PURPOSE
Faced with ever growing security threats from terrorism and international crime, together with the escalated focus on pandemics and health risks, governments are investing in new digital ways of working to protect their borders whilst improving operational efficiency. At the same time, governments are looking at how they can open up their borders in a safe way to improve national prosperity by promoting trade and tourism into their country. Travelers are demanding a safe and seamless travel experience and we need to find new ways to enable the easy movement of goods worldwide. The border of the future will be seamless yet secure. It will be a highly effective and agile, digital and integrated border with decisions made well in advance of the border.
SITA’s Border Management business unit, SITA AT BORDERS, mission is to deliver a digital transformation of the border for our customers. We have high growth aspirations, targeting 20% p.a growth over the next five years, and this growth will be supported through a culture of customer co-innovation and partnership.
The Head of Innovation is a key role to materialize the BORDERS growth aspirations, shaping and promoting the innovation vision and strategy, incubating new business ideas and value propositions based on novel technologies and process innovations, and providing a smooth transition to revenue-earning product offerings.
This is a leadership role where the individual supports the Borders Head of Strategy to define and execute an innovation strategy that supports the strategic direction of the business.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
Innovation Strategy
- Define the BORDERS innovation vision and strategy for the 1-3 year horizon (initially Digital Identity, Cargo Risk Assessment, and Artificial Intelligence), working closely with the product teams;
- Identify opportunities for new product offerings, as well as requirements for enhancements to existing products / services by thoroughly understanding customer needs, competitive landscape, and market trends;
- Leading ideation campaigns to ensure we consider ideas from across the organization.
- Provide thought leadership, including speaking engagement at conferences and tradeshows. Authoring of whitepapers and blogs to demonstrate SITA’s leadership in this domain.
Innovation Investment Planning and Tracking
- Prioritize investments in alignment with the defined innovation strategy;
- Secure investment budget approvals through SITA's investment and expenditure approval processes and policies (Central Innovation Fund / Business Approval Policy / Investment Board);
- Define investment budget as part of Borders' annual budget and 3YP, in collaboration with Product Portfolio team;
- Accountable for CAPEX and OPEX spend for innovation projects, including tracking actual spend and forecast spend to go versus approved budgets, supported by Finance and Project Managers / PCPMs.
Innovation Roadmap and Execution
- Lead Innovation Product Manager(s) to define the value proposition, target markets, and business model for new product offerings;
- Lead Innovation Product Manager(s) and cross-functional teams for the development of new products from ideation to definition of an MMP and handover to Product Portfolio;
- Manage / coach team members through their respective product(s) in the build / launch process to ensure that they will deliver the right product(s) to market, within agreed timescales;
- Responsible for ensuring each qualified innovation product has a business case and proposed business model and pricing;
- Lead the definition, approval (in alignment with SITA’s governance) and delivery of pilot projects, shaping, motivating, leading and managing a cross-functional team;
- Host regular Project Review Boards (monthly) and Initiative Deep Dives (quarterly) for the projects and initiatives under the Innovation Portfolio;
- Communicate regularly with Borders' Head of Product and relevant Product Managers to align product enhancement roadmaps with strategic initiatives in the innovation vision;
- Identify and register patents for inventions to protect the portfolio´s intellectual assets and enhance profitability through licensing and tax benefits;
- Maintain the Portfolio Architectural Runway to support the innovation strategy, in collaboration with CTO, the Mobile COE, Biometrics Practice and Borders Solution Architecture. Support evaluation and selection of appropriate 3rd Party tools in collaboration with these teams;
- Ensure a smooth handover to Product.
Customer Co-Innovation
- Work with General Managers and Account teams in the development of customer co-innovation plans;
- Our goal is to have at least one customer co-innovation project for our top 10 customers each year.
Innovation Evangelist
- Regularly communicate and promote the Portfolio Strategy with sales teams, BORDERS leadership and other portfolios to obtain feedback and recommendations;
- Represent SITA at key industry and customer events, including the SITA AT BORDERS Summits. Assist in the selection and prioritization of industry events, strategic objectives, content and demo preparation;
- Support key customer engagements and workshops to promote SITA’s innovation vision and industry best practices, in support of SITA AT BORDERS Growth Strategy;
- Develop and manage industry partnerships and strategic supplier relationships;
- Participate in Customer Advisory Boards, user groups and other customer forums to develop customer relationships and influence market thinking.
EXPERIENCE
- Minimum of 10 years’ experience in a related role;
- Experience in Border Management essential;
- Track record of achieving revenue growth;
- Proven track record in ideation and innovation creation;
- Experience of working in a matrix environment, liaising with different teams to ensure overall Business Unit success;
KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS
- Development of strong relationships with key senior-level stakeholders across SITA including the GEOs, Technology and Engineering and Strategy.
- Leadership skills to motivate and drive the strategy both within the team and wider SITA;
- Demonstrates ownership and accountability;
- Lives and demonstrates SITA’s values of step up for the customer, dare to grow, try fast fail fast and do it together;
- Strong communication skills.
PROFESSION COMPETENCIES
- Agile Development
- Business Analytics
- Commercial Acumen
- Communicating Complex Concepts
- Competitive Environment
- Customer/Market Focus
- Knowledge of Product Line
- Market Research
- Marketing Strategy and Positioning
- Partnering for Clients' Success
- Planning: Tactical Strategic
- Product Development Life Cycle
- Relationship Management
- Requirements Analysis
- Strategic Thinking
EDUCATION & QUALIFICATIONS
- Business / Engineering / Science related qualification to at least Bachelor's Degree level typically.
- Other Degree level backgrounds considered.