Director, Innovation

Novolex is a leader in packaging innovation, choice and sustainability. We manufacture products in paper, plastic and sustainable materials for the food, retail, health and industrial markets.

The Novolex sustainability vision is built upon three pillars: our products, our operations and our people. Each is critically important to our growth and future as a business. These pillars form the foundation of our company-wide commitment to sustainability, helping us achieve our ambitious goals through our wide-ranging initiatives.

The Director of Innovation is responsible for leading the design, development, and execution of innovation initiatives that support our strategic goals. This role is focused on shaping new ideas into viable solutions, piloting new concepts, and helping embed a culture of innovation across the organization. Working under the guidance of the CISO organization and in close collaboration with functional leaders, the Director will manage a portfolio of innovation projects-from early-stage exploration to validation and scale-and ensure alignment with business priorities.

Essential Functions & Key Responsibilities:

• Translate enterprise innovation strategy into actionable programs and initiatives.
• Partner with business units to identify pain points, opportunities, and white space for innovation.

• Develop and manage a roadmap of pilots and prototypes aligned with organizational priorities.
• Lead innovation projects end-to-end: from opportunity identification and concept development to testing, iteration, and handoff to operational teams.

• Define KPIs, track impact, and report on outcomes of innovation initiatives.
• Manage external vendor relationships and innovation partners as needed.

• Facilitate co-creation workshops, design sprints, and ideation sessions with internal stakeholders.
• Act as a connector across departments to surface innovative thinking and enable execution.
• Support internal teams in adopting innovation tools, frameworks, and agile ways of working.
• Drive awareness and adoption of innovation programs across the organization.
• Train and mentor internal teams in human-centered design, experimentation, and rapid prototyping.
• Help build repeatable processes for innovation to scale efficiently across teams.

• Bachelor's degree required; advanced degree preferred (e.g., MBA, MS in Innovation or Design, etc.)
• 8+ years of experience in innovation, strategy, product, or transformation roles
• Demonstrated experience managing innovation projects from idea to implementation
• Excellent collaboration and communication skills; able to influence without authority
• Strong analytical capabilities with a data-driven approach to decision-making
• Comfortable with ambiguity and able to navigate complex, cross-functional environments
• Experience working in a matrixed or high-growth environment

Benefits

With safety as our top priority and a commitment to employee well-being an important focus, we offer comprehensive and competitive benefits that include medical, dental and vision insurance (including Telehealth options) as well as a variety of other well-being resources focused on mental, physical and financial health. Specific benefits and well-being programs may vary depending on where you work.

Community Engagement

At Novolex, giving back to the local communities that support us is important. Our Focused Giving Program prioritizes support for organizations whose missions promote sustainability initiatives or address food and hunger needs. We also encourage facility level support of activities in the communities where our employees live and work.

Training and Development

We offer constant opportunities for advancement. From skills development to advanced education programs, training and development programs and courses are available through Novolex University. Programs include company and industry training curricula, support for formal education through the Tuition Reimbursement Program, and a Learning Management System that supports and enhances employee skills at all levels of the organization.