Innovation Manager
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Location: Any UK Hub (*Hybrid)
Salary: Excellent basic salary plus bonus and Vodafone benefits
Hours: Full time 37.5 hours per week - Monday to Friday
*Hybrid
At Vodafone UK we believe that through collaboration and connection with our colleagues we can achieve great things. Our hybrid working approach allows our people to work both in the office and at home, providing the flexibility and resources you need to succeed in your role. We don't require you to be in on specific days; instead, we ask people to come into the office 2-3 days each week, on average 8 days a month. Our "Office in a Box" home working kit will provide you with everything you need, no matter where you are.
Who we are
We're a global technology communications company that empowers people and businesses to stay connected and thrive in a digital world. With a focus on innovation, sustainability and earning customer loyalty, we leverage cutting-edge technology to offer products and services that enhance communication and improve lives.
At Vodafone UK, diversity isn't just a buzzword, it is core to who we are as a company. We're proud to be certified as a Great Place to Work and are committed to driving inclusion for all; creating a workplace that is fully representative of the communities and customers we serve.
Be part of Vodafone Business UK, a team that are revolutionising how customers use technology and connectivity. With our extensive range of products and services, we help all kinds of organisations - from small, local businesses to multi-national corporations - unlocking the potential of new technologies, including 5G, AI and the Internet of Things (IoT).
Reporting into the Senior Innovation Manager, this role is key in exploring opportunity for innovation and acting as the focal point for innovation in Vodafone Business UK. It will involve the identification, incubation and embedding of innovative technologies such as 5G, MPN, IoT, AI, VR and other digital applications to secure Vodafone's market leadership in digital solutions and future technologies.
What you'll do
The role is a unique opportunity to create market leading technology solutions, playing a key part in Vodafone's future strategy, with the resources and expertise of a market leading business brand to drive true digital transformation across the UK.
- Act as a catalyst for innovation, across both our existing product portfolio's and in identifying areas for future investment
- Continuously monitor the external competitor, technology, customer and partner landscapes for potential opportunities
- Proactively identify opportunities to collaborate with external partners / alliances in order to generate and incubate innovation concepts
- Leverage our UK and Group Technology, Sales and Product teams to identify and prioritise opportunities by potential value
- Incubate selected innovation initiatives, driving the creation of Proof of Concepts and monitoring success and ROI
- Work closely with the product team to identify experimentation and innovation opportunities, and in turn embed these into Commercialisation for UK Opco
- Work closely with UK Sales, Commercial and Product teams to identify innovation opportunities, and drive their adoption into BAU NPD's
Who you are
- An open and curious mind, with the ability to make connections others don't see
- Experience in the design / architecture, implementation / delivery or technical support of complex networking solutions involving services beyond basic mobile or fixed connectivity
- Experience of/exposure to product management and proposition development
- Commercial mindset and customer focus is key
- The ability to create high quality documentation, including requirements capture and management, problem definition, design schematics and test plans
- Excellent influencing and stakeholder management skills
Worried that you don't meet all the desired criteria exactly? At Vodafone we are passionate about Inclusion for All and creating a workplace where everyone can thrive, whatever their personal or professional background. If you're excited about this role but your experience doesn't align exactly with every part of the job description, we encourage you to apply as you may be the right candidate for this role or another role, and our recruitment team can help you see how your skills fit in.
What we offer
We believe that taking care of our employees is the key to their success. That is why we offer an excellent remuneration and bonus package with up to 28 days holiday entitlement, in addition to bank holidays and paid leave for charity projects. We offer an extensive benefits package that can be tailored to suit you and your family, including employee discounts, retail vouchers, pension plan and share schemes. We take pride in our commitment to supporting you at every stage of your career by providing top of the range learning and development tools, market leading parental leave policies and an innovative Reconnect programme for people who have taken a career break.
Together we can
Vodafone UK are regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and all offers of employment for this role are subject to background checks, including criminal (DBS) and financial checks to meet the regulators standards.
If you require any reasonable adjustments or have an accessibility request as part of your recruitment journey, for example, extended time or breaks in between online assessments, a sign language interpreter, or assistive technology, please refer to the Accessibility section of our Careers website (https://careers.vodafone.com/uk/applying-to-vodafone/) for guidance.
#LI-Hybrid
Vodafone is committed to attracting, developing and retaining the very best people by offering a motivating and inclusive workplace in which talent is truly recognised and rewarded. We are committed to promoting Inclusion for All with the belief that diversity plays an important role in the success of our business. We actively encourage everyone to consider becoming a part of our journey.