Sr Manager, Innovation

About Lowe's & Catalyze

Lowe's is a Fortune-100 home improvement leader, serving millions of customers across the US . Lowe's India is our global capability centre, building next-gen technology, data and business capabilities that power the enterprise.

Catalyze is Lowe's open innovation and venture platform in India , partnering with high-potential startups, VCs, accelerators, and academia to solve real business problems, build differentiated capabilities, and shape the future of retail technology. We run pilots, forge strategic partnerships, and are now also managing an investment pipeline aligned to Lowe's strategic priorities.

Role Overview

We are looking for a Senior Manager – Innovation & Ventures (Catalyze) to help scale Catalyze into a globally respected retail innovation and startup partnering platform. This is a techno-business leadership role at the intersection of:

• Retail technology and product innovation
• Startup partnerships, pilots and venture investments
• Ecosystem building (VCs, accelerators, academia , corporates)
• Internal stakeholder management with senior tech and business leaders

You will own and drive key parts of the Catalyze charter , from startup sourcing and evaluation, to pilot design and execution, to building the partnerships engine and demand-generation motion for Catalyze.

What You Will Own & Drive

1. Problem Discovery and Solution Scoping

• Lead consultative workshops with internal stakeholders (business and technology teams) and external partners (startups, VCs, Academia, Accelerators and others) to identify and prioritize critical pain points and innovation opportunities at Lowes

• Collaborate with startups to define and document clear problem statements, solution requirements, and integration strategies

2. Venture pipeline & startup evaluation

• Build and manage a strong, qualified pipeline of retail-tech startups across key focus areas (AI/GenAI, e-commerce, supply chain, store tech, prop tech, etc.).
• Conduct first-level technology and business due diligence , product walkthroughs, architecture and integration feasibility, scalability, security posture, and roadmap alignment.
• Assess strategic fit and commercial potential for both partnerships and investments: value proposition, GTM model, traction, business model, and alignment to Lowe's priorities.
• Prepare clear, insight-led assessments and recommendations for internal leadership, including problem-solution mapping, impact hypothesis, and risk/mitigation views.

3. Pilot scoping, program management & ROI

• Work with internal product, tech, data and business teams to identify real problems / opportunity areas that can be addressed via startups.
• Translate these into well-scoped pilots / POCs: objectives, success metrics, timelines, resource needs, and integration points.
• Run end-to-end program management for startup pilots , governance, cadence, issue resolution, risk management, and stakeholder alignment.
• Build business cases and ROI stories for impactful pilots (revenue, efficiency, experience, risk); support scale-up recommendations and hand-offs to owning teams.

4. Ecosystem partnerships (VCs, accelerators, academia, platforms)

• Build and nurture strategic relationships with VCs, CVCs, accelerators, incubators, and academic institutions to access high-quality deal flow and co-innovation opportunities.
• Create repeatable partnership models (e.g., co-innovation programs, themed cohorts, challenge programs, demo days, joint research/PoV development).
• Work closely with the Catalyze leadership to evaluate co-investment opportunities and participate in investment-related workflows with the corporate venture / finance / legal teams.

5. Internal stakeholder management & influence

• Act as a trusted partner to senior leaders across Product, Technology, Data, Operations and Business functions.
• Shape and communicate compelling narratives that link startup solutions to Lowe's strategic priorities and business outcomes.
• Drive cross-functional alignment for pilots and partnerships – ensuring expectations, roles and responsibilities are clearly defined and governed.

6. Marketing, events & demand generation for Catalyze

• Partner with marketing / communications teams to build Catalyze's brand in the global startup ecosystem.
• Own and drive flagship innovation events (e.g., Innovation Xchange, ecosystem roundtables, themed showcases) end-to-end – from concept to curation to on-ground execution.
• Design and run a demand-generation engine for Catalyze: open calls, curated outreach, themed scouting, thought-leadership content, and ecosystem engagement.

• Represent Catalyze and Lowe's at external events, panels, and forums, speaking credibly on innovation, retail technology, and startup collaboration.

• Process Improvement and Program Management:

• Drive continuous process improvement for the evaluation, selection, and execution of startups and solutions

• Implement best practices for managing innovation programs, ensuring efficiency and smooth execution of POCs
• Oversee reporting and communication to senior management, providing updates on progress, potential risks, and key milestones

8. Internal Innovation and Thought Leadership:

• Promote a culture of innovation within Lowe's by organizing paper presentations, masterclasses, workshops, hackathons, and other initiatives to engage and inspire employees
• Collaborate with Lowe's business and technology teams to foster an innovation culture and drive idea generation within the company

9. Staying Ahead of the Curve:

• Continuously monitor and analyze industry trends, emerging technologies, and competitive landscape to identify new opportunities and inform Lowe's innovation strategy

• Disseminate knowledge and insights to internal stakeholders through reports, presentations, and workshops

• Team Management:

• Lead a small team to execute strategic innovation initiatives and manage programs from discovery to implementation

• Provide guidance and support to team members in their professional development and growth, fostering a culture of collaboration and high performance
• Effectively delegate tasks, monitor progress, and provide constructive feedback

11. Communication and Reporting:

• Communicate effectively with leadership, cross-functional teams, and external partners, providing regular updates on progress, challenges, and opportunities
• Prepare and deliver executive-level presentations and reports, showcasing the impact and value of Catalyze initiatives

12. Ways of working & team leadership

• Bring structure, urgency and discipline to a lean, high-performing team with strong technical depth.
• Mentor and upskill team members on business acumen, stakeholder management, communication, and ecosystem engagement.
• Help evolve frameworks, playbooks and operating models so Catalyze can scale impact without losing agility.

What You Bring

Must-have experience

• 10+ years of total experience, with a strong mix of:

• Corporate innovation / startup partnerships / corporate venture OR

• Top-tier consulting / VC / accelerator experience with deep exposure to tech startups OR
• Product / business roles in high-growth B2B technology startups (bonus if in retail / commerce / SaaS / data/AI).
• Proven track record of evaluating technology products and startups for fit, feasibility, and business impact.
• Hands-on experience in designing and running pilots / POCs, from scoping to execution to impact measurement.
• Demonstrated ability to work with senior stakeholders (Director+ / VP / CXO level) and influence decisions with structured thinking and clear communication.
• Experience in ecosystem engagement - VCs, accelerators, communities, academic programs, or similar.

Techno-business acumen

• Strong understanding of modern technology stacks, especially in areas like cloud, data/AI/GenAI, APIs/integration, and digital commerce.
• Ability to go deep enough with engineering teams to understand constraints and integration considerations, while also speaking the language of business leaders (P&L impact, CX, efficiency, risk).

Skills & attributes

• Strategic and structured thinker who can connect the dots between tech, business, and ecosystem dynamics.
• Excellent communication skills : crisp writing, board-ready decks, and comfort presenting to senior leaders.
• Strong program management and execution muscle : you can move complex, multi-stakeholder work from idea to impact.
• Partnership mindset : long-term orientation, win–win thinking, and the ability to build trust quickly with startups and external partners.
• High ownership, curiosity and bias for action : comfortable operating in ambiguity, building playbooks where none exist.

Good to Have

• Prior experience in retail, e-commerce, or adjacent consumer sectors.
• Prior role in corporate venture / CVC / fund / investment team or exposure to early-stage investing.
• Engineering / technical degree with an MBA or equivalent business qualification.
• Experience working across global markets (US / Europe / APAC).

Why This Role Matters

Catalyze is at an inflection point , with growing visibility, increasing startup and VC interest, and a clear mandate from leadership to drive impact at scale.

As Senior Manager – Innovation & Ventures, you will be a key builder of this next phase: shaping how Lowe's partners with the global startup ecosystem, how we pick and scale the right bets, and how innovation translates into real outcomes for the business.

If you thrive at the intersection of technology, business, and ecosystems and want to help shape the future of retail innovation at a Fortune 50 scale, we'd like to hear from you.

Lowe's is an equal opportunity employer and administers all personnel practices without regard to race, color, religious creed, sex, gender, age, ancestry, national origin, mental or physical disability or medical condition, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, military or veteran status, genetic information, or any other category protected under federal, state, or local law.