Lead Project Manager; Innovation Programs

Lead Project Manager (Innovation Programs)

The Intelligent Foundations & Experiences (IFX) Science & Academic Partnerships (S&A) team is seeking a high-energy, highly organized, and self-motivated Manager, Project Management to lead high-impact projects and programs as part of our innovation portfolio. The primary focus of this role will be facilitating Capital One’s patent strategy in partnership with the One Patents team, to ensure we capture business‑critical IP.

In this role, you will have visibility into IFX’s most strategic innovation areas. You will serve as the bridge between our innovators and the Legal team, ensuring our foundational technology and novel solutions are identified, prioritized, and protected. This is a unique opportunity to empower global innovation and collaboration at scale across the company’s most critical focus areas.

As the S&A Innovations Lead, you will partner with Legal to drive the intentional "harvesting" of high‑value Intellectual Property (IP). You are someone who moves comfortably between deep‑dive sessions with tech teams and high‑level strategic alignment with Senior Executives.

• Program Leadership & Management:
  Support complex programs by helping to facilitate and design the strategic direction alongside Legal, Tech, Product, and Chief of Staff offices. Run a well‑managed program – establish regular presentation and meeting ceremonies to drive forward our strategic patent activities and meet weekly with the One Patents (Legal) to drive action. Develop and track OKRs to measure the effectiveness of IP programs and processes.
  
  Work with Tower level SLTs to ensure each IFX tower has a defined patent strategy to capture business‑critical IP. Drive meeting ceremonies and program structure to best support IFX and One Patents. The output is prioritized areas of focus for the One Patents team.
• IP Harvesting & Workshop Facilitation:
  Partner cross‑functionally with inventors and senior leaders to facilitate “Harvesting Workshops.” Provide the tactical framework and strategic thought partnership needed to identify and secure critical innovations in close partnership with the One Patents team.
• IDF Submissions:
  Build strategies to motivate associates to complete patent process steps for submissions.
• Op Excellence:
  Define and integrate into workflows where we can streamline the automatic capture of business‑critical IP.
• Communications:
  Effectively drive internal and external communications about Patents in partnership with Corporate Communications. Draft communications, identify external storytelling opportunities related to patents, build associate recognition and connect Patents into Capital One’s overall Innovation story.
• Structured Problem Solving:
  Bring immediate structure to ambiguous spaces, leveraging data and influencing skills to ensure project plans deliver on their original intent.
• Reporting:
  Establish clear ways to measure and report to leadership on AI initiatives. Maintain meticulous documentation to mitigate risk and ensure the timely submission of patent submissions and strategic milestones.
• Innovation:
  Manage additional projects as needed that help Capital One build a strong innovation culture, including operational capacity and programming.

• Intellectual Curiosity:
  Natural interest in the tech landscape and the ability to follow along as engineering teams describe breakthroughs. Comfortable leading discussions around identifying and prioritizing key innovations.
• An Autonomous Navigator:
  Thrive in ambiguity, knowing when to drive forward independently and when to seek leadership support.
• An Executive Storyteller:
  Possess communication skills to translate complex project updates into compelling narratives that drive transformational change.
• A Continuous Improver:
  Actively contribute to the evolution of program management practices.

• Bachelor’s Degree or Military experience
• At least 6 Years of Project Management experience
• At least 2 years of Jira experience

• Masters / MBA degree
• 7+ years of Project Management experience
• 2+ years of People Management experience
• PMP, Lean,…