Director Innovation Management (f/m/d)

Purpose of the role

As a member of management team – innovation management and system enablement, working with peers in the area of system innovation, public programs and standardization you will lead the build-up and future direction of Innovation Management at NXP by shaping and driving the company’s innovation strategy globally. This role connects technology, business, and external ecosystems to unlock new growth opportunities and position innovation as a core driver of long-term success.

Your responsibilities

• Define, drive and evangelize NXP’s innovation strategy, identifying future growth areas and translating technology, market, and ecosystem trends into clear direction for senior leadership

• Lead the Innovation Management function, including governance (Innovation Council & Boards), portfolio steering, and cross-functional alignment with Business Lines

• Establish and expand innovation ecosystems (startups, universities, partnerships) while acting as a senior advisor to drive innovation-led growth and new business creation

• Shape and manage the end-to-end innovation portfolio, including prioritization, funding logic, and success metrics

• Drive alignment between corporate strategy, R&D, and business lines to ensure innovation efforts translate into business impact

• Define and implement KPIs and performance tracking for innovation initiatives and governance structures

• Champion a culture of innovation, experimentation, and cross-functional collaboration across the organization

• Represent innovation management in senior leadership forums, towards the NXP management team and contribute to enterprise-level decision-making

Requirements

• Extensive experience (≈12+ years) in innovation, strategy, R&D, technology leadership or track record in start-ups/venturing

• Strong strategic foresight with the ability to translate trends into actionable, decision-ready insights

• Proven leadership and influence skills across functions, geographies, and senior stakeholders

• Experience building structures, teams, or new capabilities in ambiguous environments

• Strong execution mindset with the ability to turn ideas into tangible outcomes

• Excellent communication skills, including synthesizing complex topics into clear executive narratives

• Broad, multidisciplinary thinking with high learning agility and curiosity for emerging technologies

More information about NXP in Germany...