Innovation Assistant Manager

Enova by Veolia; Dubai; On-site; AED 360,000 - 600,000; Full time

Job summary

Enova by Veolia is seeking an Innovation Assistant Manager to drive organizational innovation across facilities and energy services. You will help develop and manage innovation programs, manage idea processes, engage stakeholders, and track an innovation portfolio to support strategic objectives in FM and energy services.

The role involves coordinating campaigns, evaluating ideas for ROI, leading cross-functional teams, and preparing business cases for senior management.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, business, innovation management, or related field.
• Master’s degree or MBA preferred.
• Certifications in Innovation Management or Design Thinking advantageous.
• Knowledge of Stage-Gate, Lean, Agile methodologies advantageous.
• Valid UAE driving license.
• 8-10 years of experience with 3-5 years in innovation management or related fields.
• Experience coordinating with universities, vendors, and technology providers.
• Experience presenting to senior management and innovation committees.
• Experience with innovation metrics and KPI reporting.

Responsibilities

• Establish and manage structured innovation processes aligned with organizational strategy.
• Coordinate innovation campaigns and employee engagement initiatives across facilities.
• Evaluate submitted ideas for feasibility, technical viability, impact, ROI, and alignment with objectives.
• Facilitate cross-functional collaboration and innovation working groups.
• Coordinate with universities, research institutions, and technology partners to identify innovations and best practices.
• Conduct market research and competitive analysis for opportunities and trends.
• Provide updates on implementation status and challenges to stakeholders.
• Prepare innovation presentations, business cases, and feasibility studies.
• Track and monitor portfolio progress, timelines, milestones, and resources.
• Manage documentation and knowledge management systems for innovations.
• Define, calculate, and report Innovation KPIs.
• Prepare monthly and quarterly performance reports with insights.
• Share best practices and coordinate recognition programs for contributions.
• Conduct site visits to understand challenges and validate implementations.
• Support development of innovation culture and continuous improvement mindset.
• Develop roadmaps and strategic plans aligned with objectives and market opportunities.
• Document lessons learned and share insights across organization.

Skills

Stakeholder mgmt

Analytical skills

Presentation skills

Project management

Strategic thinking

Design thinking

Innovation platforms

English proficiency

Business acumen

Travel ability

Education

Bachelor’s degree in engineering, business administration, innovation management, or related field

Master’s degree or MBA

Tools

Innovation management platforms

Job description

As part of COE-OPAMI, under the Reliability, Asset Management, Performance and Innovation (RAMPi) function, the Innovation Assistant Manager is primarily responsible for driving organizational innovation and continuous improvement across ENOVA's facilities and energy services operations. This role will help in the development and management of innovation programs, idea management processes, stakeholder engagement, and innovation portfolio tracking to support ENOVA's strategic objectives in the facilities management and energy services sector.

Key Responsibilities

• Establish and manage structured innovation processes including idea submission, evaluation, prioritization, and implementation frameworks aligned with organizational strategy.
• Coordinate innovation campaigns and employee engagement initiatives across all organizational levels and facilities.
• Evaluate submitted ideas for feasibility, technical viability, impact, ROI, and alignment with strategic objectives in FM and energy services domains.
• Facilitate cross-functional collaboration and innovation working groups for idea development, prototyping, and implementation.
• Coordinate with third-party organizations, universities, research institutions, and technology partners to identify emerging innovations and best practices in facilities management and energy services.
• Conduct market research and competitive analysis to identify innovation opportunities and emerging trends in FM and energy sectors.
• Obtain regular updates from project stakeholders, innovation champions, and site teams on implementation status and challenges.
• Prepare comprehensive innovation presentations, business cases, and feasibility studies for Innovation Committee and Senior Management review.
• Track and monitor innovation portfolio progress, implementation timelines, project milestones, and resource allocation.
• Manage innovation project documentation, maintain centralized innovation repository, and ensure knowledge management system accessibility.
• Define, calculate, and report on Innovation KPIs.
• Prepare monthly and quarterly innovation performance reports with trends, insights, and recommendations.
• Facilitate knowledge sharing and best practice transfer of successful innovations across ENOVA facilities and business units.
• Coordinate recognition and reward programs for innovative contributions from teams and individuals to foster innovation culture.
• Conduct site visits to understand operational challenges, identify innovation opportunities, and validate implementation effectiveness.
• Support the development of innovation culture and continuous improvement mindset across the organization.
• Prepare innovation roadmaps and strategic innovation plans aligned with business objectives and market opportunities.
• Document lessons learned from innovation initiatives and share insights across the organization.

Tools & Methods, HSEQ

Abide by the Health, Safety, Environmental and Quality, (HSEQ) policy, procedures necessary for the good conduct and safety of the workplace. It is a requirement and moral obligation of each employee to be actively committed and accountable to the compliance of Enova’s HSEQ policy, operating procedures, as well as being compliant to local legislation. The Employee shall seek clarification and guidance in specific cases or whenever one feels necessary.

Customer Relations

Develop a pro-active working relationship with all clients, authorities, and external stakeholders. Assist in establishing areas for service improvement through innovation initiatives and maintain transparent communication regarding innovation opportunities, implementations, and outcomes. Build strategic partnerships with universities and research institutions to support innovation objectives.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, Business Administration, Innovation Management, or related field.
• Master's degree or MBA is preferred.
• Professional certifications in Innovation Management, Design Thinking, are advantageous.
• Knowledge of innovation management frameworks (Stage-Gate, Lean, Agile methodologies) is advantageous.
• Valid UAE driving license.
• 8-10 years of working experience with 3-5 years of progressive experience in innovation management, continuous improvement, or related fields.
• Experience in stakeholder management and external partnership coordination with universities, vendors, and technology providers.
• Experience in presenting to senior management, innovation committees, and client stakeholders.
• Experience with innovation metrics, KPI development, and performance reporting.

Job Specific Skills

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with ability to evaluate innovation proposals and assess feasibility.
• Expert knowledge of innovation management frameworks, idea management processes, stage-gate methodologies, and portfolio management.
• Proficiency in innovation management tools and platforms.
• Understanding of emerging technologies in FM and energy sectors (IoT, AI, automation, renewable energy, smart buildings, energy management systems).
• Excellent communication and presentation skills in English (written and verbal).
• Design thinking and innovation methodology expertise.
• Strong stakeholder management and relationship building capabilities with internal and external partners.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in cross-functional teams.
• Project management skills with ability to track multiple innovation initiatives simultaneously.
• Business acumen and understanding of ROI, financial impact analysis, and cost-benefit assessment.
• Ability to travel across Enova facilities and meet with external stakeholders as required.
• Strategic thinking and ability to align innovation with business objectives.