Head of product and Innovation
- Function
- Information technology
- Facility
- Life Head Office, Dunkeld
- Position
- Head of product and Innovation
- Introduction
-
A vacancy exists for Head of Product and Innovation based at Life Head Office, reporting to the Funder Relations and Health Policy Executive. The successful candidate will be responsible for managing product and innovation at Life Healthcare and its subsidiary companies in South Africa.
- Critical Outputs
-
- Drive the execution of the Product and Innovation strategy.
- Oversee the performance and governance of the product portfolio.
- Accelerate the development, implementation, and commercialisation of innovative healthcare solutions.
- Strengthen collaboration across business units to ensure products are successfully embedded into operations.
- Deliver differentiated products and measurable value to patients, clinicians, funders, employers, and the Group. Providing strategic leadership and oversight of the Product and Innovation function, ensuring alignment with Life Healthcare's vision, strategic priorities, growth objectives, and value-based care agenda.
- Overseeing the financial and operational performance of the product portfolio and providing guidance to Business Operations on interventions required to optimise product value, address performance gaps, mitigate risks, and improve commercial outcomes.
- Developing, maintaining, and executing a comprehensive product and innovation strategy that identifies, prioritises, and delivers solutions addressing the needs of patients, clinicians, funders, employers, and other healthcare stakeholders.
- Leading the end-to-end product lifecycle, including opportunity identification, concept development, business case assessment, pilot design, implementation, commercialisation, scaling, performance monitoring, optimisation, and retirement of products.
- Driving the development and market adoption of innovative clinical, operational, and reimbursement products that differentiate and create sustainable competitive advantage.
- Maintaining and governing the Group's product and innovation pipeline, ensuring disciplined prioritisation of initiatives based on strategic value, market demand, financial returns, operational feasibility, and clinical impact.
- Supporting strategic initiatives led by Strategy and Growth, New Business, Funder Relations, Patient Services, Clinical Services, Business Operations, and other functional areas by developing innovative solutions that address identified challenges and growth opportunities.
- Partnering with funders, clinicians, healthcare professionals, technology providers, academic institutions, and industry stakeholders to co-create products and solutions that improve healthcare outcomes and affordability.
- Driving the identification, evaluation, and adoption of emerging healthcare trends, innovative care models, digital health technologies, artificial intelligence applications, and alternative reimbursement mechanisms that can generate value for Life Healthcare and its stakeholders.
- Fostering a culture of innovation across the organisation by promoting new ideas, structured experimentation, continuous improvement, and evidence-based decision-making.
- Requirements
-
- At least an undergraduate degree in the relevant field.
- Short courses on modern product and design practices.
- A post-grad degree will be advantageous.
- 7-9 years in technology, innovation, customer experience or product management
- 5 years of leadership responsibilities including interfacing into executive leadership
- Experience/understanding of leading product development methodologies (Agile, Scrum, Design Thinking, Rapid Prototyping)
- Excellent communication and people management skills
- Strong analytical, strategic and coordinating skills
- Entrepreneurial and innovative focus
- Strong understanding of market trends in relevant business and technology
- Competencies
-
- Attention to detail
- Computer proficiency
- Resilience
- Strong verbal & written communication
- Strong leadership skills
- Presentation skills
- Critical thinking
- Drive & energy
- Excellence orientation
- Ethical behaviour
- Building relationships
- Problem solving
- Customer responsiveness
- Organisational awareness
- Engaging stakeholders
- Motivation
- Result oriented
- Assertiveness
- careers@lifehealthcare.co.za
- Closing date
- Wednesday, October 28, 2026
Internal applicants - Before making an application, you are requested to discuss your application with your line manager. External candidates will also be considered.
Explore our vacancies and find the right opportunity for you. Download the application form and email to the relevant contact person specified in the job advertisement.
Life Healthcare is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
Thank you for your interest in this opportunity. Kindly note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Applicants who have not been contacted within two weeks of the closing date of this advert, should consider their application as unsuccessful.