Risk Solutions Innovation Lead (Hybrid in Worcester, MA OR Remote

For more than 170 years, The Hanover has been committed to delivering on our promises and being there when it matters the most. We live our values every day, demonstrating we CARE through our values, Sustainability initiatives and inclusive corporate culture.

Our Risk Solutions team is currently seeking an Innovation Lead in our Worcester, MA office on a hybrid basis, or fully remote work location. This is a full-time, exempt role.

The Innovation Lead for Risk Solutions is responsible for driving strategic innovation initiatives across Core Commercial, Specialty, Personal Lines, and Premium Audit. This role leads the planning, execution, and reporting of innovation projects and pilots, ensuring alignment with organizational goals and market trends. The Innovation Lead develops competitive intelligence by monitoring industry activity and assessing threats and opportunities, providing actionable insights to the AVP of Technical Services and technical teams.

Through structured project management, the Innovation Lead collaborates with cross-functional partners including underwriting, operations, IT, and external vendors to deliver impactful solutions. This position may also include supervisory responsibilities, managing direct reports or temporary staff to support project execution and innovation efforts.

• Lead the development of innovation projects and pilots, from strategy through ideation and execution. Designs and implements a standardized framework for assessing risk and expected return for new ideas.
• Lead cross-functional teams through execution of innovation projects and realization of expected outcomes and learning, including through periods of program transition to ensure that organizational changes are successfully implemented and sustained.
• Continuously monitor project status via a variety of applicable methods; applies best practices and methods as needed, to manage and control project resources and scope.
• Communicate the status of major milestones, provide continuing direction to the project team, and conduct regular status meetings with key stakeholders to review project activities.
• Manage, motivate, and lead project teams to meet project objectives.
• Oversee and manage enrollment process including tracking of devices and ensuring termination of services for non-renewed policyholders.
• Assist in monitoring performance, risk, and strategic fit of the innovation portfolio on an ongoing basis.
• Prepare and deliver presentations and clearly communicate findings from idea analysis and solution research.
• Provide support and guidance to staff as they translate data-based insights into action.
• Aggregate competitive intelligence findings and interpret impacts from industry movement and activities, as well as key trends within insurance, financial services, startups, and technology companies.
• Translate business needs into products, services, experiences, and businesses that solve needs and create profitable, sustained value and growth.
• Lead the development of both internal and external research and testing for innovative ideas and insights.
• Work with external partners to draft appropriate contracts and presents them to Technical Services team for execution.

• Bachelor's degree preferred
• 5-8 years of experience conducting market research, project management, and/or competitive intelligence
• Prior Property and Casualty insurance preferred
• Strong research, collaboration, facilitation, and negotiation skills to identify and implement innovative solutions and strategies in support of the organization's mission
• Demonstrated analytical, organizational, decision-making, and project management skills
• Effective interpersonal, written, and communication skills to establish and maintain positive working relationships with all levels of the organization
• Good understanding of different market research techniques/methodologies in data collection is desired
• Exhibits creativity and innovation
• Demonstrated ability to build expertise quickly in unfamiliar subject areas; intellectually curious
• Interested in and conversant about technology
• Comfortable operating in an ambiguous,…