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Senior Innovation Manager Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Johnson Outdoors

Senior Innovation Manager

Racine, WI · On-site

Senior Innovation Manager At Johnson Outdoors, home to some of the world's most innovative and best-known outdoor recreation brands, we create amazing outdoor experiences - for adventurers, by ...

Johnson Outdoors

Senior Innovation Manager

Racine, WI · On-site

Senior Innovation Manager At Johnson Outdoors, home to some of the world's most innovative and best-known outdoor recreation brands, we create amazing outdoor experiences - for adventurers, by ...

Steuben Foods

Sr. Innovation Manager

Buffalo, NY · On-site

Orchestrate cross functional execution across Marketing, Sales, Supply Chain, Operations, Finance and Innovation * Ensure organizational readiness for launch * Manage critical paths, milestones and ...

New

Cannon Search

AI Innovation Manager

Boston, MA · On-site

Cannon Search is partnering with a well-established professional services organization in Boston to find a senior Innovation Manager professional ready to own AI adoption strategy from the ground up.

Blattner Company

Innovation Manager (Remote)

$75K - $109K/yr

... a Senior Innovation Manager. This role focuses on execution support, data gathering and analysis, and coordination tasks that build technical and commercial fluency across the gated process. STEP ...

Blattner Company

Innovation Manager (Remote)

OR · Remote

$75K - $109K/yr

... a Senior Innovation Manager. This role focuses on execution support, data gathering and analysis, and coordination tasks that build technical and commercial fluency across the gated process. STEP ...

Movement Labs

Senior Innovation Associate

$86K - $96K/yr

We are seeking a highly organized Senior Innovation Associate to help drive the development of ... Project manage experiments to ensure that programs are adhering to planned timelines: * Develop ...

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All JobsSenior Innovation Manager Jobs

Senior Innovation Manager information

See salary details

$28.5K

$97.1K

$182.5K

How much do senior innovation manager jobs pay per year?

As of Jun 18, 2026, the average yearly pay for senior innovation manager in the United States is $97,101.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $49,000.00 and $136,500.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Senior Innovation Manager, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Senior Innovation Manager, you need expertise in strategic planning, project management, and a strong understanding of business development, usually backed by a relevant degree and experience in innovation roles. Familiarity with innovation frameworks, data analytics tools, and project management systems like Agile or Design Thinking is commonly required. Exceptional leadership, creativity, and stakeholder communication skills help drive change and inspire teams. These capabilities are crucial for identifying growth opportunities, implementing effective solutions, and maintaining a competitive edge in dynamic markets.

How much do innovation managers make?

Innovation managers in the US typically earn a median salary of around $100,000 to $130,000 per year, depending on experience, industry, and location. Senior roles or those with specialized skills may earn higher compensation, often including bonuses and benefits.

Which 3 jobs will survive AI?

Senior Innovation Managers are likely to continue thriving as they focus on strategic development, creativity, and overseeing new technologies, which require human judgment and leadership. Jobs that involve complex problem-solving, emotional intelligence, and specialized expertise—such as healthcare professionals and skilled technical roles—are also expected to persist despite AI advancements. These roles often require adaptability, critical thinking, and interpersonal skills that AI cannot fully replicate.

What does a Senior Innovation Manager do?

A Senior Innovation Manager is responsible for leading and managing the development and implementation of new ideas, products, or business processes within an organization. They identify opportunities for innovation, create strategies to drive growth, and oversee cross-functional teams to execute innovation projects. Their role often involves collaborating with stakeholders, analyzing market trends, and ensuring that innovative initiatives align with the company's overall goals.

What does an innovation manager do?

An innovation manager oversees the development and implementation of new ideas, products, or processes within an organization. They analyze market trends, coordinate cross-functional teams, and utilize tools like project management software to drive innovation initiatives and improve business performance.

Is senior manager a high position?

A senior manager is considered a high-level position within an organization, typically responsible for overseeing departments or teams and making strategic decisions. It usually requires significant experience, leadership skills, and often involves managing budgets and projects. The role is often a step below executive-level positions like director or vice president.

What is the difference between Senior Innovation Manager vs Innovation Director?

AspectSenior Innovation ManagerInnovation Director
ResponsibilitiesOversees innovation projects, manages teams, implements new ideasSets innovation strategy, leads multiple teams, aligns innovation with business goals
Required CredentialsBachelor's or Master’s in Business, Engineering, or related fields; experience in innovation rolesSimilar credentials, often with more extensive leadership experience
Work EnvironmentCollaborative teams within R&D or product developmentExecutive-level environment, cross-departmental leadership
Industry UsageCommon in tech, manufacturing, and consulting firmsFound in larger organizations with formal innovation strategies

While both roles focus on fostering innovation, the Senior Innovation Manager typically manages specific projects and teams, whereas the Innovation Director develops strategic initiatives and oversees broader innovation efforts across the organization.

How does a Senior Innovation Manager typically collaborate with cross-functional teams to drive new initiatives?

Senior Innovation Managers frequently work alongside product development, marketing, and executive leadership teams to identify opportunities for new products or services. They facilitate brainstorming sessions, gather diverse perspectives, and help ensure that innovative initiatives align with organizational goals. Regular communication, agile project management methods, and stakeholder engagement are key aspects of their collaborative approach. This role often acts as a bridge between creative thinkers and decision-makers, ensuring that innovative ideas are both feasible and strategically sound.
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Senior Innovation Manager jobs near you
Infographic showing various Senior Innovation Manager job openings in the United States as of June 2026, with employment types broken down into 85% Full Time, 13% Part Time, and 2% Contract. Highlights an 87% Physical, 5% Hybrid, and 8% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $97,101 per year, or $46.7 per hour.
Senior Innovation Manager

Senior Innovation Manager

Johnson Outdoors

Racine, WI • On-site

Full-time

Life, Retirement, PTO

Posted 17 days ago

Job description

Senior Innovation Manager
At Johnson Outdoors, home to some of the world's most innovative and best-known outdoor recreation brands, we create amazing outdoor experiences - for adventurers, by adventurers. Check out each of the unique Johnson Outdoor brands in Fishing, Watercraft, Camping and Diving!
With 1,300 employees, 19 global facility locations and selling into over 80 countries, the Johnson Outdoors team is continuing to grow! The Senior Innovation Manager leads and advances enterprise innovation practices by championing the stage-gate process and establishing governance, standards, tools and metrics that promote rigor, consistency, and repeatability across the organization. Partners cross-functionally with brand, engineering, operations, finance, and insights teams to strengthen business cases, improve decision quality, facilitate post-launch learning, and support development and execution of a robust product roadmap grounded in validated consumer insights and aligned with business strategy.
Key Responsibilities:
Innovation Maturity Champion
  • Leads enterprise implementation and evolution of the stage-gate innovation process, including governance, standards, and cadence.
  • Partners with key stakeholders (brand, engineering, operations, finance, insights) to define and maintain best practices, templates, and decision criteria.
  • Coaches cross-functional teams in developing well-thought-out business cases and navigating the innovation process with appropriate rigor, documentation quality, and decision readiness.
  • Leads innovation-process adoption by delivering training, onboarding, and reinforcement to build consistent capability across functions and business units, partnering with Enterprise Change Management to align efforts with broader organizational change practices as needed.
  • Defines and tracks process health metrics (e.g., gate quality, cycle time, throughput, learning capture) and drives continuous improvement initiatives.
  • Supports brand teams in translating strategy into executable plans, ensuring alignment to business objectives, validated consumer needs, and market potential.

Post-Launch Analysis
  • Establishes and maintains a repeatable post-launch review process, including timing, inputs, facilitation approach, and outputs.
  • Collects cross-functional feedback on strengths, gaps, and lessons learned across discovery, development, launch readiness, and commercialization.
  • Partners with Finance to gather and analyze performance data (sales, margin, mix, forecast accuracy, supply/service, etc.) to identify trends and patterns.
  • Facilitates root-cause analysis with business teams to distinguish execution issues from strategy/assumption gaps and to document evidence-based learnings.
  • Converts post-launch learnings into action by updating standards, training, and best practices and ensuring insights are shared and applied across future and in-flight initiatives.

Innovation Catalyst
  • Serves as a strategic thought partner to business leaders, advocating for consumer and business-impact opportunities and clarifying where resources will have the highest return.
  • Plans and facilitates ideation, concepting, and strategic planning sessions, ensuring clear problem framing, strong participation, and actionable outputs.
  • Collaborates with Consumer Insights and Brand Management to build opportunity landscapes (jobs-to-be-done, segments, white spaces, unmet needs) and synthesize them into prioritized innovation horizons.
  • Stays current on industry trends and emerging technologies, evaluating relevance and applicability to near, mid, and long-term innovation pipelines.
  • Influences concept quality and clarity by strengthening value propositions, assumptions, validation plans, and success metrics early in development.
  • Performs other duties as assigned.

What you need to succeed:
  • Bachelor's degree in design, innovation, business or equivalent.
  • Typically requires a minimum of 5 years' experience leading innovation projects within a stage-gate process.
  • Strong leadership, communication, and influencing skills, with the ability to align diverse cross-functional teams and translate strategy into clear, actionable plans.
  • Demonstrated expertise in applying consumer insights, market research, and analytics to identify opportunities, generate concepts, and build prioritized innovation roadmaps.
  • Strong financial and business acumen, including development of business cases, evaluation of investment trade-offs, and analysis of post-launch performance to drive decision-making.
  • Proven ability to operate effectively in a matrix organization, navigating competing priorities and influencing without direct authority.
  • Trained in high-performance teaming, with the ability to build trust, foster accountability, and elevate team effectiveness across cross-functional groups.
  • Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office tools (Excel, PowerPoint, Word), including creating project proposals, data analysis, and executive-level presentations.
  • Experience with collaborative ideation and project management tools, such as Miro (or equivalent) and Monday.com (or similar platforms).

What you will receive:
  • Share in the company's success with competitive base salary with additional earning potential through participation in the management bonus program, and eligibility for annual pay increases.
  • Find work/life balance with generous Paid Time Off and holiday benefits, a full benefits package, and broad range of employee support and fitness and wellness plans.
  • Further your career with performance development and training opportunities, including our tuition assistance program.
  • Have fun at work, enjoy a collaborative and casual work environment, participating in fun company events, and taking advantage of great employee discounts on all our outdoor recreational products.
  • Plan for your future with our 401(k) with company match and deferred retirement contributions, Sons & Daughters Scholarship program, college savings program, life and LTD insurance, and more.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment at Johnson Outdoors (and all subsidiaries) without regard to race; creed; color; religion; national origin; sex; age; disability; sexual orientation; gender identity or expression; genetic predisposition or carrier status; veteran, marital, or citizenship status; or any other status protected by law. Johnson Outdoors is proud to be an affirmative action and equal opportunity employer. If, because of a medical condition or disability, you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application process, please contact Human Resources at HRSpecialAccommodations@johnsonoutdoors.com to let us know the nature of your request and your contact information.
JOHNSON OUTDOORS is a leading global innovator of outdoor recreation equipment and technologies that inspire more people to experience the awe of the great outdoors. The company designs, manufactures and markets a portfolio of winning, consumer-preferred brands across four categories: Watercraft Recreation, Fishing, Diving and Camping. Johnson Outdoors' iconic brands include: Old Town® canoes and kayaks; Ocean Kayak™; Carlisle® paddles; Minn Kota® fishing motors, batteries and anchors; Cannon® downriggers; Humminbird® marine electronics and charts; SCUBAPRO® dive equipment; Jetboil® outdoor cooking systems. Founded in 1970 by Samuel C. Johnson, the Company has delivered double-digit compound annual growth over its history, evolving from a single brand into a nearly $663 million global enterprise.
Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.

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