Manager, Ideation & Innovation Management

To lead TAQA Distribution's ideation and innovation management function — establishing and operating the systems, processes, and partnerships that systematically identify, evaluate, develop, and scale digital innovations that create operational value, enhance customer experience, and strengthen TAQA's competitive position as a digitally progressive utility operator in the UAE. The Manager, Ideation & Innovation Management is TAQA's internal innovation architect — the leader who transforms TAQA's digital curiosity and emerging technology awareness into a disciplined, portfolio-managed innovation pipeline that consistently converts ideas into deployed business value.

This role demands a rare combination of strategic vision, entrepreneurial energy, and structured execution discipline. The right candidate is an experienced digital innovation leader who has built and managed innovation pipelines, evaluated emerging technologies (Generative AI, IoT, Digital Twins, AR/VR), led multi-disciplinary proof of concept programmers, and built the external partnerships and internal culture that allow great ideas to emerge, be tested rapidly, and scale into transformational digital solutions.

Job Specific Responsibilities:

• Define and operate TAQA Distribution's innovation management framework — establishing structured, repeatable processes for idea capture, innovation curation, challenge definition, proof of concept governance, pilot management, and scale-up transition — ensuring TAQA's innovation pipeline is systematically managed from open ideation through to validated digital delivery with clear accountability, prioritization criteria, and stage-gate governance at every phase.
• Translate TAQA's digital transformation strategy and business priorities into a coherent, executable innovation agenda — defining where digital innovation can create the greatest value across utility operations, customer experience, field service, and asset management — and maintaining a strategically prioritized innovation portfolio that balances near‑term operational improvement innovation with longer‑term transformational digital bets.
• Govern TAQA's innovation portfolio — maintaining clear visibility of all active innovation initiatives across the pipeline (ideation, PoC, pilot, scale‑up), tracking outcomes, measuring innovation velocity, and reporting portfolio performance and business impact to the VP, Digital Transformation & Enablement — ensuring TAQA's innovation investments are transparent, evidence‑based, and consistently converting concepts into deployed operational value.
• Lead systematic and structured horizon scanning across emerging digital technology domains — including Generative AI and Large Language Models (LLMs), Industrial IoT and connected asset sensing, Digital Twin modelling for utility infrastructure, Augmented and Virtual Reality for field operations and training, advanced analytics and AI for grid management, and quantum computing awareness — assessing each technology's strategic relevance, maturity level, and value creation potential within TAQA's specific utility operating context.
• Develop and maintain TAQA's emerging technology radar — categorizing technologies by strategic priority (invest, explore, watch, or hold), providing regular technology briefings to the VP, Digital Transformation & Enablement and senior leadership, and ensuring TAQA's technology horizon awareness is always current, actionable, and translated into concrete innovation opportunities rather than abstract technology tracking.
• Partner with academic institutions, technology vendors, start‑up ecosystems, and UAE innovation bodies (such as Hub
  71, DIFC Fin Tech Hive, and ADGM Innovation Hub) to access cutting‑edge emerging technology…