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Director Innovation Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Implus

Director, Brand & Innovation

Carlsbad, CA

We encourage & value different perspectives and are seeking a Director, SKLZ Brand & Innovation, who shares our commitment to inclusivity and enjoys working collaboratively with colleagues from ...

Implus

Director, Brand & Innovation

Carlsbad, CA · On-site

$150K - $170K/yr

We encourage & value different perspectives and are seeking a Director, SKLZ Brand & Innovation, who shares our commitment to inclusivity and enjoys working collaboratively with colleagues from ...

PlayStation Global

Director, Product Innovation

San Mateo, CA · On-site

$265K - $277K/yr

The Marketing Director, Product Innovation is a product management leader that owns the vision, strategy, and roadmap for PlayStation's global marketing technology products, building platforms that ...

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Director Innovation information

See California salary details

$33.1K

$115.9K

$192.9K

How much do director innovation jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 16, 2026, the average yearly pay for director innovation in California is $115,942.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $79,000.00 and $154,900.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What does a director of innovation do?

A Director of Innovation leads an organization's efforts to develop and implement new ideas, technologies, and strategies that drive growth and competitive advantage. They research market trends, foster a culture of innovation, and collaborate with teams to bring new products, services, or processes to life. Their role involves strategic planning, identifying opportunities for innovation, and managing projects that enhance business performance.

What are the main challenges a director of innovation typically faces in this role?

A Director of Innovation often deals with balancing the need for creative, out-of-the-box thinking with the practical requirements of business viability and risk management. Navigating resistance to change and securing stakeholder buy-in across different departments can be significant challenges. The role usually involves managing cross-functional teams and building bridges between R&D, marketing, and operations to drive projects forward. Being able to translate visionary ideas into actionable initiatives, while ensuring alignment with organizational goals, is essential for long-term success in this position.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a director of innovation?

To thrive as a Director of Innovation, you need expertise in strategic planning, product development, and business analysis, typically supported by a relevant bachelor's or master's degree. Familiarity with project management tools, innovation frameworks, and data analytics platforms is highly beneficial. Strong leadership, creative problem-solving, and excellent interpersonal communication set standout candidates apart in this position. These capabilities are crucial for effectively driving change, fostering a culture of innovation, and ensuring the organization remains competitive in a dynamic marketplace.

What are the most commonly searched types of Innovation jobs in California?

The most popular types of Innovation jobs in California are:

What are popular job titles related to Director Innovation jobs in California?

For Director Innovation jobs in California, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Director Innovation jobs in California look for?

The top searched job categories for Director Innovation jobs in California are:

What cities in California are hiring for Director Innovation jobs?

Cities in California with the most Director Innovation job openings:

Director Innovation jobs near you
Infographic showing various Director Innovation job openings in California as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 75% Full Time, and 25% Part Time. Highlights an 25% In-person, and 75% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $115,942 per year, or $55.7 per hour.

Associate Director, Innovation

AbbVie

South San Francisco, CA • On-site

$141K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Retirement, PTO

Re-posted 20 days ago

AbbVie rating

8.6

Company rating: 8.6 out of 10

Based on 101 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

16th of 86 rated pharmaceutical

Job description

Company Description
AbbVie's mission is to discover and deliver innovative medicines and solutions that solve serious health issues today and address the medical challenges of tomorrow. We strive to have a remarkable impact on people's lives across several key therapeutic areas - immunology, oncology, neuroscience, and eye care - and products and services in our Allergan Aesthetics portfolio. For more information about AbbVie, please visit us at www.abbvie.com. Follow @abbvie on X, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn and Tik Tok.
Job Description
The Innovation, Insights & Transformation (IIT) group partners closely with the AbbVie executive team to advance key strategic priorities across the organization. The work of this team plays a vital role in shaping AbbVie's continued growth and success.
As Associate Director, Innovation, you will partner with leaders across AbbVie to optimize the value of our portfolio of current and future assets. The team is seeking a high-performing individual who has demonstrated an interest and expertise in the biopharma industry and strong desire to advance our strategic agenda and support mission-critical initiatives that will make a difference for AbbVie's patients.
Location & Travel:
  • North Chicago, IL or South San Francisco, CA offices with a minimum three (3) days onsite hybrid
  • 25% travel required

Responsibilities:
  • Drive end-to-end strategic innovation and execution on AbbVie's highest priority commercial assets in partnership with the program-leading Asset Strategy Team and content-focused deliverable teams. Areas of focus include strategic planning, scenario evaluation, operational acceleration, and data-driven problem solving spanning the breadth of drug development (e.g. product development & manufacturing, trial design, evidence package evaluation, clinical operations).
  • Support strategic initiatives that address mission-critical questions and position AbbVie for future success.
  • Lead individual modules within complex, cross-functional initiatives, including driving the problem-solving process, supporting research and analytics, and distilling pragmatic recommendations for management consideration.
  • Monitor, understand, and prioritize external trends of relevance to the enterprise and help determine how AbbVie should prepare and/or respond.
  • Help communicate our strategy across AbbVie.

Qualifications
  • Bachelors or equivalent degree required. Advanced degree (e.g., PharmD, PhD, MD, MBA) highly preferred.
  • Minimum years of experience required: 6+ with Bachelors, 4+ with Masters, and 2+ with Doctorate.
  • Professional consulting experience within biotechnology and/or pharmaceuticals highly preferred.
  • Strong problem-solving skills.
  • Strong communication skills. Can comfortably lead meetings with mid/senior-level management.
  • Experience managing large projects within a complex matrixed pharmaceutical organization, either as an external consultant or an internal cross-functional lead.
  • Demonstrated ability to engage senior leadership to drive alignment on a strategic vision and facilitate decision making on critical issues
  • Capability building / Change management skills - leverage empathy and coaching with functional stakeholder to achieve organizational buy-in and long-lasting changes.
  • Highly collaborative, genuinely enjoys working hand-in-hand with the businesses to develop solutions that advance AbbVie's overall mission.
  • Drive, energy, and passion to advance AbbVie's mission.

Additional Information
Applicable only to applicants applying to a position in any location with pay disclosure requirements under state or local law:
  • The compensation range described below is the range of possible base pay compensation that the Company believes in good faith it will pay for this role at the time of this posting based on the job grade for this position. Individual compensation paid within this range will depend on many factors including geographic location, and we may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range. This range may be modified in the future.
  • We offer a comprehensive package of benefits including paid time off (vacation, holidays, sick), medical/dental/vision insurance and 401(k) to eligible employees.
  • This job is eligible to participate in our short-term incentive programs.
  • This job is eligible to participate in our long-term incentive programs

Note: No amount of pay is considered to be wages or compensation until such amount is earned, vested, and determinable. The amount and availability of any bonus, commission, incentive, benefits, or any other form of compensation and benefits that are allocable to a particular employee remains in the Company's sole and absolute discretion unless and until paid and may be modified at the Company's sole and absolute discretion, consistent with applicable law.
AbbVie is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to operating with integrity, driving innovation, transforming lives and serving our community. Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled.
US & Puerto Rico only - to learn more, visit https://www.abbvie.com/join-us/equal-employment-opportunity-employer.html
US & Puerto Rico applicants seeking a reasonable accommodation, click here to learn more:
https://www.abbvie.com/join-us/reasonable-accommodations.html

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About AbbVie

Sourced by ZipRecruiter

AbbVie's mission is to discover and deliver innovative medicines that solve serious health issues today and address the medical challenges of tomorrow. We strive to have a remarkable impact on people's lives across several key therapeutic areas: immunology, oncology, neuroscience, eye care, virology, women's health, and gastroenterology, in addition to products and services across its Allergan Aesthetics portfolio. For more information about AbbVie, please visit us at www.abbvie.com. Follow @abbvie on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn.

Industry

Scientific research and development services

Company size

10,000+ Employees

Headquarters location

North Chicago, IL, US

Year founded

2013

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