This is a new independent contributor role, working in a small highly dynamic team focused on concept development of new solutions to bring to market enabling further growth of the Appriss Retail business. This role will require a broad set of skills including, business acumen, technology competence, a broad understanding of the retail business environment combined with critical and creative thinking and a self-starter attitude, to explore commercial opportunities of internal strategic product development and commercial partnerships. The shared goals of the innovation team are to find, validate and commercialize the next generation of Appriss Retail commercial offerings in partnership with all the operational departments of the business. This role will help to facilitate the achievement of those goals through a broad spectrum of frequently changing diverse tasks. The scope the innovation team is to do whatever is necessary to ideate, nurture and facilitate the generation of new commercial offerings from initial idea through to initial customer deployments and introduction into the Appriss Retail catalogue of products.
Our product strategy consists of three channels of innovation, 'Enhancing' our existing technology offerings within the Retail Loss Prevention arena, 'Evolving' our capabilities of leveraging value from deriving insights from retail transaction data, and 'Entering' new retail application markets. This final channel strategy aims to bring to new technology-based solutions to market which evolve retailing, by enhancing consumer experience, by being smarter about how products can be sourced, moved, managed and sold.
Main Responsibilities
New Product Generation
Participate in brainstorming and ideation sessions
Perform market validation and assess retailer demand
Build product value cases and projected estimated pricing
Work with internal operational GTM teams to assess the viability of development of such solutions (e.g. understand TAM, key targets, etc....)
Build business cases for investment signoff
Partnership Opportunities
Research market for partner opportunities to fulfill the "partner vs. build" product strategy
Validate partner solutions for commercial viability and align to overall product strategy
Undertake reference calls with customers of partners
Build product value cases and projected estimated pricing
Work with internal operational GTM teams to assess the viability of development of such solutions (e.g. understand TAM, key targets, etc....)
Build business cases for investment signoff
Work with the commercial areas/GTM of the business to gain real world customer feedback on innovation ideas and support the creation of trial / POC / initial commercial opportunities
Work with legal and compliance to identify and address any legal concerns in relation to new product opportunities
Communicate with business partners internally on progress of strategic offerings, solicit feedback to ensure concerns and questions are addressed to smooth routes to market
Manage and facilitate multiple parallel innovation projects to ensure projects move at the pace required and initiatives are continually reviewed for viability based on our innovation objectives.
Education and Experience
Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Entrepreneurial Studies, Innovation Studies or some similar discipline
10+ years experience, in leu of a degree, executing in a similar role within a software technology or retail business
Understanding and knowledge of the diverse areas of omni-channel retail organizations across all retail segments - big box, grocery, specialty, etc
Direct retail employment experience (at senior manager level or above) at some point in the candidate's career would be a plus
A strong basic knowledge and understanding of the software development process and current retail technology landscape is required. It is anticipated that the majority of solutions worked on by the successful candidate will be software-based SaaS solutions. Experience in a SaaS based business or working closely with a SaaS based business is necessary.
Candidates prior experience should include several years working in a similar role, which may include aspects of product development, innovation or evangelical selling ideally with a retail customer.
This is a globally focused role and candidate applications will be accepted from any Appriss Territory. The candidate must have a view on global trends regardless of region located.
