Director, Enterprise Innovation - Hybrid

Welcome to the intersection of energy and home services. At NRG, we're all about propelling the next generation of leaders forward. We are driven by our passion to create a smarter, cleaner and more connected future. We deliver innovative solutions that make our customers' lives easier-helping them power, protect, and intelligently manage their homes and businesses. To do this, we need creative and talented people to join our company.

We offer a dynamic work environment and a unified and inclusive culture. NRG fosters a strong sense of belonging that leads to better collaboration and business performance. Our company programs are designed to help employees develop the skills they need for success now and in the future. In everything we do, we aim to champion our employees and bring value to our customers, investors and society.

More information is available at www.nrg.com. Connect with NRG on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and X.

Job Summary:

At NRG, we're all about propelling the next generation of leaders forward. We are driven by our passion to create a smarter, cleaner and more connected future. We deliver innovative solutions that make our customers' lives easier-helping them power, protect, and intelligently manage their homes and businesses. To do this, we need creative and talented people to join our company.

We offer a dynamic work environment and a unified and inclusive culture. NRG fosters a strong sense of belonging that leads to better collaboration and business performance. Our company programs are designed to help employees develop the skills they need for success now and in the future. In everything we do, we aim to champion our employees and bring value to our customers, investors and society.

The Director of Enterprise Innovation will be instrumental in driving strategic innovation efforts, leading the identification, validation, and development of new business concepts aligned with corporate strategy and business unit priorities. This role oversees the end-to-end innovation lifecycle - from customer insights and concept development through prototyping, validation, and execution.

The Director will collaborate cross-functionally to transform early-stage ideas into scalable solutions, enhance operational efficiency, create new revenue streams, and deliver incremental customer value. The ideal candidate brings a startup mindset, expertise in product development and customer insights, and a passion for energy and smart home innovation.

This role reports into the Product & Enterprise Innovation team within the Technology organization.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead day-to-day operations of the Enterprise Innovation Program, ensuring efficient resource allocation and execution of initiatives.
• Define and drive the overarching innovation strategy, goals, and objectives in alignment with corporate priorities.
• Assess financial, operational, and strategic feasibility of new concepts.
• Oversee the transformation of validated concepts into business incubation proposals with defined milestones, metrics, and resource plans.
• Transforms early-stage concepts into business incubation proposals, complete with identified milestones, metrics, and required resources
• Guide teams through iterative testing and data-driven refinement of value propositions, business models, and scalability potential.
• Oversee capability development and market readiness for successful innovation launches.
• Manage program budget, resources, and team performance, including hiring and talent development.
• Represent Enterprise Innovation in executive leadership forums, providing updates on program progress, outcomes, and strategic recommendations.
• Foster a culture of innovation across the organization, serving as a subject matter expert and internal advocate.

Stakeholder Collaboration:

• Partners with the Corporate Strategy to identify high-potential ideas aligned with company objectives.
• Collaborate across key functions - Strategy, Business Innovation, Technology, Legal, Data, Finance, and others - to align on innovation goals and execution.
• Act as the central hub for innovation-related efforts, leveraging stakeholder insights to assess and refine ideas.
• Build strong relationships to support seamless transition of concepts from ideation to execution.
• Partner with business units to integrate validated concepts into scaled operations.

Qualifications:

• Required Bachelor's degree in IT, Business, Finance, Engineering, Innovation Management, or a related field. Advanced degree a plus.
• Minimum 10+ years' work experience in roles related to corporate innovation, product development, strategy, or related functions with a focus on concept development and implementation.
• Proven experience leading cross-functional projects or initiatives, preferably within a large enterprise environment.
• Experience in the energy industry or familiarity with its regulatory and operational dynamics is highly desirable.
• Expertise in innovation frameworks (eg., Lean Startup, Design Thinking, etc.) and tools for concept development and testing.
• Strong financial acumen, with experience assessing feasibility and ROI for new initiatives.
• Proficiency in project management, change management and product development lifecycle methodologies.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to translate data into actionable strategies.
• Strategic mindset with the ability to align innovation efforts with business goals and corporate strategy.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to engage both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Proven ability to build and nurture relationships across all levels of the organization, including senior leadership.
• Demonstrated success navigating ambiguity, managing dynamic priorities, and delivering results in fast-paced environments.
• A passion for innovation and a proactive approach to identifying and developing new opportunities for the business.

Working Conditions:

• Located in Houston, TX office
• Hybrid workforce segmentation - 4 days in office (Mon-Thurs)
• Open office environment.
• Some overtime required as special projects arise.
• Limited travel

If you reside in or intend to work remotely from California, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Minnesota, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Washington D.C., Washington State or another state or locality with a pay transparency law, you may contact Careers@nrg.com for compensation information related to this position and other information as required by applicable law. Please include the job title in your request.

NRG Energy is committed to a drug and alcohol-free workplace. To the extent permitted by law and any applicable collective bargaining agreement, employees are subject to periodic random drug testing, and post-accident and reasonable suspicion drug and alcohol testing. EOE AA M/F/Protected Veteran Status/Disability. Level, Title and/or Salary may be adjusted based on the applicant's experience or skills.

EEO is the Law Poster (The poster can be found at http://www.eeoc.gov/employers/upload/poster_screen_reader_optimized.pdf)

Official description on file with Talent.