The profession of innovation project manager
The Innovation Project Manager conceives and leads projects centered around innovative solutions to meet the needs of an organization or its clients.
These projects can involve products, services, or internal processes. Their scope of work is broad, as they oversee the project from need analysis to solution delivery and its concrete implementation.
This project management expert has a technical understanding of the technologies and processes essential to the project and mastery of project management methods. Due to the versatility and skills required, becoming an Innovation Project Manager typically requires a Master’s degree (Bac+5).
The Master’s in Innovation Management at Université Paris Dauphine-PSL is an excellent academic pathway to prepare for this role. The titles Chief Innovation Officer (CINO) or Project Manager are also used to describe this position.
Role and responsibilities of an innovation project manager
The Innovation Project Manager applies their project management skills to innovate and find solutions to contemporary challenges. These challenges can be related to a commercial offering, a process, or a specific department or project (human resources, digital, finance, energy transition…).
Daily tasks
The Innovation Project Manager handles a wide range of responsibilities:
- Understand the project's issues, expectations, and challenges
- Define user or client needs
- Identify technical opportunities
- Develop and propose an innovative solution
- Write a project specification document
- Establish the projected budget and resources
- Monitor the project and adhere to the timeline
- Coordinate internal or external teams
- Lead change management
- Conduct continuous monitoring
Salaries and career progression
One year after obtaining a Master's degree in Innovation Management, the median salary for an Innovation Project Manager is €40,000 gross annually. With more skills and experience, they will be offered larger-scale projects and higher salaries.
After 3 years of experience, an Innovation Project Manager's salary ranges between €45,000 and €50,000 gross annually. They can work within a company, local government, or a consulting firm and may progress to roles such as manager, independent consultant, or project director.
Required skills
- In-depth technical knowledge
- Proficiency in data management and analysis
- Ability to innovate and demonstrate ingenuity
- Managerial skills and strong interpersonal abilities
- Sensitivity to organizational sciences and business strategy
- Rigor and methodological approach
- Stress resilience and pragmatism
What studies are required to become an innovation project manager ?
Becoming an Innovation Project Manager requires a Master’s degree (bac+5) to grasp a wide range of disciplines in management sciences, participate in business-oriented professional missions, and gain project management experience. Master's programs in management are excellent for preparing students to apply for positions as Innovation Project Managers in innovation consulting firms, companies, or local governments.
Training to become an Innovation Project Manager at Dauphine-PSL
Université Paris Dauphine-PSL, in partnership with Mines Paris-PSL, offers a Master's in Innovation Management to prepare students for the role of Innovation Project Manager.
The program covers a wide range of subjects such as law, data management, innovation management, and strategy. In addition to theoretical learning, the university curriculum equips students with project management methods and practical experience through professional missions.