Innovation Manager jobs in United Arab Emirates

Established in the 1930s as a trading business, Al‑Futtaim Group today is one of the most diversified and progressive privately‑held regional businesses headquartered in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Structured into five operating divisions – automotive, financial services, real estate, retail and healthcare – the Group employs more than 35,000 employees across over 20 countries in the Middle East, Asia and Africa. Al‑Futtaim partners with over 200 of the world’s most admired and innovative brands. The Group’s entrepreneurship and relentless customer focus enable continuous growth and expansion, responding to the changing needs of customers within the societies in which we operate.

By upholding our values of respect, excellence, collaboration and integrity, Al‑Futtaim continues to enrich the lives and aspirations of our customers each and every day.

• This role is pivotal in driving innovation across the Group Technology landscape, emphasizing AI, strategic co‑innovation partnerships, and governance of Quarterly Business Reviews. The Assistant Manager of Technology Innovation & Governance leads initiatives fostering a culture of continuous improvement and ensures strategic alignment across technology partnerships. Success involves cultivating relationships with startups, organizing ideation sessions, managing pilot programs, and ensuring strategic delivery oversight with partners.

• Identify innovation incubation through partner ecosystem.
• Cultivate relationships with startups and AI‑focused partners to identify transformative solutions.
• Organize collaborative ideation sessions with strategic partners.
• Launch and manage pilot programs, hackathons and proof‑of‑concept initiatives.
• Evaluate and prioritize emerging AI technologies aligned with business goals.
• Conduct internal workshops or enablement sessions to foster innovation.
• Engage employees in innovation programs like hackathons and ideation challenges.

• Represent the Strategic Partnerships team in governance forums and QBRs.
• Drive the preparation, execution and follow‑up of QBRs with strategic partners.
• Monitor KPIs and ensure timely resolution of issues raised during governance meetings.
• Ensure compliance with governance frameworks and reporting standards.
• Reduce escalations or delivery delays from strategic partners.
• Achieve high QBR completion rate and stakeholder satisfaction scores.

• Ensure seamless delivery and alignment with strategic objectives across partner engagements.
• Maintain strong relationships with strategic partners and optimize their performance.
• Onboard new partners based on strategic projects across GTDP.
• Regularly measure performance for all strategic partners with support from LOB Directors across GTDP.
• Align partner initiatives with Group Technology strategy.
• Activate or scale strategic partnerships.

• Technology innovation and strategic partnership management.
• AI‑focused ideation and solution evaluation.
• Project management and governance of business reviews.
• Strong interpersonal and stakeholder management skills.

• Master’s degree or higher, preferably in business administration or management field.
• Proven experience in technology innovation, AI, and governance roles.
• Strong stakeholder management and vendor negotiation skills.
• Experience in managing cross‑functional teams and strategic partnerships.
• Excellent communication and analytical capabilities.
• Full proficiency with Microsoft Office PowerPoint, Excel and Word.
• Strong analytical thinking, problem solving, resourcefulness and time management capabilities.

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