Why Ryan?

• Hybrid Work Options

• Award-Winning Culture

• Generous Personal Time Off (PTO) Benefits

• 14-Weeks of 100% Paid Leave for New Parents (Adoption Included)

• Monthly Gym Membership Reimbursement OR Gym Equipment Reimbursement

• Benefits Eligibility Effective Day One

• 401K with Employer Match

• Tuition Reimbursement After One Year of Service

• Fertility Assistance Program

• Four-Week Company-Paid Sabbatical Eligibility After Five Years of Service

The Vice President (“VP”), Innovation will lead and manage the innovation process of the company with a strong focus on data strategy and technology-enabling tools. The VP, Innovation will work with and report to the SVP, Innovation and will collaborate with other Principals and Operations executives at Ryan to develop and execute new innovation ideas throughout the organization. This role requires a creative problem solver who is passionate about client service and leveraging technology to achieve operational efficiency. The VP, Innovation will lead a cross-functional Innovation team with expertise in areas including technology, data strategy, the tax industry, and client service. The Innovation is responsible for the entire ideation lifecycle including identification of problem areas and opportunities, idea management and evaluation, researching and scoping solutions, and assembling and managing the human and technology resources to deliver new solutions. This role will oversee a wide variety of Innovation projects and be responsible for keeping on top of the budgets and ensuring timescales are delivered as promised. Stakeholder liaison and engagement is key to this role. Professional communications are required to drive and deliver new ideas both internally and externally, championing Innovation, strategically and operationally.

Duties and Responsibilities, as they align to Ryan’s Key Results:

People:

• Responsible for the provision of a challenging and stimulating environment for the Innovation team, primarily through delivering quality leadership to direct reports and empowering them with the skills, tools and resources to follow through with their respective projects.
• Enabling business units to “raise the bar” of the aspirations and training other future leaders to foster an environment for innovation in the business units. 
• Responsible for assigning tasks to the Innovation team members or outside consultants. Will also be responsible for scheduling/monitoring their work and reviewing the results for accuracy, timeliness and quality.
• Create a program for education of Ryan business units on the capabilities and trends for emerging technologies

Client:

• Identifying new market spaces where technology and data strategy can benefit Ryan customers or service delivery methods. This includes analyzing trends and market disruptions and searching for emerging technology and new market opportunities
• Create a framework for Customer Insights by interacting regularly with customers to understand problem areas of the modern tax department.  Work with Ryan business units to identify trusted customers for participation in the Innovation lifecycle to generate ideas and solicit feedback on the most promising ideas.
• Supporting business units in new product and service initiatives as well as improvements to existing operational efficiency.
• Responsible for critical communications with stakeholders, clients, and leadership throughout the ideation lifecycle.
• Coordinate enterprise strategy and resources with the shared services organizations to plan for and provision required resources to support the ideation lifecycle

Value:

• Contributes to a culture of innovation and actively seek ways to enhance the capability, performance efficiency, efficacy and success of clients internally and externally.
• Enable strategic direction for process automation technologies and serve as a focal point for best practices and governance for the entire organization.
• Design and launch of team, tools, and process discipline to support the innovation and idea lifecycle from idea generation to execution.
• Create policies, procedures and a governance model to help drive the Innovation function to perform and succeed.
• Responsible for setting up key performance indicators and the success of Innovation function
• Helping people generate ideas by setting up and running idea generation platforms and formats including innovation events with the service delivery teams.
• Responsible for market-facing communications related to Innovation at Ryan including speaking engagements, authoring of white papers or articles, and other digital or print media.
• Designing resource allocation processes (portfolio, stage-gate, capex, budgeting) to take potentially ideas forward from the seed stage to the market.
• Owning and allocating a yearly budget to fund “homeless ideas” that are either too risky for the business units, potentially disruptive, or outside their existing business boundaries, which might not otherwise get funded. Providing an organizational shelter to nourish and protect the most promising new ideas.
• Drive an evolving portfolio of innovation and automation projects toward timely completion and superior client satisfaction
• Lead a team of teams in building, developing, testing and monitoring automation solutions that are part of the Innovation portfolio.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Education and Experience:

A bachelor's degree or master's degree in software engineering, management information systems (MIS), computer science is strongly preferred. Other STEM or business degrees with relevant work experience or coursework are also encouraged to apply. A proven track record of delivering and managing multiple successful enterprise-grade technology solutions at scale. Fifteen plus years of Project Management experience (PMP® credential is a plus) or product development.  Fifteen plus years of Process Excellence experience (Lean Six Sigma Green/Black Belt or Agile is a plus). Ten plus years of management and people development experience with increasing accountability for client-facing project outcomes and revenue generation.  Fifteen years in an internal or external client service role.  Experience managing a revenue-generating business unit at a client service organization.

Other Desired Skills:

• Ability to manage multiple projects concurrently and prioritize projects along with ongoing ad-hoc requests and/or initiatives
• Demonstrated top notch organizational skills and proven ability to guide processes, while developing creative solutions to meet changing business needs
• Successful in navigating change, problem solving and consulting with cross-functional business partners
• Fluently connects technical concepts to strategic outcomes to business audiences.

• Energizes teams throughout the organization around Process Automation/Process Management technologies.
• Knowledge of BPM, RPA, and data/analytics, and/or reporting technology tools (command of at least one highly desirable).
• Command of software configuration, development and deployment practices.
• Understanding of web front-end technologies and development practices.
• Knowledge of value stream mapping, process engineering, and workflow design.
• Experience or understanding of the indirect tax or property tax industry.

Certificates and Licenses:

Valid driver’s license required. 

Supervisory Responsibilities:

Directly supervises employees in their practice and carries out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with the Firms’ policies and applicable laws.

Work Environment:

• Standard indoor working environment.
• Occasional long periods of sitting while working at computer.
• Occasional long periods of standing while copying.
• Position requires regular interaction with employees and clients both in person and via e-mail and telephone.
• Independent travel requirement: 30 to 50%.

Equal Opportunity Employer: disability/veteran