Innovation Manager

Background

 Organization Overview:

Commonwealth strengthens the financial opportunity and security of financially vulnerable people by discovering ideas, piloting solutions, and driving innovations to scale. For nearly two decades, Commonwealth has designed effective innovations, products, and policies enabling over a million people to accumulate more than $3 billion in savings. Commonwealth understands broad changes requires market players to act. That’s why we collaborate with consumers, the financial services industry, employers, policymakers, and mission-driven organizations. The solutions we build are grounded in real life, based on our deep understanding of people who are financially vulnerable and how businesses can best serve them. To learn more about the organization, please visit www.buildcommonwealth.org

Diversity of background and perspective are strengths that we value. We are committed to creating a diverse, committed, skilled and collaborative environment, and we are proud to be an equal opportunity employer. Commonwealth recruits, employs, trains, compensates, and promotes regardless of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, veteran status, and other protected statuses.

Commonwealth is proud to be an equal opportunity employer committed to building a diverse team and an equitable and inclusive work environment. We welcome and encourage applications from all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship, disability, veteran status and record of arrest or conviction, or any other characteristic.

 Additionally, we are being intentional about increasing representation in applicants who identify as women of color, BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color), disabled, veterans, caregivers, LGTBQIA+, and neurodivergent.

Summary

Commonwealth is seeking an Innovation Manager to join our Lab team. As an Innovation Manager, you’ll play a key role in helping Commonwealth ideate, design, and test scalable innovative financial solutions for people who are financially vulnerable in the U.S. You will support multiple projects and be part of an organization and team passionate about making positive, scalable impact on the financial lives of people living on low and moderate incomes who are disproportionately Black, Latinx and women.

Responsibilities

• Use a human-centered design approach to ideate, design and test financial tools and products to support people living on low and moderate incomes
• Plan and conduct consumer and market research such as surveys, in-depth interviews, and desk research.
• Manage and support projects at various stages of the innovation process including ideation, prototyping, minimal viable product testing and evaluation, and developing a business pitch to sell the idea to private sector partners.
• Employ strong project management and interpersonal skills to coordinate work of colleagues and own work on project teams.
• Manage existing relationships with external partners.
• Contribute to content strategy and writing for both online and print communication that describes the findings from the work.
• Contribute to a positive organizational culture including an appetite for learning, eagerness to support colleagues and engaged participation on project teams.
• May supervise interns; mentor/support junior staff.

Requirements

Skills/Competencies:

• Experience with human-centered design and conducting consumer research.
• Exceptional project management skills, with the ability to plan and oversee multiple complex projects with close attention to detail and timelines.
• Ability to work both collaboratively as part of a team and independently to achieve goals and timelines.
• Ability to build relationships and work with a diverse range of colleagues and external partners.
• Ability to develop creative solutions to problems as they arise and the judgment and flexibility to know when to call on colleagues or a supervisor for support.
• Passionate about the mission of Commonwealth and driving social change through promoting financial security and opportunity for the financially vulnerable.
• Familiarity with the financial challenges of low-to-moderate income (LMI) individuals.
• Familiarity with financial technology innovations.

Compensation and Benefits

Commonwealth offers a competitive salary and benefits, commensurate with experience and skills.  

Commonwealth provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability or genetics. In addition to federal law requirements, Commonwealth complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training. 

How to Apply

Apply online at: buildcommonwealth.bamboohr.com/jobs  This position is open immediately. Candidates will be reviewed on a rolling basis. No phone calls.