Innovation and Initiatives Engagement Manager

Innovation and Engagement Initiatives Manager

Agilent Technologies | Office of the CTO 
Reports to: VP, Research 

Position Summary 

The Innovation and Engagement Initiatives Manager will drive the execution of research programs and associate engagement initiatives within the Office of the CTO. Reporting to the VP, Research, this role will translate agreed priorities into actionable plans, coordinate stakeholders, follow up on deliverables, and ensure initiatives maintain momentum and achieve their intended outcomes. 

The role combines program management across internal and external research collaborations with execution of initiatives that strengthen Agilent’s innovation culture, including innovation summits, internal grants, R&D seminars, and innovation awards. Success requires strong organization, disciplined follow-through, clear communication, and the ability to hold teams accountable while building productive working relationships. 

Key Responsibilities 

Research Program Execution 

• Develop and maintain program plans with clearly defined scope, deliverables, owners, milestones, timelines, and resource requirements. 

• Coordinate execution across internal research teams, business units, and external research partners. 

• Proactively follow up with workstream owners to track commitments, confirm completion of deliverables, and address delays. 

• Identify risks, dependencies, and execution barriers; facilitate resolution and escalate issues requiring leadership decisions. 

• Organize program reviews, document decisions and action items, and ensure follow-through. 

• Maintain concise dashboards and status reports that give the VP, Research visibility into progress, outstanding commitments, and decisions needed. 

• Coordinate with Finance, Legal, IP Counsel, Procurement, and other functions to keep funding, agreements, and administrative activities on track. 

Innovation Culture and Associate Engagement 

• Manage the end-to-end execution of innovation summits, R&D seminars, innovation awards, and related associate engagement initiatives. 

• Translate initiative objectives into detailed work plans, schedules, responsibilities, and communications. 

• Administer internal innovation grant programs, including proposal submissions, review schedules, funding coordination, milestone tracking, and progress reporting. 

• Coordinate speakers, reviewers, scientific contributors, and event support teams to ensure timely preparation and delivery. 

• Drive associate participation through clear communications, accessible processes, and consistent follow-up. 

• Track participation, feedback, and program outcomes, and implement practical improvements for future activities. 

Program Management and Operating Discipline 

• Establish consistent processes for planning, tracking, reporting, and closing out research and innovation culture initiatives. 

• Maintain a consolidated calendar of milestones, program reviews, events, and key deadlines. 

• Ensure meetings produce clear decisions, assigned actions, and completion dates. 

• Manage multiple concurrent initiatives, adjusting plans as priorities and resource needs evolve. 

• Capture lessons learned and improve execution practices across the portfolio. 

What Success Looks Like 

• Research initiatives and innovation culture programs execute against agreed plans and timelines. 

• Deliverables have clear owners, and commitments are consistently tracked through completion. 

• Risks and delays are surfaced early, with timely resolution or escalation. 

• Associates participate in well-organized, engaging innovation activities. 

• The VP, Research has reliable visibility into program status and confidence in execution. 

• Bachelor’s degree in science, engineering, business, or a related discipline; experience in a scientific or technology-driven organization is preferred. 

• 5+ years of relevant experience in program management, project management, R&D operations, or a related execution-focused role. 

• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple cross-functional initiatives and deliver results through disciplined planning and follow-through. 

• Experience tracking milestones, budgets, risks, dependencies, and deliverables. 

• Strong interpersonal skills, with the ability to influence without direct authority and hold stakeholders accountable constructively. 

• Clear, concise written and verbal communication skills. 

• Experience coordinating associate engagement programs, scientific events, or internal innovation initiatives is desirable. 

• Proficiency with project management and collaboration tools; PMP or similar certification is a plus.