Hybrid Director, Innovation – Human Centered Experience

at Kerr Dental

• Job title: Director, Innovation – Human Centered Experience
• Job type: Full Time
• Experience level: Lead
• Salary: $160,300 - $297,700 per year
• Degree requirement: Bachelor's Degree
• Location requirements: Hybrid, East Hanover, United States

About the role

• Director of Innovation & Human Centered Experience shaping employee experience at Novartis. Transforming how People & Organization delivers value through design thinking and innovation.

Responsibilities

• Assess and frame complex business, people and process challenges to determine the right innovation and design approach
• Identify insights, blind spots and experience opportunities across processes, interactions and supporting systems
• Conduct research using Human Centered Design and service design methods to understand user needs, pain points and moments that matter
• Translate complex or ambiguous challenges into clear problem statements and opportunity areas
• Partner with Global Process Owners (GPOs) to redesign processes informed by human centered insights and employee priorities
• Coach teams to apply human centered design methods including journey mapping, synthesis, prototyping and testing
• Identify integration opportunities that streamline experiences and reduce friction across end‑to‑end journeys
• Ensure process changes connect to real employee needs and moments that matter, avoiding siloed or purely operational improvements
• Create or co‑create journey maps, prototypes and experience concepts when deeper design expertise is required to accelerate progress
• Contribute to internal playbooks, methods, tools and frameworks that help teams apply human‑centered practices
• Coach GPOs, P&O teams and cross‑functional partners to apply human‑centered and design‑led approaches in their work
• Facilitate alignment sessions and co‑creation activities to build shared understanding and stronger solutions
• Lead or support innovation and experience design efforts from early discovery through pilot execution
• Translate insights and ideas into tangible concepts, prototypes and validated recommendations

Requirements

• Extensive experience in innovation, HCD, service design, digital experience, customer/employee experience, or transformation
• Degree in innovation, design, digital experience, business, behavioral science or related fields, or equivalent experience
• Proven ability to translate insights into journeys, concepts, prototypes and actionable recommendations
• Experience enabling, coaching, or influencing others in design or innovation practices
• Demonstrated ability to simplify complexity and uncover underlying problems and opportunities
• Excellent facilitation, communication and storytelling capabilities
• Ability to influence without authority and build trusted partnerships across diverse stakeholders
• Experience working in global, complex or matrixed environments or within consulting settings
• Experience integrating multiple processes or journeys to create streamlined, connected end‑to‑end experiences
• Ability to apply systems thinking to align processes, policies, tools and behaviors into cohesive solutions

Benefits

• Health, life and disability benefits
• 401(k) with company contribution and match
• Generous time off package including vacation, personal days, holidays and other leaves
• Performance-based cash incentive
• Eligibility for annual equity awards