Senior Consultant Innovation Strategy & Foresight

NAXCON GmbH, located in the heart of Freiburg, is at the forefront of the German IT and engineering industry.

Our experts have extensive knowledge in software and hardware development, state-of-the-art electronics, and future-oriented technologies such as artificial intelligence and virtual reality.

We are not only dedicated to project work for our customers, but also intensively pursue in-house innovation projects as well as research & development. Renowned companies from a wide range of German industries place their trust in us - demonstrating the outstanding expertise and commitment of our engineers.

Position: Senior Consultant Innovation Strategy & Foresight

Location: Germany

Field: Banking

Type: Full-time/Full Remote

About the Role

We are looking for an experienced Innovation Strategy Consultant to support the strategic and structural development of innovation management within a central banking context. The aim is to strengthen the long-term and sustainable innovation capacity of the institution, with a particular focus on future trends and technologies relevant to central banks. The consultant will play a key role in designing, implementing, and facilitating innovation-related initiatives and strategic foresight activities.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop a comprehensive innovation strategy, aligned with the overall institutional strategy, including steering and evaluation methodology
• Advance internal innovation processes and capabilities; identify structural gaps in innovation performance
• Establish meaningful innovation KPIs (e.g., based on the Digital Maturity Model) to measure digital maturity and innovation adoption
• Advise on the implementation of a permanent, systematic, and participatory trend-monitoring process with strategic relevance
• Provide methodological support for cross-departmental scenario analyses
• Conduct ongoing scanning of innovation-driving trends, including areas such as digitalization, demographic shifts, sustainability, VUCA-world challenges, and using frameworks like PESTEL
• Develop and expand a living innovation ecosystem, including partners and stakeholders (e.g., Open Source communities)
• Design, plan, and facilitate innovation workshops using creative methods:
• Micro/macro creativity techniques
• Innovation Digging
• Visual Facilitating
• Value Proposition Design
• Low-Fidelity Prototyping (e.g., Lego Serious Play, Paper Prototyping)
• Adapt workshop formats based on needs:
• Small to large group settings across departments or hierarchy levels
• Delivery in remote, hybrid, or in-person formats
• From half-day sessions to multi-part workshop series
• Support the alignment of internal innovation efforts with the broader innovation governance framework at ESCB (European System of Central Banks) and BISIH (Bank for International Settlements Innovation Hub)

Ideal Profile

• Proven experience in strategic innovation consulting or organizational transformation
• Strong knowledge of innovation management frameworks, trend monitoring, and creative facilitation techniques
• Background in public sector, financial institutions, or technology-driven organizations
• Excellent stakeholder management skills across diverse technical and managerial levels
• Fluent in German and English

What we offer:

• Join a cosmopolitan and internationally mixed team: We welcome individuals from all backgrounds and cultures to contribute their unique perspectives and talents to our team.
• Polish your German language skills: If you are looking to improve your German language skills, we offer a supportive environment where you can practice and develop your language abilities: whether you are a beginner or an advanced speaker.
• Benefit from a fixed contact person from the company: We understand the importance of having a reliable point of contact within the company. That's why we assign a dedicated contact person who will provide guidance and support throughout your employment with us.
• Professional growth and development: With us, our engineers can immerse themselves in new industries or projects after just 1-2 years and actively transfer knowledge.
• Enjoy regular team events with the company: We believe in the power of team building and fostering positive relationships within the workplace. That's why we organize regular team events to promote collaboration and strengthen our team bonds.
• Competitive compensation package: At NAXCON, we believe that our engineers are our greatest asset. That's why we offer a comprehensive and competitive compensation package that includes a salary commensurate with experience and expertise.