Head of New Products & Innovation

TL;DR

Head of New Products & Innovation (Utilities Software): Building and leading a new products team to create a pipeline of innovative solutions for utilities, including smart metering, grid intelligence, and AI-enabled services with an accent on turning ideas into validated MVPs. Focus on scouting opportunities, evaluating feasibility, driving market validation, and handing off products for scaling.

Location: Remote within Germany (or optionally Europe), with option to spend time in offices in Erfurt, Leipzig, or Ilmenau

Company

Developer of ZONOS platform for utilities, supporting smart metering, meter data management, decentralized generation, and digital operations.

What you will do

• Build and lead the New Products Team, designing a structured innovation process from idea to MVP and market validation.
• Scout opportunities from market trends, customer needs, AI technologies, and commercial feedback.
• Develop product concepts, assessing value, fit, feasibility, differentiation, and monetization.
• Drive AI-enabled innovations and lead MVP development with engineering teams.
• Validate products with customers, sales, and support teams, shaping go-to-market strategies.
• Hand over validated products to product teams for scaling.

Requirements

• Strong experience in new product development, innovation, incubation, or venture building.
• Track record of turning ideas into validated products or services.
• Experience collaborating across commercial, technical, sales, and customer teams.
• Understanding of go-to-market strategy, pricing, and product positioning.
• Comfortable working structured under uncertainty, with interest in AI and emerging tech.
• Experience in B2B software, SaaS, industrial/utilities/energy tech highly relevant.

Culture & Benefits

• Flexible work setup within Germany (or optionally Europe) with flexible hours.
• Short decision paths and close cross-team collaboration.
• Opportunity to impact energy market through innovative products.
• Work on real-world infrastructure challenges in decentralization, smart devices, and AI.