Sr. Strategic Planning Program Director - Digital Strategy & Innovation

Medtronic plc; Minneapolis (MN); On-site; USD 230,000 - 350,000; Full time

Job summary

Medtronic plc is seeking a Senior Director of Digital Strategy & Innovation to serve as the enterprise connector for digital initiatives. You will build, communicate, and advance a cohesive digital vision across Operating Units, spanning product development through commercialization.

The role requires superior leadership to align initiatives with enterprise priorities, manage a complex matrix, and travel as needed to engage teams, customers, and partners.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree and 15 years of relevant experience OR master's degree and 13 years of relevant experience.
• 10 years of progressive leadership experience, including cross-functional teams and strategic initiatives.
• Extensive professional experience in digital health, digital products, software platforms, or related digital technology environments.
• Demonstrated digital DNA and interoperability understanding.
• Experience influencing senior leaders and aligning multiple stakeholder groups in a global matrix.

Responsibilities

• Develop, articulate, track, and adapt the enterprise digital vision, strategy, and roadmap through commercialization.
• Coordinate across Operating Units to understand roadmaps and improve communication across portfolios.
• Drive Core Labs initiatives and ensure alignment with enterprise priorities.
• Engage external partners to connect perspectives back into Medtronic.
• Build common roadmaps and enterprise communication for leadership and investors.

Skills

Digital strategy

Leadership

Cross-functional collaboration

Healthcare/digital health experience

Product development understanding

Stakeholder management

Travel up to 60%

Education

Bachelor's degree + 15 years

Master's degree + 13 years

Job description

We anticipate the application window for this opening will close on - 23 Nov 2026

Careers that change lives start here. Medtronic is a global leader in healthcare technology with a Mission to alleviate pain, restore health, and extend life. Our 95,000 employees work across more than 150 countries to put patients first - developing innovative medical technologies that improve the lives of 72+ million patients each year. Your unique talents will help shape the future of healthcare while building a career grounded in purpose, growth, and impact.

A Day in the Life

The Senior Director, Digital Strategy & Innovation will serve as the enterprise connector for digital initiatives across Medtronic, partnering with Operating Units to build, communicate, maintain, and advance a cohesive digital vision, strategy, and roadmap.

This is a hands-on enterprise strategy role. The leader will work across product development through commercialization, strengthen communication among Operating Units, and ensure digital initiatives are aligned with broader enterprise priorities.

The role will directly support Core Labs initiatives and help articulate Medtronic's digital direction for internal leadership, investors, and other audiences.

Primary Responsibilities

• Digital Strategy & Roadmap Leadership Aggregate digital initiatives across Medtronic and build a common enterprise view without directing Operating Units on how to run their businesses.
• Develop, articulate, track, and continually adapt the enterprise digital vision, strategy, and roadmap through commercialization.
• Coordinate across Operating Units to understand existing roadmaps, identify common priorities, and improve communication across portfolios.
• Keep the roadmap current by monitoring competitive dynamics, market direction, and changes in the digital health landscape.

Execution & Cross-Enterprise Alignment

• Partner across product development and go-to-market planning to help Operating Units connect digital initiatives to the broader enterprise strategy.
• Drive internal Core Labs initiatives and ensure they remain aligned with Operating Unit and enterprise priorities.
• Work directly with distributed teams and leaders across Medtronic; this is not a desk-based strategy or presentation-only role.
• Build trust and followership across a complex matrix through strong relationships, humility, constructive challenge, and clear communication.

Customer & Strategic Partner Engagement

• Engage physicians, hospital administrators, and other external customers to understand hospital economics, contracting considerations, and evolving expectations for digital technology.
• Help establish focus groups and advisory boards so the digital strategy remains grounded in customer needs.
• Serve as a strategic counterpart to external partners such as Amazon, NVIDIA, Siemens, and Philips, connecting external perspectives and partnerships back into Medtronic.

Initial Priorities

• In the first six months, build common digital roadmaps and a clear enterprise articulation of Medtronic's digital activity and direction.
• Create communication that can be used for internal leadership, investor, and other external audiences.
• Establish an operating rhythm for maintaining the roadmap and driving teams forward against the strategy.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree and 15 years of relevant experience OR master's degree and 13 years of relevant experience.
• 10 years of progressive leadership experience, including leadership of cross-functional teams and strategic initiatives.
• Extensive professional experience in digital health, digital products, software platforms, or related digital technology environments.
• Demonstrated digital DNA, including an inherent understanding of interoperability and modern digital ecosystems.
• Experience creating strategy from concept and carrying it forward through execution, rather than only implementing direction created by others.
• Strong understanding of the product development process and how digital products and platforms are built, scaled, and commercialized.
• Experience influencing senior leaders and aligning multiple stakeholder groups in a complex, global matrix.
• Willingness to travel domestically and internationally, potentially up to 60%, to work with teams, customers, and partners.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with modern, agile digital product and platform development in an environment that values both speed and quality.
• Digital health experience involving connected platforms, interoperability, or enterprise-scale digital ecosystems.
• Experience working across multiple businesses or portfolios to build shared strategies and roadmaps.
• Experience engaging directly with healthcare customers, external technology partners, or strategic advisory groups.
• Medical technology or regulated healthcare experience; helpful, but less important than strong digital product and platform experience.

For Baccalaureate degrees earned outside of the United States, a degree that