Hybrid Head of Innovation Operations

at Stay22

• Job title: Head of Innovation Operations
• Job type: Full Time
• Experience level: Lead
• Salary: Not specified
• Degree requirement: Postgraduate Degree
• Tech skills: Vue.js
• Location requirements: Hybrid, Montreal, Canada

About the role

• Head of Innovation leading operations and strategy for Stay22's Innovation Department. Building foundational systems for sustainable innovation and scalable results.

Responsibilities

• Act as a true force multiplier for the CIO.
• Translate vision and strategy into clear priorities, sequencing, and actionable plans.
• Ensure executive alignment: make sure innovation initiatives are well understood and aligned across the leadership team.
• Maintain a holistic view of the innovation portfolio: track progress, dependencies, and outcomes against business, product, and technology objectives.
• Quickly identify constraints, risks, and trade-offs, and propose pragmatic solutions before they slow momentum.
• Design and operate the Innovation department engine.
• Define the operating model, processes, and execution cadences that turn raw ideas into delivered, scalable results.
• Drive end-to-end execution: structure experiments and pilots, align cross-functional teams, and remove obstacles.
• Scale what works: ensure a clear handoff to core teams with ownership, context, and momentum.
• Raise the bar: recruit exceptional talent, set clear expectations for ownership and outcomes, and build a culture true to the CIO’s DNA.
• Make innovation sustainable and repeatable.
• Track progress, outcomes, and learnings so insights accumulate over time.
• Implement lightweight governance: clear decision-making frameworks and a balance between speed and accountability.
• Manage operational levers: budgets, vendors, and external partners to maximize impact.
• Provide clear signals to guide decisions: what to amplify, iterate, or stop.

Requirements

• Fluent English required for daily communication with colleagues and international partners.
• 10+ years of experience in operations, strategy, management consulting, technology, or a similar role in a high-growth or scale-up environment.
• Strong technical fluency, with experience collaborating closely with engineering, product, or data teams to deliver concrete solutions (a plus).
• Demonstrated experience in 0 → 1 initiatives, with the ability to navigate ambiguity through experimentation, execution, and early scaling.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills and the ability to influence both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• High emotional intelligence, sound judgment, and discretion, comfortable acting as a trusted partner to a co-founder.
• Strong problem-solving orientation and an ownership mindset.
• Experience supporting C-suite executives in fast-paced, evolving environments (strongly preferred).
• MBA (a plus).

Benefits

• Comprehensive benefits: health and dental insurance, retirement plan, professional development, social activities, and memorable team retreats