Lead Specialist, Innovation Portfolio
Ma'aden · Riyadh
- Why This Role Matters
- The Lead Specialist – Innovation Portfolio enables Maaden to maximize the value of innovation investments by establishing a structured, transparent, and strategically aligned innovation portfolio. The role ensures that innovation initiatives are prioritized, governed, and managed as a balanced portfolio that supports long-term business growth, operational excellence, and transformation objectives.
- By applying disciplined portfolio management practices, the role improves investment decisions, accelerates the delivery of high-value initiatives, and strengthens the organization's ability to translate innovation opportunities into measurable business outcomes. This includes driving value realization across financial, operational, sustainability, and strategic dimensions.
- The role also provides leadership with data-driven insights, portfolio transparency, and decision support, enabling effective allocation of resources and the development of a sustainable pipeline of innovation opportunities that support Ma’aden’s future competitiveness.
- What You Will Deliver
- Portfolio Strategy & Governance
- Establish and continuously enhance innovation portfolio governance frameworks, prioritization models, and investment criteria.
- Align innovation investments with business strategy, transformation priorities, and long-term value creation objectives.
- Strengthen executive decision-making through effective governance forums and portfolio review mechanisms.
- Innovation Investment & Prioritization
- Optimize innovation investment decisions by evaluating opportunities based on strategic fit, value potential, risk, scalability, and feasibility.
- Develop robust business cases and recommendations that support informed funding and portfolio allocation decisions.
- Maintain a balanced innovation portfolio across short-, medium-, and long-term horizons.
- Portfolio Performance & Value Realization
- Define and implement portfolio performance frameworks and value realization measures.
- Improve portfolio outcomes through continuous monitoring of innovation performance, benefits, and strategic contribution.
- Drive portfolio optimization using performance insights, lessons learned, and measurable business impact.
- Innovation Pipeline Management
- Build and maintain a sustainable pipeline of innovation opportunities and emerging technology initiatives.
- Enhance portfolio resilience through balanced management of initiatives across varying maturity levels and risk profiles.
- Accelerate progression of high-potential concepts through validation, piloting, and portfolio review processes.
- Stakeholder Alignment & Delivery Enablement
- Foster collaboration across Innovation, Technology Operations, Data & AI, and business functions to accelerate innovation delivery.
- Resolve portfolio dependencies, resource constraints, and execution risks that affect portfolio performance.
- Promote alignment among sponsors, initiative owners, and delivery teams to improve execution effectiveness.
- Strategic Insights & Executive Reporting
- Deliver executive-level portfolio reporting that provides visibility into performance, risks, opportunities, and investment effectiveness.
- Generate actionable insights that support strategic planning, budgeting, and innovation roadmap development.
- Influence leadership decisions through evidence-based portfolio recommendations and performance analysis.
- What Success Looks Like
- Innovation investments demonstrate clear alignment with strategic business priorities.
- Portfolio governance frameworks enable transparent and effective decision-making.
- Innovation initiatives deliver measurable financial, operational, sustainability, and strategic value.
- A balanced pipeline of innovation opportunities is maintained across multiple maturity levels.
- Leadership receives timely, accurate, and actionable portfolio insights.
- Portfolio resources are optimized to maximize innovation outcomes and business impact.
- Minimum Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Business Administration, Technology, Innovation Management, or a related discipline.
- Experience
- 10–12 years of progressive experience in innovation management, strategy execution, technology portfolio management, PMO, or transformation environments.
- Experience managing complex cross-functional initiatives and stakeholder environments.
- Experience supporting strategic investment decisions, portfolio governance, and value realization initiatives.(Derived from role scope and requires validation.)
- Experience within mining, industrial, manufacturing, energy, or other technology-intensive sectors is preferred.
- Skills That Matter
- Functional Expertise
- Innovation Portfolio Management
- Portfolio Governance & Stage-Gate Frameworks
- Strategic Prioritization
- Investment Planning & Business Case Development
- Value Realization Management
- Innovation Pipeline Management
- Business & Delivery
- Strategic Planning
- Portfolio Performance Management
- Executive Reporting & Dashboarding
- Budgeting & Investment Analysis
- Risk Assessment & Portfolio Optimization
- Data-Driven Decision-Making
- People & Collaboration
- Stakeholder Management
- Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Influencing & Communication
- Facilitation & Alignment
- Analytical Thinking
- Business Acumen