Discovery Lab Specialist

at  SAIT Polytechnic

“At SAIT, we need to live and breathe innovation. It’s what keeps us ahead of the curve.” — Janet Welch, Vice President, Academic
In today’s rapidly evolving post-secondary landscape, embracing disruption and challenging the status quo is essential for staying ahead and relevant. The Academic Transformation Office serves as a facilitator for institutional growth and success; we are a dedicated and specialized team designed to help schools navigate and thrive in this dynamic environment.
We explore possibilities with an innovative lens and work closely with leaders across the institute with one goal: improving student experiences. We ensure schools remain operational and at the forefront of innovation. By anticipating future trends and challenges, we enable proactive adaptations that safeguard the institution’s long-term resiliency.
One of our core services is an Incubator program. We work on advanced projects that require a high degree of creativity and independence from traditional organizational structures. Our approach encourages a culture of innovation, making implementing new ideas and improvements rapidly easier.
The Opportunity
Reporting to the Director, Academic Transformation Office, the Discovery Lab Specialist position will play a pivotal role in realizing the strategic vision of the SAIT Academic Portfolio. This position involves working with diverse teams and collaborating with the Incubators to cultivate an innovative culture, manage ideation processes and facilitate creative workshops. Housed within the Academic Transformation Office, a centre dedicated to redefining the Academic Portfolio to meet the evolving needs of students, workplace, industries, and globalization. The ideal candidate will possess a robust background in innovation management, exceptional facilitation and communication skills, and the ability to foster collaboration across departments to drive transformative change.
The ideal candidate will have a proven track record in leading innovation initiatives, developing and delivering ideation workshops, and supporting creative processes. The role requires strategic vision, leadership, and hands-on facilitation skills to drive innovation and achieve impactful results for clients.
The Role
Leadership and Management (25%)
Provide strategic direction and leadership for the Discovery Lab within the ATO
Manage the operational elements of the Discovery Lab
Oversee the planning, development, and delivery of discovery lab projects
Coach and mentor team members and stakeholders on innovation methodologies and best practices
Support change efforts and partner with the Incubator leads.
Facilitation and Coaching (25%)
Facilitate ideation sessions, brainstorming workshops, and sprints to generate and refine innovative ideas
Foster a culture of creativity and experimentation within the incubator and across the institute
Facilitate collaboration between cross-functional teams to drive innovation initiatives.
Project Management (15%)
Ensure workshops are delivered on time and within scope and budget
Track discovery lab innovation progress and performance, regularly updating senior academic management
Identify and mitigate risks associated with innovation projects
Establish and monitor metrics and KPIs to evaluate the success and impact of lab initiatives
Analyze data and feedback to improve innovation processes and outcomes
Prepare and present reports on innovation activities, progress, and results
Proficiency with creative facilitation tools, such as Menti or Prezi, Canva, etc.
Stakeholder Engagement (20%)
Engage with internal stakeholders to understand their needs and incorporate their feedback into innovation projects
Build and maintain strong relationships with key stakeholders, including executives, business units, and external partners
Communicate the value and impact of innovation initiatives to stakeholders at all levels
Research and Development (15%)
Stay abreast of emerging trends, technologies, and best practices in innovation and related fields
Conduct market research and competitive analysis to identify opportunities for innovation
Develop and test different workshop frameworks to validate new ideas and concepts
Work with incubator clients to pilot innovation sessions within their domain
Qualifications & Experience
Bachelor’s degree in Leadership, Organization Effectiveness, Organizational Change Management or a related field.
A minimum of 5-7 years of experience in innovation management, product development, or a related field.
Proven track record of leading and facilitating successful innovation projects.
Experience with design thinking, lean startup, and other innovation methodologies.
Skill & Competencies
Skills
Strong leadership and team management
Excellent facilitation and coaching
Strong project management with the ability to coordinate multiple projects simultaneously
Excellent verbal and written communication
Strong critical thinking, analytical and problem-solving
Proficiency in creative tools and software (presentation, design thinking tools, ideation frameworks and software)
Excellent research and influencing
Competencies
Creative Thinking: Thinking outside the box and generating innovative ideas.
Collaboration: Ability to work effectively with cross-functional teams and build strong relationships.
Strategic Thinking: Ability to develop and implement long-term innovation strategies.
Adaptability: Ability to adapt to changing circumstances and drive organizational change.
Results-Oriented: Focused on achieving tangible outcomes and delivering value to the organization.
Self-Starter: proactive, takes initiative, and can work without supervision.
Job Classification: PROJECT COORDINATOR (B) - P2044
Salary Range: $80,000 - $90,000
Paid Leave: 4 Weeks Vacation / 14 Flex Days per year
Hours Per Week: 37.5
Posting Close Date: August 30, 2024
View a summary of our benefits and perks for salaried employees as one of Alberta’s Top Employers, including health & dental care, pension plan, vacation & special leave and flexible work options at our beautiful inner-city campus.
About SAIT
SAIT is a global leader in applied education. Named one of Alberta’s Top Employers, we offer the chance to work with a purpose — preparing the next generation of industry leaders, entrepreneurs, advocates and explorers.
Building on our 100+ year history, we’re looking for innovative, bold and collaborative employees who embrace change and deliver world-class customer experiences. Your future starts now at SAIT.
Equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) is essential to achieving SAIT’s vision to be a global leader in applied education. We encourage applications from women, Indigenous people, racialized people, people with disabilities, people from gender and sexually diverse communities, and/or people with intersectional identities. Learn more about EDI at SAIT.
At SAIT, we understand that experience comes in many forms. We’re dedicated to adding diverse perspectives to SAIT - so if your experience is close to what we’re looking for, please consider applying.
SAIT is committed to supporting persons with disabilities throughout the recruitment process. We will work with applicants to provide accommodations upon request to the Talent Advisor.

Please refer the Job description for details