AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization, with a membership of nearly 38 million that helps people turn their goals and dreams into 'Real Possibilities' by changing the way America defines aging. AARP Services, Inc is a wholly-owned subsidiary of AARP developing and managing commercial relationships on behalf of AARP. (ASI) Strategy, Innovation and Research team develops strategic plans, leads product development initiatives and supports business development.
The Innovation Lead is a member of the Strategy, Innovation and Research team leading innovation initiatives and new product development for ASI; together with internal and external stakeholders. Innovation/product development areas include new whitespace areas, line extensions, product/program features enhancement and campaigns. This position will focus significantly on an innovation program with a health insurance company. Key responsibilities include:
- Activating strategies, leading new product development and supporting implementation
- Cultivating deep understanding of consumers/members through human center design including assessing needs, identifying pain points/barriers, ideating value proposition and solutions, and estimating demand
- Lead concept generation and concept development followed by supporting go-to-market pilots
- Developing business case recommendations and gaining consensus with a cross/functional team of ASI/AARP stakeholders and our partner/providers
- Leading and motivating cross matrix teams in workshops to support innovation pipeline
- Developing approach/project plans and leading efforts for distilling in-house knowledge, gathering consumer insights, performing ideation, and iteration of concepts through consumer and partner co-creation along with developing business cases
- Sourcing and managing external innovation support as needed
- Documenting and delivering compelling artifacts of empathy; crafting professional communication to mid/senior level management
- Forging and maintaining relationships with key stakeholders across two organizations – AARP and ASI; including senior executives
- Assessing and testing new innovation methodologies and approaches to help build ASI Innovation Services offerings
- A minimum of 3+ years of experience in leading innovation and/or product development; preferably in healthcare and insurance
- A minimum of 8+ years of client-facing agency (research, design and innovation) experience
- Completion of a Master’s degree, or equivalent experience
- Solid experience in human-centered design/design research, agile innovation principles, product development best practices, business models evaluation/development
- Proven strategic thinker with experience in identifying, analyzing, developing, and launching innovative new products, marketing strategies, and programs leveraging customer insights, market trends, environmental scan, and creative solutions.
- Proven creativity, pattern recognition, story boarding, advanced data analytics and leveraging multiple insight sources into key insights/themes
- Experience leading and participating on diverse teams and initiatives to shape product direction.
- Ability to consistently energize and motivate while leading workshops, design sprints, empathy interviews,
- Proven ability to lead work efforts and deliver initiatives on-time with attention to details.
- Excellent communicator, excellent interpersonal skills and ability to interact at all levels within an organization (up, across, down) - be effective in a cross-functional matrix organization.
- Exhibits positive and enthusiastic attitude.
AARP offers competitive benefits with a 401K, 100% company funded pension plan, health, dental, vision and life insurance, STD/LTD, paid vacation and sick, and other benefits.
https://careers.aarp.org/ShowJob/Id/1915318/Innovation-Lead-(Senior-Advisor)-%E2%80%94-AARP-Services,-Inc./