At a Glance
- Tasks: Drive AI-enabled innovation and improve operational efficiency across the organisation.
- Company: Join the International Baccalaureate, a leader in global education services.
- Benefits: Enjoy flexible working, generous leave, and continuous professional development opportunities.
- Other info: Collaborative environment with a focus on diversity and inclusion.
- Why this job: Make a real impact by transforming education through innovative AI solutions.
- Qualifications: Degree or experience in operational improvement, digital transformation, or related fields.
The predicted salary is between 54927 - 68659 £ per year.
Salary: £54,927 - £68,659 | €75,439 - €94,299 | $99,367 - $124,208 USD, depending on experience
Job Type: Full-Time, Fixed Term Contract for 12 months
Location: Cardiff, UK | The Hague, Netherlands | Washington, USA
Hybrid working: 2 days in office per week
About the IB
The International Baccalaureate provides world-class educational services to over 6,000 schools across 160 countries. A career with the IB is not just a job; it’s an opportunity to work with an innovative world leader in education services where we empower our employees to thrive and make a difference.
About the job
The Continuous Improvement and Implementation (CI&I) team drives transformative change across the Assessment and Operations Office by improving processes and implementing solutions that enhance efficiency, consistency, and flexibility, while building organizational capability to sustain change. Through expertise in business change, process improvement, innovation, and localization technology, the team delivers measurable improvements in efficiency, quality, and scalability. The Innovation Manager supports AI-enabled innovation initiatives that address wider operational and business challenges across A&O. The role identifies high-value opportunities for AI applications and automation; translates operational problems into practical use cases; and works with colleagues across A&O, Digital, Product, Data and relevant business teams to prototype, evaluate and embed solutions. The role supports responsible use of AI by ensuring initiatives are grounded in clear business problems, appropriate data quality, governance, ethical considerations, measurable outcomes and sustainable adoption.
Responsibilities
- Identify, frame and prioritize AI and automation opportunities that improve operational efficiency, quality, service and risk management.
- Translate business challenges into clear AI use cases, success measures and delivery plans.
- Build and maintain a pipeline of AI-enabled improvement initiatives aligned to strategic priorities.
- Lead or coordinate pilots, proofs of concept and experiments to validate business value and feasibility.
- Partner across A&O, Digital, Data and Product teams to embed solutions into operational processes.
- Support stakeholder engagement, change planning, adoption activities and benefits tracking.
- Develop cost estimates, resource forecasts and business cases for innovation initiatives.
- Coordinate suppliers, contractors and internal specialists to deliver agreed outcomes.
Qualifications
- Degree qualification or equivalent professional experience in operational improvement, digital transformation, business analysis, education technology, computer science or a related field.
- Experience leading or supporting AI, automation, digital transformation or data-driven improvement initiatives.
- Strong ability to translate business problems into requirements, use cases and implementation plans.
- Knowledge of responsible AI, privacy, information security and ethical considerations.
- Experience working with operational or assessment-related data to support decision-making and process improvement.
- Excellent communication skills with the ability to explain complex concepts to non-technical audiences.
- Strong stakeholder management and influencing skills across cross-functional teams.
- Working knowledge of AI, machine learning, generative AI and automation technologies.
Benefits
The IB provides support for the continuous personal and professional development of our colleagues, enabling each employee to realize their full potential. We offer a range of region-specific benefits depending on office location centred around employee benefits, work-life flexibility, and growth. Please feel free to discuss the benefits on offer in your region with your Recruitment Partner. For the UK, these include:
- Flexible benefits allowance equivalent to 1.5% of Annual Salary to spend on benefits or as addition to salary
- 10% employer pension contribution with a minimum 3% employee contribution
- Enhanced family friendly benefits
- 25 Days Annual Leave plus public holidays. The opportunity to purchase up to 5 days of leave each year.
- Life assurance 4x annual salary
- Flexible working hours (core hours are 10am-12pm and 2pm-3pm), 37.5 hours per week
- Paid volunteering leave
- Excellent continuous professional development
Applications will be accepted until 11:55pm 02 September 2026.
Opportunity & Belonging
We are committed to building a working environment that values respect, diversity, and compassion. The International Baccalaureate is proud to be an equal opportunities employer, and we welcome applications from all qualified applicants. As a global employer, we adhere to all relevant employment legislation in the countries in which we operate, and we’re happy to provide any reasonable support or adjustments as needed to ensure applicants can fully participate in our recruitment process.
Innovation Manager - Fixed Term Contract in Cardiff employer: International Baccalaureate
The International Baccalaureate is an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic work environment in Cardiff that fosters collaboration and innovation. With a strong commitment to employee development, you will have access to growth opportunities and a supportive culture that values your contributions. Join us to be part of a meaningful mission that impacts education globally while enjoying competitive benefits and a vibrant workplace.
Contact Details:
International Baccalaureate Recruitment Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Innovation Manager - Fixed Term Contract in Cardiff
✨Leverage Innovation Hubs
Tap into local innovation hubs and research centres. These places often host events and workshops where you can meet like-minded people and industry leaders. Plus, they might have job openings that aren't widely advertised, so keep your ears open!
✨Showcase Your Projects
Turn your past innovation projects into compelling stories. Create a portfolio showcasing your creativity and problem-solving skills. This can give hiring managers a real flavour of what you can bring to the table at companies like International Baccalaureate.
✨Connect at Industry Conferences
Make it a point to attend industry conferences and seminars focused on R&D and innovation management. These events are fantastic for networking and often have job boards or career fairs where you can connect directly with firms looking for talent.
✨Use Your University’s Resources
If you're fresh out of university, don't forget to tap into your institution's career services. They often have exclusive partnerships with companies seeking new talent in R&D, especially for full-time roles. It's a good shortcut to landing a gig at places like International Baccalaureate.
We think you need these skills to ace Innovation Manager - Fixed Term Contract in Cardiff
Some tips for your application 🫡
Showcase Your Creative Thinking:In innovation and R&D management, it's all about thinking outside the box. Make sure your CV highlights any projects or experiences that showcase your creative problem-solving skills. Use specific examples to illustrate how you've developed and implemented innovative ideas in previous roles.
Tailor Your Experience to R&D:When you're crafting your CV, focus on your experience in research and development. Highlight any relevant projects you've worked on, including methodologies used and results achieved. This will show us at International Baccalaureate that you understand the R&D process and can contribute meaningfully to our projects.
Let Your Passion Shine in the Cover Letter:For a full-time role like this, your cover letter should reflect your genuine passion for innovation and development. Share your excitement about the opportunity to work at International Baccalaureate and touch on how your goals align with our mission. This helps us see your motivation for wanting to join our team!
Quantify Your Achievements:Numbers speak volumes in R&D! Whenever possible, quantify your achievements in your CV. Whether it’s a percentage improvement in project outcomes, the budget size you’ve managed, or the number of successful products you've launched, these figures will help paint a clearer picture of your impact and capabilities.
How to prepare for a job interview at International Baccalaureate
✨Show Off Your Innovative Thinking
In an Innovation R&D Management role at International Baccalaureate, they're going to want to see how you approach problem-solving. Be ready to discuss previous projects where you introduced a new idea or process. Highlight your ability to think outside the box and provide examples where your innovations drove significant results.
✨Familiarity with Tools and Technologies
Make sure you're clued up on the latest tools and technologies related to innovation management, such as project management software and data analysis platforms. Being able to discuss specific tools you’ve used or have experience with will show International Baccalaureate that you’re ready to hit the ground running.
✨Demonstrate Collaboration Skills
Since this is a full-time gig, emphasising your teamwork skills will be essential. In innovation, collaboration often sparks the best ideas, so be ready to talk about how you've worked effectively within cross-functional teams in your past roles. Have concrete examples at the ready!
✨Prepare for Scenario-Based Questions
Expect some scenario-based questions in your interview that reflect real challenges you might face in the role. £At International Baccalaureate, they might want to see how you handle tight deadlines or manage conflicting ideas within a team. Prepare some responses that demonstrate your critical thinking and decisiveness in high-pressure situations.
