Innovation Design Manager

Innovation Design Manager (m/f/d)

Bristol/Farnborough UK | Zwolle Netherlands | Riga Latvia | Stockholm Sweden | Frankfurt Germany

Hybrid and Remote options

Pax8 is hiring an Innovation Design Manager across the United Kingdom, Netherlands, Latvia, Germany and Sweden to turn artificial intelligence and automation opportunities into measurable business outcomes across EMEA. Joining the Rapid Innovation Team, you will play a pivotal part in discovery, shaping, alignment, and delivery of these new use cases for AI and automation.

Shape how AI creates real business value - This is an opportunity to sit at the heart of Pax8’s artificial intelligence journey, connecting ambitious business ideas with practical solutions that people genuinely adopt.

You’ll help shape a growing innovation capability, influence how teams work and create the frameworks that turn experimentation into sustainable value. As artificial intelligence technology evolves, you’ll grow alongside it, working with curious colleagues who are building something new rather than following an established playbook.

Innovation powered by people:

At Pax8, technology and culture go hand in hand. We value curiosity, candid conversations, shared ownership and the confidence to test new ideas.

Explore the Pax8 European journey and learn more about Pax8 and our people.

• Build a strong pipeline of artificial intelligence and automation opportunities by engaging with teams across Pax8 Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
• Lead interactive mentoring workshops that help colleagues identify challenges, explore ideas and understand where artificial intelligence can make the greatest difference.
• Turn emerging ideas into a clear, prioritised portfolio based on expected impact, strategic relevance and business readiness.
• Establish meaningful leading and lagging indicators so teams can see whether solutions are delivering their intended outcomes.
• Partner with artificial intelligence engineers, product specialists and business leaders to ensure solutions address the right problems.
• Champion adoption after launch, helping teams embed new tools into everyday work and realise lasting value.
• Support and mentor your immediate team members around stakeholder management, solutioning, and prioritizing what effectively addresses the problem.
• Develop scalable approaches for opportunity intake, impact measurement, communication and transformation reporting.
• Provide clear updates and business reviews to senior leaders, making complex information easy to understand and act upon.
• Support an outcome-led innovation culture that balances technical possibility with genuine business need.
• Facilitate in-person workshops and collaboration across Europe, with travel expected for approximately 20% of the role.

You’ll create the connection between promising ideas and meaningful results. By introducing clearer prioritisation, stronger success measures and consistent adoption practices, you’ll help Pax8 invest in the right opportunities and enable teams across the business to benefit from artificial intelligence and automation.

Your work will directly influence the value delivered by the Rapid Innovation Team and help establish a repeatable framework for artificial intelligence-led business transformation.

• Demonstrated success partnering with business stakeholders to uncover needs, shape opportunities and define valuable outcomes.
• Confidence designing and facilitating workshops that turn broad challenges into focused opportunities.
• Strong qualitative interviewing and discovery skills, including the ability to identify what users need when the initial request may not reveal the underlying problem.
• The ability to translate between business and technical audiences while keeping conversations focused on outcomes.
• Experience applying design thinking, systems thinking, business consulting or product management approaches.
• Experience managing product backlogs, roadmaps or portfolios and making thoughtful prioritisation decisions.
• A data-informed approach to decision-making and the ability to define practical measures of success.
• Proven experience improving business processes through workflow automation, digital products or technology-enabled transformation.
• A strong understanding of digital business models and how automation can create scalable customer and operational experiences.
• Practical artificial intelligence literacy and curiosity about emerging tools and ways of working.
• Fluent written and spoken English. Additional European language skills would be welcomed.
• A collaborative, self-directed working style and comfort operating in a growing, evolving environment.
• A relevant degree or equivalent professional experience. Formal certifications are welcomed but not essential.

Trust, authenticity and how we hire:

At Pax8, we care deeply about building genuine, trust based relationships — starting with how we hire.

To protect our business, our teams, and our customers, we use a range of measures throughout the recruitment process to help confirm authenticity and prevent fraud. These safeguards are designed to be fair, respectful, and proportionate, and may evolve as risks change. By applying, you acknowledge that we take steps to verify identity and representation during hiring. If you're applying as your authentic self, you have nothing to worry about — we're excited to meet you.

We also use thoughtfully applied AI-enabled tools to support our hiring process. These tools may assist with tasks such as reviewing or prioritising applications, but hiring decisions are made by our people. More information is available in our Recruitment Privacy Notice. If you have questions about how we hire or would prefer not to have your application supported by these tools, you can opt out at any part of our process.

We encourage you to apply even if you don't meet 100% of the criteria. We're committed to diverse perspectives, inclusive hiring and sharing your transferrable skills. To fulfil this role, you must hold valid right to work in the United Kingdom, Netherlands, Latvia, Germany or Sweden, depending on the country in which you apply.

The advertised UK salary range is up to £65,000. Compensation for the Netherlands, Latvia, Germany and Sweden will be aligned to the applicable local market.

United Kingdom:

• Salary range is up to £65,000 depending on experience
• Bonus: Annual performance bonus
• Long term Incentive Plan (Stock Options)
• 25 days holiday (plus bank holidays)
• Private healthcare covered by Bupa
• Dental Plan covered by Bupa
• Life Assurance
• Income Protection
• Royal London Workplace pension scheme – 5% employer contribution
• Pax8 Cycle to Work Support Scheme Available
• Dedicated time for training and personal development
• Unlimited access to LinkedIn Learning
• Health & Wellbeing coaching support
• Fun and frequent company and team socials

Netherlands:

• Bonus: Annual performance bonus
• Long term incentive plan (Stock options)
• Time Off: 26 days annual leave + 8% holiday allowance
• Reimbursement for travel expenses
• Hybrid Work: Flexibility to work from home and our Zwolle office
• Dedicated time for training and personal development
• Unlimited access to LinkedIn Learning
• Health & Wellbeing coaching support
• Fun and frequent company and team socials

Latvia:

• Bonus: Annual performance bonus
• Long term investment plan (Stock options)
• Private Health Insurance
• Gym Subscription
• Dedicated time for training and personal development
• Unlimited access to LinkedIn Learning
• Health & Wellbeing coaching support
• Fun and frequent company and team socials

Germany:

• Bonus: Annual performance bonus
• Long term Incentive Plan (Stock Options)
• 30 days of paid leave
• Dedicated time for training and personal development
• Unlimited access to LinkedIn Learning
• Health & Wellbeing coaching support
• Fun and frequent company and team socials

Sweden:

• Bonus: Annual performance bonus
• Long term Incentive Plan (Stock Options)
• Medical Treatment Insurance
• Life and Accident Insurance
• Long Term Disability Insurance
• Competitive Pension Coverage
• 5000SEK Annual health and wellbeing allowance
• Dedicated time for training and personal development
• Unlimited access to LinkedIn Learning
• Health & Wellbeing coaching support
• Fun and frequent company and team socials

Work where collaboration comes naturally:

At Pax8, our offices are built with our people in mind and they reflect how we work best They are all open, welcoming spaces that fuel collaboration, encourage creativity, and make it easy to connect, contribute, and have a little fun along the way.

This position is open across multiple Pax8 locations in the United Kingdom, Netherlands, Latvia, Germany and Sweden. The role follows a hybrid working pattern, with the specific office and attendance expectations confirmed for your country during the recruitment process.

Pre-employment checks:

As part of our hiring process, we are required to undertake pre-employment checks on all candidates that are successful in their application with Pax8. As part of these checks Pax8 will request ID verification, reference requests and qualification checks (additional checks may be completed for certain countries, such as criminal and financial). All checks are completed by our third-party provider, First Advantage. Once checks have been completed all candidates will receive a copy for their records.

Equal opportunities:

Pax8 are an equal opportunities employer and welcome individuals who are in possession of the appropriate requirements to work within the country you have applied for. Offered individuals will be asked to undertake identity, security compliance and reference checks. Your privacy is important to us.

Your data will be held in accordance with local best practices and processed only in accordance with our recruiting processes.

Privacy notice: https://www.pax8.com/en-us/terms/job-applicant-privacy-notice/