Director Strategy, Advanced Innovation and Technology

Edwards Lifesciences Gruppe; Alton (MI); On-site; USD 174,000 - 246,000; Full time

Job summary

Edwards Lifesciences seeks a Director, Strategy – Advanced Innovation & Technology to lead strategic planning and portfolio management for AI&T and Digital & AI initiatives at our Irvine, CA headquarters.

You will partner with R&D, Clinical, Medical Affairs, Marketing, IT, Regulatory and Quality to transform insights into clear executive recommendations, shaping the future of device innovation and patient care. Travel up to 25% is expected.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in related field (scientific, engineering, quantitative, business).
• Experience in Strategy or equivalent work experience based on Edwards criteria.
• Master's Degree or equivalent in related field or equivalent work experience.
• Preferred track record in people management.

Responsibilities

• Lead development and evolution of the Digital & AI strategy and strategic roadmap.
• Define how digital products, software, data, diagnostics, and AI-enabled capabilities support the patient journey and portfolio.
• Align strategic and Digital & AI priorities across functions to drive governance and execution.
• Assess inputs from market, clinical, regulatory, and technology trends to inform executive recommendations.
• Develop executive materials, portfolio narratives, and updates for senior leadership forums.
• Lead or contribute to other strategic initiatives within Advanced Innovation & Technology leadership.
• Travel up to 25%.

Skills

Strategy Development

Portfolio Management

Executive Communication

Cross-functional Leadership

Digital Health

AI Strategy

Regulatory & Compliance

PowerPoint

Excel

Education

Bachelor's Degree

Master's Degree or MBA

Tools

PowerPoint

Excel

Job description

Director, Strategy – Advanced Innovation & Technology

About Edwards Lifesciences Edwards Lifesciences is the global leader in patient-focused medical innovations for Structural Heart Disease. Driven by a passion to improve patient lives, the company collaborates with leading clinicians and researchers to address unmet healthcare needs. With millions of patients served in over 100 countries, each team at Edwards makes a meaningful contribution – advancing structural heart innovation, improving patient outcomes, and discovering lasting solutions that enhance lives.

About this role The Advanced Innovation & Technology team is focused on innovating the future of Structural Heart Disease through early-stage needs finding, development and strategic capability building. As Director, Strategy – Advanced Innovation & Technology, you will play a central leadership role in running the strategic planning process and helping manage the device portfolio across Advanced Innovation & Technology. This role is focused on strategic planning, portfolio management, and executive decision support across the AI&T agenda. The Director will also serve as the strategy lead for Digital & AI, shaping the strategic direction, portfolio choices, and capability priorities, needed to connect digital opportunities with device innovation and broader business objectives. You will work closely with AI&T leadership and cross-functional partners to drive portfolio reviews, synthesize strategic insights, inform prioritization decisions, and translate complex inputs into clear recommendations for leadership. This is an opportunity to join a small, high-impact team focused on early-stage innovation and helping shape how Edwards evaluates and advances future opportunities. The role will help define how Digital & AI expands the impact of the portfolio and enables new ways to create value for patients, clinicians, and the business. This role will report directly to the VP of Strategy and PMO for AI&T. This role is an onsite role based at our corporate headquarters in Irvine, California.

How you'll make an impact:

• Lead development and evolution of the Digital & AI strategy and strategic roadmap, defining how digital products, software, data, diagnostics, and AI-enabled capabilities support the patient and clinician journey, strengthen the portfolio, accelerate innovation, and create measurable value for patients, clinicians, and business.
• Lead and continuously improve the AI&T strategic planning process, ensuring priorities, investments, and key decisions are aligned to business objectives, emerging innovation opportunities, and long-range enterprise needs.
• Partner across R&D, Clinical, Medical Affairs, Marketing, Finance, Information Technology, Data and Analytics, Regulatory, Quality, Privacy, Cybersecurity, and other functions to align strategic and Digital & AI priorities, clarify ownership, and advance key initiatives through appropriate governance and development pathways.
• Assess market, clinical, technical, operational, and financial inputs, including digital health and AI trends, competitor and partner activity, evolving customer needs, regulatory and technology developments, and key risks and trade-offs, to inform strategic choices and executive-level recommendations.
• Define success measures and value-realization expectations, and monitor progress, dependencies, risks, adoption considerations, gaps, and strategic impact across AI&T and Digital & AI priorities.
• Develop executive communication materials, portfolio narratives, and strategic updates that translate complex information into clear recommendations and storylines for senior leadership forums.
• Lead or contribute to other strategic initiatives within the scope of Advanced Innovation & Technology leadership.
• Perform other incidental duties as assigned.

What you'll need (required):

• Bachelor's Degree in related field (scientific, engineering, quantitative, business )
• Experience in Strategy or equivalent work experience based on Edwards criteria
• Required or equivalent work experience based on Edwards criteria
• Required OR Master's Degree or equivalent in related field or equivalent work experience based on Edwards criteria
• Preferred Demonstrated track record in people management

What else we look for (preferred):

• Minimum 12 years of related work experience, or master's degree/MBA or equivalent with 10 years of related experience
• Demonstrated experience leading strategic planning, portfolio management, or enterprise-level strategy initiatives with senior leadership visibility
• Experience influencing cross-functional teams and senior stakeholders without direct authority to drive alignment, prioritization, and execution
• Proven ability to develop executive-level recommendations, facilitate leadership discussions, and support decision-making in complex or ambiguous environments
• Direct experience in strategy, management consulting, corporate strategy, or a similar role
• Experience developing structured strategic analyses and translating findings into clear recommendations for leadership
• Experience working cross-functionally and managing multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to develop executive-level presentations and written recommendations
• Excellent PowerPoint skills
• Experience in the medical device, biotech, or healthcare sectors
• Demonstrated experience leading digital product strategy development preferably in the medical device
• Knowledge of Structural Heart Disease
• Experience with software-enabled medical products, digital health ecosystems, data strategy, AI-enabled capabilities, or connected care models.
• Working knowledge of the regulatory, quality, privacy, cybersecurity, data governance, and evidence considerations that shape digital health and AI strategy in a healthcare environment.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, including strong Excel skills
• Effective synthesis and storytelling skills, with the ability to communicate complex information clearly and concisely to leadership audiences via PowerPoint
• Strong attention to detail
• Self-starter who takes initiative and drives work forward with limited oversight
• Ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously in a fast-paced environment
• Comfort with ambiguity and incomplete information in strategic decision-making
• Strong interpersonal and collaboration skills, with the ability to work effectively across functions and organizational levels
• Ability to handle confidential information with discretion
• Travel up to 25%

For California (CA), the base pay range for this position is $174,000 to $246,000 (highly experienced). The pay for the successful candidate will depend on various factors (e.g., qualifications, education, prior experience).

Aligning our overall business objectives with performance, we offer competitive salaries, performance-based incentives, and a wide variety of benefits programs to address the diverse individual needs of our employees and their families.

Edwards is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer including protected Veterans and individuals with disabilities.

Edwards Lifesciences is the leading global structural heart innovation company, driven by a passion to improve patient lives. Through breakthrough technologies, world-class evidence and partnerships with clinicians and healthcare stakeholders, our employees are inspired by our patient-focused culture to deliver life-changing innovations to those who need them most.