Innovation Program Manager

Children's Colorado is increasingly being approached with opportunities for industry partnerships, commercialization initiatives, and collaborative research and technology development. At the same time, advances in novel therapeutics and growing interest in pediatric-focused innovation are creating new opportunities for organizations like ours. Given the scale, expertise, and capabilities we have built, Children's Colorado is well positioned to take a strategic and intentional approach to identifying, evaluating, and pursuing these opportunities.

As part of establishing a more coordinated innovation strategy, the Innovations Program Manager will partner closely with Children's Colorado leaders, key stakeholders, and campus collaborators to build and implement reprocesses to support these opportunities, managing each one from centralized intake through long-term follow-up. The role will establish a single intake channel, apply a consistent framework for prioritizing opportunities, coordinate input from legal, finance, research administration, and other partners, and maintain a central record of the innovation portfolio and its outcomes.

This highly impactful role is designed for a highly effective collaborator, communicator, and results-driven individual with innovations experience who will be a point person across the organization and campus. The ideal candidate is a self-starter who is comfortable building new processes in an evolving, highly visible environment.

DEPARMENT: Research Business Services

The Innovation Program Manager role requires flexibility to support evolving business priorities. Although the position generally follows a traditional Monday through Friday schedule, occasional evening or off-hours on-site support may be required.

This position is primarily on-site. Opportunities for a hybrid work arrangement may be available; however, such flexibility will be determined based on departmental and business needs.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

An employee in this position may be called upon to do any or all of the following essential functions. These examples do not include all of the functions which the employee may be expected to perform.

• Manages and oversees the innovation opportunity intake process, ensuring all opportunities are submitted through a centralized and consistent channel.

• Administers and maintains the innovation opportunity portfolio, tracking progress, decisions, milestones, and outcomes.

• Develops and facilitates a standardized evaluation process and decision-making framework for assessing innovation opportunities.

• Coordinates governance activities, including preparing materials, facilitating reviews, and ensuring opportunities are presented to the appropriate decision-makers in a timely manner.

• Monitors and communicates the status, recommendations, and outcomes of innovation initiatives to key stakeholders.

• Builds and maintains effective partnerships with executive leaders, legal, finance, research administration, campus partners, and external organizations to support innovation efforts.

• Fosters cross-functional collaboration to ensure alignment, transparency, and efficient execution of innovation initiatives.

• Supports strategic planning and process improvement efforts related to innovation opportunity identification, assessment, and governance.

• Manages a portfolio of related projects, which may include strategic or operational projects, ensuring that projects contained in portfolio adhere to organizational objectives.

• Ensures appropriate guidance, documentation, governance, and metrics are delivered on each project within the portfolio.

• Leads team members in the management and execution of highly complex or critical projects and collaborates in the development and implementation of internal processes that govern project delivery.

• Serves as a champion of organizational culture, influencing culture change to support strategic and operational objectives.

• Supports the development of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) across CCHRI/CTTx teams. Partners with operational leadership and the Analytic Resource Center to provide insightful, actionable, and highly available quality data and analytics.

• Provides subject matter expertise to key internal and external stakeholders in response to day-to-day business issues by researching applicable subject matter practices and remaining aware of industry trends.

• Builds and maintains effective working relationship with peers across the organization, including collaborating with other managers and directors overseeing project management teams in establishing best practices, standardized templates and tools, and facilitation of project teams in support of successful project delivery.

• Onboards, manages, develops, deploys and trains a team of research administrators.Makes decisions on hiring, terminations, promotions, and disciplinary actions as required.

• Ensures staff and financial resources are utilized appropriately and shifts resources based on business needs within budget restraints. Develops budget recommendations for operating expenditures and monitors budget for department.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

EDUCATION: Master's degree in Management, Business Administration, or a related field.

EXPERIENCE: 5+ years of experience in project management, management consulting or related experience.

CERTIFICATION(S):

LICENSURE: None

• PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience in academic medical center or health system environments, ideally in innovation, research administration, and strategic initiatives research and/or innovation environments

• Experience supporting technology transfer, commercialization, or industry partnerships, including familiarity with intellectual property and licensing

• Business development experience with a demonstrated ability to build strategic relationships

• Proven ability to work effectively with executive leaders, C-suite stakeholders, and industry sponsors

• Exceptional communication, interpersonal, and professional relationship-management skills