Just saw a job advertisement for an Innovation Manager at Shell – it got me thinking about what are the core skills to manage innovation in a large team. 

This is an edited version of what they propose – would be interested in your thoughts, ideas, questions.

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Shell International Exploration and Production Inc. is currently seeking an Innovation Manager for their Houston, Texas location.


We seek a high standard of performance, and understand that great ideas can change the world. If you want to work with a group of creative, ambitious and innovative professionals then you should consider Shell.

We will provide you with the resources to put your ideas into action, worldwide opportunities to advance your career, and outstanding benefits and rewards that support your quality of life. Join us and let’s make a real difference together.

Responsibilities:

  • This position is built around a team of unconventional people who find and fund exciting concepts through an early stage development process (team members work as “sponsors” for idea “proponents” until their concept is proven/not proven, and thus ready for pick-up by other R&D or business processes)
  • This individual will need to navigate through a land for which there is not yet a map (this requires a curiosity to pursue the interesting without getting distracted by the unimportant)
  • Establishing productive plans for novel ideas thus requires people who are comfortable with ambiguity and thrive on change
  • Create new technology opportunities, new directions for the enterprise, and positive futures for people all around us

Key Accountabilities:

  • Recognize and stimulate unusual ideas that could have high potential impact
  • Use personal networks to link ideas and people that might not otherwise interact
  • Apply your own individually unique skills and interests to develop new opportunity domains
  • Ask tough and insightful questions as a participant in team portfolio review and decision making panels
  • Provide constructive coaching and advice to project proponents
  • Drive projects through to completion

Requirements:

  • 10 years minimum experience working on innovative projects
  • Proven experience in the ability to understand wide-ranging, out of the ordinary, technical and business proposals in depth
  • Experience organizing and facilitating brainstorming workshops that help bring new ideas to fruition (Team members are involved in these workshops to varying degrees, and workshop design and facilitation skills would be an advantage)
  • Experience working on Novel Projects and the proven ability to bring those ideas from conception to proposal completion
  • Proven experience making directional decisions during multi-million dollar on-going projects
  • Experience showing commercial sense, contract structuring and negotiation, and business strategy development
  • Experience working effectively with all levels of personnel, customers, suppliers, consultants – both internally and externally
  • Proven experience helping other people turn their ideas into reality; the incumbent will be required to work with multiple fluid team structures and that requires trust and integrity
  • Masters Degree in Business or Engineering with a preference given to Engineering PhD candidates

For more information go to Innovation Manager
Shell International Exploration and Production Inc
Innovation Manager      Job ID: U18882
Location: Houston, Texas, United States

 

mind-stuff