The Collaboration, Analytics & Innovation business unit supports the Corporation's frontline operations in the delivery of services for economic, social, and environmental value. The Senior Innovation Designer brings knowledge and experience in civic and social innovation to support The City to build and sustain innovation.

As part of the Collaboration, Analytics, and Innovation business unit, The Innovation Lab is an internal consultancy that serves the Corporation through:

• Project consulting through complex, human-centred challenges affecting Calgarians and City staff.
• Professional Learning for City staff to learn and apply innovation methodologies and tools.
• Stewardship of the Innovation Network to enhance relationships across The City and build the network to support innovation.

Part strategy, part execution, the Senior Innovation Designer plays a critical role in the development, maintenance, and evaluation of strategies for specific portfolios within the Innovation Lab. The Senior Innovation Designer is an active innovation and design practitioner delivering and leading the Innovation Lab's services (Projects, Learning, Innovation Network Forums). A large part of the Sr. Innovation Designer's work is focused on leading the projects in the Lab portfolio that are of high complexity, impact, and political nuance. These complex problems often involve:

• Competing human needs, have been 'stuck', and have cross political/administrative boundaries.
• Challenges in navigating political and power dynamics, including leadership across multiple business units.
• High stakes, with potential impacts on council, Calgarians, and The City's reputation.
• Linked to a strong Corporate champion at the senior leadership level.

This posting is seeking a Senior Innovation Designer to support the depth of design-based innovation methodologies, other relevant experiences are of interest. Primary Duties include:

Opportunity Development, Design, Execution, & Measurement

• Play an active role in business development for project opportunity development, leveraging existing and developing new networks, and articulating the Innovation Lab's services.
• Lead higher complexity projects including:
  • Development of project plans, scopes of work and subsequent execution.
  • Champion, plan, and design for human-centered (e.g., Calgarians, Businesses, and staff) solutions to long-standing problems to create improved City services.
  • During and post-project close out, lead lessons learned and reflective sessions both with the client & internal to the Innovation Lab team to capture and disseminate knowledge.

Innovation Lab Strategic Portfolio Leadership

• Lead a strategic portfolio that supports the delivery of Innovation Lab services. Portfolios will vary on individual staff, and will span a variety of possible functions including leading:
  • Service delivery portfolios with a Partner (i.e., Departments and/or Business Units with dedicated, funded roles), Project Practice, the Professional Learning service, the Innovation Network Forum services, or Measurement & Evaluation.
  • The development of portfolio-related processes, change management, and indicators to monitor and report on progress to Team Leads and Leader as appropriate.

Informal Leadership and Mentorship

• Play an active role in teammates professional development including innovation mindsets, skillsets, and practice through:
  • Guiding approaches to project execution, including challenging conversations with project clients/partners and advocacy for a particular approach.
  • Providing in-the-moment feedback to coach and learn from work situations.
• Be an innovation methodology and process Subject Matter Expert for clients on projects, providing:
  • Guidance, coaching and advocacy for those involved with or affected by projects (e.g., front line staff to Executive Sponsors).
  • Coach client project-leads and their leadership through the unknown/ambiguous nature of taking an innovation approach.
• Build trusting relationships beyond just direct project clients to ensure buy-in for innovation and change from other affected and related service-owners.
• Play an active role in strengthening team culture, collaboration, and knowledge sharing.
  
   

• Degree in Science, Anthropology, Social Science, Public Administration, Business, Design, Planning or a related degree. 
• At least 8 years of experience using innovation methodologies and practices and facilitation. 
• Additional skills and experiences in the following will be considered assets: 
  • Service Design, Design Thinking, Human-Centered Design, Systemic Design, Behavioral Insights, Systems Thinking, Design and/or strategy Sprints and other innovation methodologies.
  • Management Consulting (or equivalent) in the public, private or not-for-profit sectors.
  • Knowledge and/or experience in strategic planning and relationship building in a complex and political environment.
  • Measurement and Evaluation experience (e.g., Theory of Change and Project/Program evaluation).
  • Ability to manage multiple projects from conception to delivery, delivering great customer service.
• Our work and culture is extremely collaborative, successful applicants in the role will be possess:
  • The ability to self-direct, working both independently and collaboratively with others to achieve high-quality outputs.
  • Excellent communication skills for diverse audiences. 
  • Refined political acumen.
  • Well-developed consulting and facilitation skills.
  • Ability to develop relationships and project opportunities.
  • Ability to influence without authority laterally and vertically on projects.
  • A bias to action, growth mindset, curiosity and ability to check biases.