Innovation Manager

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Overview

Do you want to be help enrich the lives of learners worldwide?

At RM, we've been pioneers of education technology since 1973. We provide technology and resources to the education sector supporting over 10 million students around the world. We work with 28,000 schools, nurseries, and education trusts in 115 countries to deliver customer-centric solutions that improve education outcomes worldwide.

What we do helps leaners at all stages of their lives, from preschool to higher education and professional qualification, we partner with schools, examination boards, central governments and other professional institutions, to enrich the lives of learners.

Apply for this role if you feel you are able to support learners in their educational journey

Responsibilities

The purpose of this role is to create drive and to deliver on time, new and innovative products for the primary market - with close links to the key curriculum learning requirements to support delivery in schools, support teachers and to bring about creative learning experiences.

Thoroughly understand the market and forthcoming initiatives within the education market in the primary sector, working with current and establishing new, advisors, influencers, and opinion formers. A key focus is to gain valuable insights into what teachers are looking for to support their delivery of the curriculum outcomes in the form of innovative and creative resources. Understanding the wider needs of primary schools both in the UK and Internationally and gaining insight into themes across the globe that affect teaching and learning.

The duties of an Innovation Manager are wide ranging, but ultimately involve;

• Idea generation with a focus on applying readily available and emerging themes in wider markets, educational and beyond to bring to fruition new resource ideas that can be implemented directly into a setting's scheme of work.
• Learn and know the education market inside out, how it differs from other industries and the barriers to entry for resources entering the primary market.
• Develop excellent long-term relationships with leading advisers, teachers, and educationalists to provide valid input into the TTS and Consortium product ranges.
• Being aware of our customer needs and requirements and being able to demonstrate an understanding of their world, what needs to be done compared to what is an advantage to be done and how we show we can support their needs and help solve their problems.
• Support the design and development of new products and product improvements, balancing innovative engineering design, functional requirements, and aesthetic appeal with product safety, cost effective design and ease of manufacture
• Work with Product Mangers to validate and enhance the current IPR ranges within their specialist area
• Understand the competition and ensure products are differentiated within the marketplace and offer value for money

Experience

As the right candidate for the role of the Innovation Manager, you will have some of the following:

• Working within a role which requires you to adapt customer feedback and research into a product or service proposition.
• Ideally experience in a product development or product management environment.
• To be able to demonstrate critical thinking, problem solving and collaborative skills.
• Ability to prioritise and manage multiple projects
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills - credible, open and approachable, with the ability to adjust your manner to suit your audience.
• Open, outgoing, and comfortable doing presentations in a public forum (Trade Shows)
• A background in education either from a teaching background or with experience of working within the education industry.

What's in it for you?

At RM we have "My Work Blend @RM" which provides office-based colleagues with multi location and hybrid working options to suit them. As well as your office base, you can spend a proportion of your time working at other locations in the UK that suit your role and your life, including home, other offices, customer sites, distribution centres or on the move. We encourage you to discuss arrangements for this role with your potential line manager during the recruitment process. We expect how we make best use of hybrid working may continue to adapt as we adjust to our new ways of working.

RM is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expects all permanent and temporary staff to share this commitment. This role is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and all successful candidates will be subject to Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks along with other relevant employment checks.

As well as a competitive salary and our core benefits package which includes private medical healthcare, life assurance and a Group Personal Pension Plan with higher contribution levels available, some roles are also eligible for a performance-related bonus. There are lots of voluntary benefits too. You could buy additional annual leave, join our dental plan, sign for a health assessment, or take part in our cycle to work scheme. You could even earn yourself an extra bonus for successfully recommending a friend or family member for a position within RM.

To better reflect the society that we serve, we're committed to building a diverse workforce and creating an inclusive and welcoming environment for all. To achieve this, we create teams of talented people from different backgrounds and experiences and strive to be a business where our people can bring their whole selves to work. We also want to make the recruitment process as inclusive as possible for everyone. Should you require additional support with your application or through the interview process, please contact us at recruitment@rm.com.

Unfortunately, we are unable to offer sponsorship for this role.