Senior Manager (m/f/d) Open Innovation
Apply now »Date: May 20, 2026
Location: Hanau, DE
Company: Heraeus
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About Heraeus
Making displays foldable? Helping hearts beat with medical innovations? Or breathing new life into precious metals? As a family-owned global technology group we help our customers to always being one step ahead.
About Heraeus Precious Metals
With more than 350 years of experience in precious metals processing, Heraeus Precious Metals is the world's leading provider of innovative products and services, such as precious metals trading and recycling. Our products are used in a wide range of industries, for example to reduce climate killers such as nitrous oxide and methane and in the form of pharmaceutical ingredients for the treatment of cancer.
Our innovative strength is driven by our 3,000 employees at more than 15 sites worldwide, who work passionately with our partners to develop pioneering and sustainable solutions.
Our vision: We create innovative precious metals products and services, leading the way to a sustainable future. To achieve this, we have set ourselves ambitious targets.
Your role and responsibilities:
- You develop and drive an innovation excellence strategy that strengthens our innovation capabilities in the long term. In doing so, you collaborate closely with senior management as well as innovation leaders across the Heraeus Operating Companies (OpCos).
- By establishing and continuously improving appropriate structures, methods, and processes, you create the foundation for outstanding innovation performance.
- You actively foster an innovation-driven corporate culture – for example through workshops, training sessions, and impulse formats with internal and external experts.
- You support the OpCos in expanding their open innovation activities, particularly in collaboration with universities, research institutions, and through the use of national and European funding programs.
- You continuously build and expand a strong network of start-ups and innovation-focused funds, and leverage formats such as accelerator days and relevant conferences to identify emerging technologies at an early stage.
- You define and systematically track relevant innovation KPIs and report regularly on the progress and impact of initiatives.
Your profile:
- A successfully completed degree (Master’s or PhD) in engineering, natural sciences, materials science, business administration, or a comparable field.
- Several years of experience in innovation management, strategy, business development, technology development, or R&D, ideally in an industrial environment.
- Proven experience in implementing innovation initiatives, technology projects, or strategic partnerships.
- Experience in initiating and executing innovation initiatives in collaboration with external partners such as universities, research institutions, or start-ups.
- Experience in leading or coordinating interdisciplinary projects and working with diverse internal and external stakeholders in complex organizational environments.
- Strong strategic thinking skills and a keen interest in technological developments, particularly at the intersection of industry, digitalization, and artificial intelligence.
- Excellent communication and networking skills, as well as a structured, independent, and results-oriented way of working.
- Experience in working with KPIs and performance indicators to manage innovation activities.
What you can look forward to at Heraeus Precious Metals:
- Exciting tasks - implement them with a high level of personal responsibility in an ambitious environment with very good opportunities for further development.
- Shaping sustainability - be part of realizing our vision.
- Inclusive corporate culture - diversity makes our organization more successful. We promote this, among other things with specific targets, part-time/job-sharing management positions, and training courses.
- Attractive compensation - in addition to a good pay package, you can expect extensive social benefits from a responsible family-owned company.
- And much more - mobile working, 30 vacation days or more, travel allowance for public transport, bicycle leasing, ...
![[title]](https://pim.heraeus.com/images/HRD/HER_EB_Job-Ad-Header_HPM_EN_innovating_2375x950px.jpg)
