Innovation and Strategic Impact Director

Summary: 

Human Options seeks a full-time Innovation and Design Thinking Director to assist the organization as they integrate the principles of design thinking and project-based learning into Human Options culture and lifesaving programs. A member of the Executive Leadership Team, reporting to the Chief Executive Officer, this individual serves as the primary ambassador for Human Options design thinking efforts and its Healthy Relationships Innovation Labs. 

A successful candidate will collaborate, teach, and coach staff. This individual will also have a strong background in non-profits, social issues, or socially responsible business and an established track-record of implementing the principles of design thinking and project-based learning in similar settings. The Director will work closely with managers to design dynamic and interactive client and staff centered design sprints focused on authentic deeper learning and problem-solving. The Director will also determine how to use the tools of the modern world (including those found in an Innovation Lab and technology applications associated with innovation and design thinking). 

Essential Duties and Responsibilities: 

• Guide, coach, encourage, inspire, and support staff in their exploration of purposeful uses of our Innovation (Healthy Relationship) Lab to develop innovative solutions to relationship violence.  

• Partner with the Chief Executive Officer to demonstrate innovation and design thinking concepts.  

• Collaboratively design, coordinate, and provide design thinking trainings and coaching throughout Human Options;  

• Collaborate with the Data Analyst and the leadership team to integrate resources and trainings throughout the organization. 

• Oversee scheduling and overall management of the Innovation (Healthy Relationship Lab), which includes establishing best practices, procedures, and protocols. 

• Apply creative solutions and change management to innovation development and internal team processes.  

• Develop a strategic innovation toolkit and learn when and how to apply design thinking and innovative problem-solving tools and exercises. 

• Problem-solve by using structured methods of gathering observations, break cognitive fixedness, and generate creative ideas. 

• Assess group dynamics and improve team performance through tools and processes designed to enhance collaboration and iteration in development. 

• Guide teams to draw from a wide range of professional experiences and backgrounds and create stronger collaboration dynamics to heighten their approach to innovation 

Qualifications: 

• Bachelor's degree or commensurate work experience required.  

• Demonstrate ability to lead diverse stakeholders through the innovation and design thinking process. 

• Experience facilitating workshops or working sessions across a diverse set of participants in different roles, and different levels of experience with design thinking. 

• Knowledge of design thinking and project-based learning (PBL) principles and experience that applies these practices to teaching and learning. 

• Willingness to research, learn, and share new technology with leadership team. 

• Expertise in Microsoft Office. 

• Practice empathy in applying a human-centered approach to design techniques, such as user research, user experience, prototyping, and journey mapping. 

• Have an appreciation for working with victims and survivors of relationship violence.  

• Driven to contribute to a “maker” culture that cultivates empathy, curiosity, self-advocacy, creativity, iteration, innovation, tinkering, entrepreneurship, and an anti-bias mindset.