Technology Innovation Manager
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We are seeking an experienced professional to manage and lead the customer maintenance organization. The role requires strong expertise in maintenance contracts, customer relations, and quality management, with the ability to drive operational excellence, ensure contractual compliance, and maintain customer satisfaction.
About Körber
Körber is a global technology group with deep industrial expertise and a strong innovation agenda. We operate across three Business Areas — Pharma, Supply Chain, and Technologies — delivering high-tech machinery, software, digital, and service solutions that are critical to our customers' success.
Within the Group Innovation function, we define and drive the central innovation and technology roadmap for the Group. Our focus is on advancing strategic technology topics, enabling cross-business collaboration, and creating scalable innovation programs that support long-term, sustainable growth.
Role Overview
We are seeking an Emerging Technology Program Manager to own and coordinate one to two group-level innovation programs focused on strategic technology themes such as AI, Digital Twins, Industrial IoT, Robotics, and Autonomous Systems.
This is not a traditional program management role. You will be the technical bridge between Körber's central innovation roadmap and the Business Areas executing on it. You must be able to walk into a room with engineers, architects, and product leaders, understand what they are building, assess how it fits into the broader technology stack, and translate that back to senior leadership in clear business terms.
You will act as a technology-informed coordinator and thought partner — someone who can evaluate use cases, map architectures at a conceptual level, identify where technologies intersect or conflict, and keep execution aligned with strategic intent. You will do this without direct line management authority, which means influence, technical credibility, and communication are your primary tools.
This role is suited for someone who has worked hands-on with emerging technology topics, understands how industrial technology stacks are built, and is equally comfortable in a governance meeting as in a technical deep dive.
Key Responsibilities
- Manage and coordinate assigned innovation programs aligned with the Group's central technology and innovation roadmap — with a current focus on areas such as AI/ML, Digital Twins, Industrial IoT, Robotics, and related emerging technologies
- Serve as a technically credible interface between Group Innovation and the Business Areas — able to engage meaningfully with engineers, architects, and domain experts, not just business stakeholders
- Assess and map technology use cases across Business Areas: understand which technologies apply where, identify overlaps, gaps, and dependencies at a stack and architecture level
- Translate complex technology topics into clear workstreams, action plans, and deliverables for both technical and non-technical audiences
- Establish and maintain program plans, milestones, KPIs, and governance structures
- Track progress, risks, dependencies, and outcomes; ensure timely escalation and resolution of issues
- Run program governance by preparing materials for steering committees, reviews, and decision forums
- Facilitate structured communication and collaboration across cross-functional and cross-business stakeholders
- Develop and apply common frameworks, templates, and best practices to support consistency and scalability across innovation programs
- Prepare concise updates, reports, and presentations for senior stakeholders and leadership
Your Profile
- 5-10 years of experience in technology-focused roles — this could include technology consulting, R&D program management, solutions architecture, product management for industrial/deep-tech products, or innovation roles with a strong technical mandate
- Hands-on familiarity with one or more of the following technology domains is essential: AI/ML, Digital Twins, Industrial IoT, Robotics, Autonomous Systems, or related advanced manufacturing / Industry 4.0 technologies
- Ability to read a technology stack, evaluate architectural choices, and understand use case fit — you do not need to be a deep engineer, but you must be able to hold a credible technical conversation and know the right questions to ask
- Proven experience managing or coordinating cross-functional, cross-business initiatives in a matrixed organization
- Strong planning, structuring, and execution skills — you can take an ambiguous technology topic and turn it into a clear program with milestones and owners
- Comfortable operating where execution is decentralized and your impact comes through alignment, governance, and influence
- Familiarity with agile or hybrid project management methodologies is a plus
- Strong stakeholder management skills — confident engaging with engineers, architects, business leaders, and C-level executives
- Excellent English communication skills (written and verbal); German is an advantage
- Proactive, hands-on mindset with a strong sense of ownership and intellectual curiosity about technology
What You'll Gain
- Direct exposure to Körber's group-level innovation strategy and technology roadmap
- Opportunity to work across AI, Digital Twins, Robotics, IoT, and other frontier technology topics spanning multiple industries
- A central role in enabling collaboration and execution within a global innovation ecosystem
- Hybrid work setup (Bangalore-based)
- A dynamic, international environment with strong opportunities for learning and professional growth
Can you find yourself in this profile? Then you are right at Körber. We are looking forward to getting to know you
