Digital Innovation Manager

The Digital Innovation Manager partners with the business to identify, evaluate, and implement emerging technologies across a portfolio of construction projects.

Operating at a strategic, portfolio level, this role identifies systemic challenges, designs and governs structured technology trials, and delivers measurable business outcomes under a defined innovation framework. The role ensures that innovation initiatives align with commercial priorities and generate scalable impact across the organization.

Key Responsibilities

1. Portfolio-Level Innovation Management

Develop and manage a structured innovation pipeline across projects.

Prioritise initiatives based on value potential, feasibility, scalability, and risk.

Capture and disseminate learnings from pilots across the portfolio to enable replication and scale.

2. Problem Identification & Opportunity Framing

Engage project teams to identify operational, safety, quality, productivity, and sustainability challenges.

Translate project-level problems into clearly defined innovation briefs.

Apply a consistent evaluation framework to assess emerging technologies.

3. Trial & Pilot Delivery

Design, coordinate, and govern technology trials on live projects.

Establish clear success metrics (cost, programme, safety, carbon, quality, etc.).

Manage vendor engagement, procurement alignment, and solution validation.

Lead stakeholder engagement and change management to ensure adoption.

4. Governance & Framework Development

Implement and maintain a structured innovation framework including:

o Idea intake and screening

o Business case development

o Pilot approval gates

o Performance measurement

o Scale-up criteria

Ensure compliance with risk, procurement, IT, cybersecurity, and operational standards.

Performance Reporting & Business Communication

Report initiative performance, ROI, and lessons learned to senior leadership.

Provide portfolio-level visibility of innovation impact.

Support executive decision-making on scaling, pausing, or discontinuing initiatives.

6. Strategic Business Partnership

Act as a trusted advisor to business unit leaders and project directors.

Align innovation initiatives with commercial objectives and enterprise strategy.

Identify recurring pain points and systemic inefficiencies across the portfolio.

Required Skills & Qualifications

Education & Experience

Qualification in Construction Management, Engineering, Built Environment, Technology, or a related field.

Postgraduate qualification (MBA, MSc in Innovation, Digital Construction, or similar) preferred.

Minimum 10+ years experience in construction, infrastructure, or major project environments.

Demonstrated experience delivering innovation, digital transformation, or technology implementation on live projects.