Job Description

About Lowe's & Catalyze

Lowe's is a Fortune-100 home improvement leader, serving millions of customers across the US . Lowe's India is our global capability centre, building next-gen technology, data and business capabilities that power the enterprise.

Catalyze

is Lowe's open innovation and venture platform in India , partnering with high-potential startups, VCs, accelerators, and academia to solve real business problems, build differentiated capabilities, and shape the future of retail technology. We run pilots, forge strategic partnerships, and are now also managing an investment pipeline aligned to Lowe's strategic priorities.

Role Overview

We are looking for a

Senior Manager - Innovation & Ventures (Catalyze)

to help scale Catalyze into a globally respected retail innovation and startup partnering platform. This is a

techno-business leadership role

at the intersection of:

Retail technology and product innovation Startup partnerships, pilots and venture investments Ecosystem building (VCs, accelerators, academia , corporates) Internal stakeholder management with senior tech and business leaders

You will own and drive key parts of the Catalyze charter , from startup sourcing and evaluation, to pilot design and execution, to building the partnerships engine and demand-generation motion for Catalyze.

What You Will Own & Drive

1. Problem Discovery and Solution Scoping

Lead consultative workshops with internal stakeholders (business and technology teams) and external partners (startups, VCs, Academia, Accelerators and others) to identify and prioritize critical pain points and innovation opportunities at Lowes Collaborate with startups to define and document clear problem statements, solution requirements, and integration strategies

2. Venture pipeline & startup evaluation

Build and manage a

strong, qualified pipeline

of retail-tech startups across key focus areas (AI/GenAI, e-commerce, supply chain, store tech, prop tech, etc.). Conduct

first-level technology and business due diligence

, product walkthroughs, architecture and integration feasibility, scalability, security posture, and roadmap alignment. Assess

strategic fit and commercial potential

for both partnerships and investments: value proposition, GTM model, traction, business model, and alignment to Lowe's priorities. Prepare

clear, insight-led assessments

and recommendations for internal leadership, including problem-solution mapping, impact hypothesis, and risk/mitigation views.

3. Pilot scoping, program management & ROI

Work with internal product, tech, data and business teams to

identify real problems / opportunity areas

that can be addressed via startups. Translate these into

well-scoped pilots / POCs

: objectives, success metrics, timelines, resource needs, and integration points. Run

end-to-end program management

for startup pilots , governance, cadence, issue resolution, risk management, and stakeholder alignment. Build

business cases and ROI stories

for impactful pilots (revenue, efficiency, experience, risk); support scale-up recommendations and hand-offs to owning teams.

4. Ecosystem partnerships (VCs, accelerators, academia, platforms)

Build and nurture

strategic relationships

with VCs, CVCs, accelerators, incubators, and academic institutions to access high-quality deal flow and co-innovation opportunities. Create

repeatable partnership models

(e.g., co-innovation programs, themed cohorts, challenge programs, demo days, joint research/PoV development). Work closely with the Catalyze leadership to evaluate

co-investment opportunities

and participate in investment-related workflows with the corporate venture / finance / legal teams.

5. Internal stakeholder management & influence

Act as a

trusted partner

to senior leaders across Product, Technology, Data, Operations and Business functions. Shape and communicate

compelling narratives

that link startup solutions to Lowe's strategic priorities and business outcomes. Drive

cross-functional alignment

for pilots and partnerships - ensuring expectations, roles and responsibilities are clearly defined and governed.

6. Marketing, events & demand generation for Catalyze

Partner with marketing / communications teams to

build Catalyze's brand

in the global startup ecosystem. Own and drive

flagship innovation events

(e.g., Innovation Xchange, ecosystem roundtables, themed showcases) end-to-end - from concept to curation to on-ground execution. Design and run a

demand-generation engine

for Catalyze: open calls, curated outreach, themed scouting, thought-leadership content, and ecosystem engagement. Represent Catalyze and Lowe's at

external events, panels, and forums

, speaking credibly on innovation, retail technology, and startup collaboration.

7.

Process Improvement and Program Management

:

Drive continuous process improvement for the evaluation, selection, and execution of startups and solutions Implement best practices for managing innovation programs, ensuring efficiency and smooth execution of POCs Oversee reporting and communication to senior management, providing updates on progress, potential risks, and key milestones

8. Internal Innovation and Thought Leadership:

Promote a culture of innovation within Lowe's by organizing paper presentations, masterclasses, workshops, hackathons, and other initiatives to engage and inspire employees Collaborate with Lowe's business and technology teams to foster an innovation culture and drive idea generation within the company

9. Staying Ahead of the Curve:

Continuously monitor and analyze industry trends, emerging technologies, and competitive landscape to identify new opportunities and inform Lowe's innovation strategy Disseminate knowledge and insights to internal stakeholders through reports, presentations, and workshops

10.

Team Management

Lead a small team to execute strategic innovation initiatives and manage programs from discovery to implementation Provide guidance and support to team members in their professional development and growth, fostering a culture of collaboration and high performance Effectively delegate tasks, monitor progress, and provide constructive feedback

11.

Communication and Reporting:

Communicate effectively with leadership, cross-functional teams, and external partners, providing regular updates on progress, challenges, and opportunities Prepare and deliver executive-level presentations and reports, showcasing the impact and value of Catalyze initiatives

12. Ways of working & team leadership

Bring

structure, urgency and discipline

to a lean, high-performing team with strong technical depth. Mentor and upskill team members on

business acumen, stakeholder management, communication, and ecosystem engagement

. Help evolve

frameworks, playbooks and operating models

so Catalyze can scale impact without losing agility.

What You Bring

Must-have experience

10+ years

of total experience, with a strong mix of:

+ Corporate innovation / startup partnerships / corporate venture OR
+ Top-tier consulting / VC / accelerator experience with deep exposure to tech startups OR
+ Product / business roles in high-growth B2B technology startups (bonus if in retail / commerce / SaaS / data/AI).
Proven track record of

evaluating technology products and startups

for fit, feasibility, and business impact. Hands-on experience in

designing and running pilots / POCs

, from scoping to execution to impact measurement. Demonstrated ability to

work with senior stakeholders

(Director+ / VP / CXO level) and influence decisions with structured thinking and clear communication. Experience in

ecosystem engagement

- VCs, accelerators, communities, academic programs, or similar.

Techno-business acumen

Strong understanding of

modern technology stacks

, especially in areas like cloud, data/AI/GenAI, APIs/integration, and digital commerce. Ability to

go deep enough with engineering teams

to understand constraints and integration considerations, while also

speaking the language of business leaders

(P&L impact, CX, efficiency, risk).

Skills & attributes

Strategic and structured thinker

who can connect the dots between tech, business, and ecosystem dynamics.

Excellent communication skills

: crisp writing, board-ready decks, and comfort presenting to senior leaders. Strong

program management and execution muscle

: you can move complex, multi-stakeholder work from idea to impact.

Partnership mindset

: long-term orientation, win-win thinking, and the ability to build trust quickly with startups and external partners. High

ownership, curiosity and bias for action

: comfortable operating in ambiguity, building playbooks where none exist.

Good to Have

Prior experience in

retail, e-commerce, or adjacent consumer sectors

. Prior role in

corporate venture / CVC / fund / investment team

or exposure to early-stage investing.

Engineering / technical degree

with an MBA or equivalent business qualification. Experience working across

global markets (US / Europe / APAC)

.

Why This Role Matters

Catalyze is at an inflection point , with growing visibility, increasing startup and VC interest, and a clear mandate from leadership to drive impact at scale.


As

Senior Manager - Innovation & Ventures

, you will be a

key builder of this next phase

: shaping how Lowe's partners with the global startup ecosystem, how we pick and scale the right bets, and how innovation translates into real outcomes for the business.


If you thrive at the intersection of

technology, business, and ecosystems

and want to help shape the future of retail innovation at a Fortune 50 scale, we'd like to hear from you.

Lowe's is an equal opportunity employer and administers all personnel practices without regard to race, color, religious creed, sex, gender, age, ancestry, national origin, mental or physical disability or medical condition, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, military or veteran status, genetic information, or any other category protected under federal, state, or local law.