Finance Operate - Manager, Innovation Lead

Job Summary

Join our Finance Transformation team to help shape the future of finance. Collaborate with CFOs, finance leaders, and executive clients to solve complex challenges using Deloitte's resources and industry insights. Deliver innovative, market-driven solutions that modernize finance functions, elevate performance, and drive meaningful organizational change.

About the Role

As a Manager and Innovation Lead within our Finance Transformation Tech Enablement team, you will own the incubation lifecycle from validated idea through MVP handoff. You will define stage-gate criteria, manage prototype-to-product transitions, and coordinate across product and Core teams to ensure new capabilities move from concept to production with rigor and velocity.

Responsibilities

• Own the end-to-end incubation process for new Finance Operate Platform capabilities from validated idea through MVP delivery and production handoff.
• Define and enforce stage-gate criteria for each phase: prototype validation, alpha testing, beta pilots, MVP readiness, and production transition.
• Manage the active incubation portfolio: prioritize experiments, track progress against stage gates, and escalate risks and dependencies proactively.
• Ensure rapid iteration cycles with clear success/failure criteria and fast kill decisions when hypotheses don't validate.
• Lead transition planning from prototype to production-ready product, including technical debt remediation, quality standards enforcement, and operational readiness.
• Partner with the Solution Architect and AI/Automation Architect to ensure prototypes meet architecture standards before MVP promotion.
• Coordinate MVP handoff to Core delivery teams, including documentation, training, and support model definition.
• Establish feedback loops from pilot clients and early adopters to inform product iteration and roadmap adjustments.
• Partner with the Solution Portfolio Manager on intake validation and business case refinement for ideas entering incubation.
• Collaborate with Service Design Lead and UX/Product Designer on rapid prototyping and user validation sprints.
• Closely coordinate with Governance & Standards Lead to embed quality gates and controls into the incubation process without slowing velocity.
• Work closely with Finance Operate offering leads to identify pilot engagement opportunities for beta testing.
• Build and refine the incubation operating model, including templates, checkpoints, decision frameworks, and escalation paths.
• Champion a test-and-learn culture; celebrate fast failures and rigorous validation over feature completion.
• Track and report incubation portfolio health, velocity metrics, and stage-gate pass/fail rates to leadership.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Technology, Engineering, or related field (MBA or advanced degree preferred).
• 7+ years of experience in product management, innovation, consulting, or technology delivery, with at least 2 years managing incubation or R&D portfolios.
• Demonstrated experience managing prototype-to-product transitions and MVP delivery in fast-paced environments.
• Strong project and stakeholder management skills; ability to coordinate across technical and business teams.
• Excellent judgment on when to iterate vs. pivot vs. kill; comfort with ambiguity and rapid decision-making.
• Experience with stage-gate processes, Agile/Lean Startup methodologies, or similar innovation frameworks.
• Ability to travel 25%, on average, based on the work you do and the clients and industries/sectors you serve.
• Preferred: Background in Finance Transformation, SaaS product management, or enterprise software innovation.
• Familiarity with AI/ML, automation, and workflow platform prototyping.
• Experience running pilot programs and beta testing with enterprise clients.
• Product management or innovation certifications (Lean Product, Design Thinking, Agile/Scrum).

Benefits

The wage range for this role takes into account the wide range of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions including but not limited to skill sets; experience and training; licensure and certifications; and other business and organizational needs. The disclosed range estimate has not been adjusted for the applicable geographic differential associated with the location at which the position may be filled. At Deloitte, it is not typical for an individual to be hired at or near the top of the range for their role and compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case. A reasonable estimate of the current range is $128,000 - $252,500.