Innovation Lab Leader

Forvis Mazars LLP; Manchester; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Forvis Mazars LLP in Manchester seeks a leader for its UK Innovation Labs to shape client sessions, champion co-creation, and translate emerging technology trends into practical opportunities for clients and the firm.

Working with partners, directors and regional teams, you will drive strategy, deliver high-quality workshops and demonstrations, and coordinate cross-office experimentation to demonstrate tangible business value.

Qualifications

• Ability to translate client needs into practical opportunities for the firm.
• Proven track record facilitating workshops and client sessions, in person or virtual.
• Commercially aware with knack for turning innovation into business value.
• Practical understanding of design thinking, ideation, discovery, prototyping and experimentation.
• Curiosity about emerging technologies and translating trends into opportunities.

Responsibilities

• Build trusted relationships with partners, directors and client teams to understand needs.
• Develop client-facing innovation propositions, use cases and demonstrations.
• Identify priority clients and sectors for meaningful engagement across the UK.
• Drive UK Innovation Labs strategy, positioning and delivery to support growth.
• Design and facilitate high-quality client sessions and innovation showcases.
• Coordinate cross-office experimentation and translate ideas into pilots or business cases.
• Collaborate with marketing to promote lab activity and thought leadership.

Skills

Relationship-building

Workshop facilitation

Commercial awareness

Design thinking

Ideation & discovery

Prototyping & experimentation

Communication

Tools

Miro

Figma

Microsoft 365

Copilot

Job description

Forvis Mazars is a leading global professional services network providing audit & assurance, tax, and advisory services. Forvis Mazars in the UK spans 14 offices across the nation and has over 3,400 professionals, with 190 partners. We have a clear purpose and a shared commitment to shape a better future. You'll join a collaborative and inclusive team where you're supported to grow your skills, explore new opportunities, and contribute from day one. You'll work with a diverse client base, develop meaningful connections, and gain experience that extends beyond your local team. Together, we grow, belong and impact. #LI-DNP

The successful candidate will work closely with the Manchester Office Managing Partner, Office Managing Partners across the UK, client-facing teams and service line leaders to shape an engaging and commercially relevant Innovation Lab proposition. They will design and facilitate client sessions, identify opportunities for co-creation, support the development of new use cases and help translate emerging technology trends into practical opportunities for Forvis Mazars and its clients. The role will play an important part in delivering an unparalleled client experience, supporting collaboration across offices, engaging with universities and ecosystem partners, and ensuring experimentation is purposeful, evidence-based and aligned to the firm’s strategic priorities.

About the role

• Build trusted relationships with partners, directors and client teams to understand clients business needs and translate them into practical opportunities for the firm.
• Support the development of client-facing innovation propositions, use cases and demonstrations that bring Forvis Mazars’ capabilities to life.
• Work with Office Managing Partners and client-facing teams across the UK to identify priority clients, sectors and propositions where the Innovation Labs can create meaningful engagement.
• Drive usage of the Manchester Innovation lab for meaningful engagements which support the firm with clients and its innovation agenda.
• Lead the strategy, positioning and delivery of the UK Innovation Labs, ensuring lab activity supports client growth, internal transformation and the wider UK innovation agenda.
• Design and facilitate high-quality client sessions, including innovation showcases, discovery workshops, design thinking sessions, process mapping, ideation workshops and co-creation events.
• Lead regional innovation events, roundtables and technology demonstrations, with a focus on creating strong client experiences and measurable follow-up opportunities.
• Coordinate experimentation activity across the Innovation Labs, helping teams test ideas, capture learning and assess potential business impact.
• Work with service lines, IT, the Change Management Office and other specialist teams to shape early-stage ideas into well-defined pilots, prototypes or business cases.
• Develop success stories, case studies and reporting that demonstrate the value delivered by the UK Innovation Lab network through client engagement, internal adoption and strategic experimentation.
• Collaborate with Marketing to produce compelling internal and external content that promotes lab activity, innovation stories and regional thought leadership.
• Build relationships with universities, strategic vendors, ecosystem partners and relevant institutions to support research, experimentation and talent development.
• Lead the UK Innovation Lab network, sharing learning from Manchester, setting consistent standards and adopting good practice from other UK and international innovation hubs.
• Support the development and growth of Innovation Champions across Manchester and other regional offices.
• Actively promote a strong innovation culture across the Manchester office and wider firm.
• Deliver an impact assessment annually which highlights the successes of the Innovation Labs across the UK.

What we are looking for

• Strong relationship-building skills, with confidence engaging partners, directors, clients and external stakeholders.
• Confident to successfully facilitate workshops and client sessions, both in person and virtually.
• Commercially aware, with an ability to spot opportunities where innovation can support client conversations, service development or business improvement.
• A practical understanding of innovation methods, including design thinking, ideation, discovery, prototyping and experimentation.
• Curious about emerging technologies and able to translate technical trends into accessible, commercially relevant opportunities.
• Confident communicator who can present ideas clearly, write engaging content and influence a range of audiences.
• Organised and proactive, able to manage multiple sessions, stakeholders, events and follow-up actions.
• Collaborative and team-oriented, with the ability to work across service lines, offices and specialist teams.
• Analytical and evidence-based, with an ability to measure activity, capture outcomes and report on the value of innovation initiatives.
• Adaptable and resilient, comfortable operating in a fast-moving environment where ideas evolve quickly.
• Experience working with digital collaboration tools such as Miro, Figma, Microsoft 365, Copilot or similar platforms would be helpful.
• Experience in professional services, client-facing environments, technology, innovation, research or transformation would be highly advantageous.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

At Forvis Mazars diversity, equity and inclusion are central to our values.

We value our people's unique backgrounds, perspectives, and experience, and know this diversity create better outcomes for our clients. We seek to attract, develop, and retain the best talent, inclusive of sex, ethnicity, disability, socio-economic background, sexual orientation, gender identity, nationality, and faith. We select candidates based on skills, knowledge, qualifications, and experience and aim to support all our team members to reach their potential.

At Forvis Mazars, we promote an environment in which you cangrowyour skills,belongto a team that values your ideas, and make animpactthat matters.

Forvis Mazars is a leading global professional services network providing audit & assurance, tax, and advisory services. Forvis Mazars in the UK spans 14 offices across the nation and has over 3,400 professionals, with 190 partners. We have a clear purpose and a shared commitment to shape a better future.

We’re always looking ahead – for you, our clients, and the communities we’re part of. We’ll support you to learn, explore, and grow as you take this journey with us.

Here, you’ll feel safe to share bold ideas and unique perspectives.

After all, success comes from working together.

At Forvis Mazars, you’ll belong to your local team, gain global experience, and have an impact – now and in the future.

Together, we grow, belong and impact.

We’re in the middle of transitioning to a new recruitment system, and we’re excited to share our career opportunities with you. Vacancies are now being posted, and further roles will continue to appear over the coming weeks. As we complete the transition, you may notice the occasional issue, and we appreciate your understanding. Thank you for your patience while we get everything in place.