Strategic Innovation Manager

DNV; Bristol; Hybrid; GBP 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working arrangements

Strong focus on work-life balance

High exposure to senior leadership

Job summary

DNV in Bristol is seeking a strategy and innovation professional focused on business development within the energy sector. The successful candidate will drive customer engagement and shape innovation strategies that align with DNV’s objectives in the energy transition.

With responsibilities including scouting market opportunities and driving an innovation pipeline, this role offers a unique chance to influence strategic growth in a rapidly scaling digital business. DNV promotes a collaborative work environment and flexible arrangements.

Qualifications

• Experience in business development or strategy.
• Ability to engage customers and stakeholders.
• Exposure to innovation processes or product development.
• Familiarity with partnership ecosystems.
• Established network in renewables or energy transition.

Responsibilities

• Identify and build customer opportunities and innovate solutions.
• Monitor industry trends and customer needs.
• Translate insights into actionable strategies.
• Drive a customer-focused innovation pipeline.
• Evaluate options for growth strategies.

Skills

Strong commercial acumen

Entrepreneurial mindset

Market sensing

Strategic thinking

Stakeholder influence

Job description

About Us

We are the independent expert in assurance and risk management. Driven by our purpose, to safeguard life, property, and the environment, we empower our customers and their stakeholders with facts and reliable insights so that critical decisions can be made with confidence.

About Energy Systems

We help customers navigate the complex transition to a decarbonized and more sustainable energy future. We do this by assuring that energy systems work safely and effectively, using solutions that are increasingly digital. We also help industries and governments to navigate the many complex, interrelated transitions taking place globally and regionally, in the energy industry.

About The Role

Digital & Data Solutions (D&DS) is building a mission‑critical, domain‑driven digital business to support the energy transition, combining trusted data, engineering‑grade software, and digital twins to deliver decision‑grade insights in high‑complexity environments. Within D&DS, the Strategy, Innovation & Partnerships (SIP) unit drives growth by connecting market insight, innovation execution, and ecosystem expansion through a build–buy–partner approach.

What You’ll Do

• Identify, originate and advance customer opportunities and shape innovation: Build a pipeline of customer opportunities to run experiments and validate new solutions. Act as an innovation ambassador, developing a strong network of customers willing to experiment through long‑term, trust‑based relationships.
• Scan markets and identify opportunities: Continuously monitor industry trends, customer needs, and emerging technologies to define high‑value opportunity spaces aligned with D&DS strategic priorities.
• Translate insight into strategy: Convert market and customer signals into actionable strategic inputs, supporting the continuous evolution of D&DS strategy.
• Drive a customer‑anchored innovation pipeline: Work with internal innovation labs and business lines to ensure experiments are grounded in real use cases, with clear commercial intent and pathways to scale.
• Enable build–buy–partner decisions: Assess where D&DS should build internally versus accelerate through external solutions, contributing to a balanced and evidence‑based growth approach.
• Scout and evaluate ecosystem opportunities: Identify and screen potential partners, technologies, and acquisition targets to support partnership and inorganic growth initiatives.

What We Offer

• The opportunity to influence strategic growth in a rapidly scaling global digital business.
• A high‑exposure role with direct interaction with customers, partners, and senior leadership.
• Participation in building next‑generation digital solutions combining data, AI, and domain expertise.
• A collaborative and international environment.
• Flexible working arrangements and a strong focus on work–life balance.

About You

We are looking for a commercially minded and outward‑facing strategy and innovation professional.

Experience And Background

• Experience in business development, innovation, or strategy.
• Proven ability to engage customers and external stakeholders.
• Exposure to innovation processes, experimentation, or product development.
• Familiarity with partnership ecosystems or M&A screening.
• Established professional network within renewables, energy transition, or adjacent ecosystems is a strong advantage.

Skills & Capabilities

• Strong commercial acumen.
• Entrepreneurial, self‑starting mindset.
• Strong market sensing and strategic thinking capabilities.
• Ability to identify and prioritize high‑value opportunity spaces.
• Ability to influence stakeholders in a matrix organisation.

Security and compliance with statutory requirements in the countries in which we operate is essential for DNV. Background checks will be conducted on all final candidates as part of the offer process, in accordance with applicable country‑specific laws and practices.

DNV is an Equal Opportunity Employer and gives consideration for employment to qualified applicants without regard to gender, religion, race, national or ethnic origin, cultural background, social group, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, age or political opinion.