation while seeking employment, please call or email We will make accommodation determinations on a request-by-request basis. Messages and emails regarding anything other than accommodations requests will not be returned