To deliver on our strategy and to explicitly increase Bnode’s innovation power, the Strategic Innovation Lab (SIL) is proposed as a repeatable, business‑driven capability to explore, validate and scale innovations that address clearly articulated business challenges and deliver measurable business and customer value.
The Director Strategic Innovation Lab is responsible for designing, leading and scaling a disciplined innovation capability that accelerates Bnode’s strategic execution by identifying, validating and transferring high-value innovations to the business.
The role ensures innovation is business-driven, measurable and scalable, bridging the gap between experimentation and operational deployment.
Define, lead & structure the Strategic Innovation Lab
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Define the vision, positioning and operating model of the Strategic Innovation Lab as a business-driven accelerator (not an innovation playground)
- Translate strategic priorities into a structured innovation roadmap and portfolio
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Ensure innovation initiatives start from explicit business challenges with measurable outcomes
- Position the Lab as a key enabler of efficiency, quality, customer transparency and differentiation
Manage and deliver an innovation portfolio
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Structure and manage a portfolio across three pillars:
- Incremental improvements
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Technology exploration & PoCs
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Moonshot initiatives
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Run small, time-boxed experiments with clear hypotheses and success criteria
- Drive stop / scale / handover decisions to ensure focus and avoid “innovation theatre”
- Ensure value tracking and measurable business impact
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Develop, initiate, lead and support the innovation initiatives needed to meet bpost group’s strategic objectives.
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Establish a resource prioritization governance and process, enabling the mobilization of resources (OPEX, CAPEX, talents) towards the right innovation priorities.
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Establish an innovation progress tracking governance and process, enabling to monitor the progress of the innovative initiative/projects, highlight the issues/challenges/risks and trigger the right mitigation interventions.
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Build a innovation community around program leads.
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Work with business leaders and program owners to steer the execution of the innovation initiatives, in a shared accountability with business owners.
Lead the full innovation lifecycle
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Discovery & exploration (owned by SIL)
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Validation (co-owned with business sponsor)
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Scale-up & transfer to business (P&L ownership)
- Ensure strong co-creation with business units and customers
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Guarantee rapid handover and absorption by the business once value is proven
Stakeholder Management
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Engage EXCO, Board and BU leadership on innovation priorities and outcomes
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Secure business sponsorship for all initiatives
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Act as trusted advisor on innovation strategy
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Represent bpost in innovation ecosystems (partners, academia
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In close collaboration with the Group Change team, provide effective change management leadership and support, so that the transformation and end goal vision is delivered using innovative solutions.
Team Leadership & Management
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Lead and develop the Innovation Lab team, ensuring effective people management.
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Foster collaboration and knowledge-sharing within the team & across the organization to enhance innovation capabilities.
