Product Innovation Manager

About the role

Lead new ventures from early opportunity through customer discovery, validation, launch and early growth, initially focusing on a global philanthropy research offering and an emerging digital giving initiative.

Key responsibilities

• Lead venture development by turning opportunities into customer problems, value propositions, experiments, business models and investment recommendations.
• Conduct customer discovery, market research and competitive analysis; identify priority segments, unmet needs and adoption barriers.
• Design and run experiments, prototypes, pilots and MVP launches to test demand, pricing, feasibility and sustainability.
• Coordinate cross‑functional teams across Research & Analytics, Technology, Legal & Compliance, Finance, Operations, Marketing, Outreach and external partners.
• Drive go‑to‑market strategy covering positioning, pricing, revenue models, partnerships, acquisition channels and growth.
• Support launch communications, market activation and adoption, including product briefs, FAQs, sales tools and customer materials.
• Track venture performance and use evidence to recommend investment, pivot, scale, transfer or stop decisions.

Required profile

• Entrepreneurial, commercial and product‑marketing judgment with strong execution discipline.
• Comfort with ambiguity; skilled in customer discovery, design thinking, lean experimentation, prototyping and MVP approaches.
• Strong stakeholder influence, communication, collaboration and data‑informed decision‑making.
• Founder‑like ownership, constructive challenge, adaptability and focus on measurable results.
• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, Product Management, Communications, International Development, Nonprofit Management or related field.
• Minimum 7 years’ relevant experience in venture building, innovation, entrepreneurship, product development, business design or launching products/services.
• Proven experience taking an early‑stage initiative through discovery, validation, business‑model development, launch and measurable traction.