Executive: Applied Research & Digital Innovation

Core Description

The Executive of Applied Research & Digital Innovation is responsible for leading Telkom's research and innovation agenda, ensuring the protection and commercial advancement of intellectual property arising from research initiatives. The role identifies new opportunities, technologies, and partnerships that support innovation-driven growth, while enabling commercialisation pathways and scaling viable concepts into marketable solutions. The incumbent ensures strong governance, alignment to business priorities, and operational support for research programs across the organisation.

Job Responsibilities

Strategic Innovation Leadership

• Identify commercialisation opportunities derived from research outputs and assess scalability and business value, enabling ideas innovation towards commercially viable solutions to take to market.
• Develop commercialisation roadmaps, including licensing agreements, partnership frameworks, and spin-off identification.
• Provide strategic oversight for all research programs aligned to key organizational technology domains.

Operational Management of Research Activities

• Ensure effective planning, coordination, scheduling, and administrative support for research projects across business units.
• Produce research reports and business cases that guide technology investment decisions, clearly articulating the commercial opportunity and expected business value of each initiative.
• Lead the development and execution of the annual Centre of Excellence (COE) conference including sponsorship acquisition, technical review, and content structuring.

Technology and Market Intelligence

• Monitor emerging technology trends including 5G, IoT, AI, Cloud Computing, AR/VR, Gaming, and Quantum Computing.
• Identify new research directions and influence internal investment priorities, balancing scientific merit with commercial relevance to Telkom's BUs and customers.

Stakeholder Engagement and Collaboration

• Manage internal and external research relationships with universities, research partners, and innovation ecosystems.
• Coordinate cross-functional teams to support commercialization and program delivery, working closely as a team player with multiple stakeholders towards the commercialisation outcome.

Legal, Governance and IP Management

• Lead the protection, management, and commercialisation of research-generated intellectual property.
• Ensure compliance with regulatory frameworks governing innovation, research, and IP rights.

Core Competencies

Functional Knowledge/ Skills

• Research and innovation strategy
• Intellectual property protection and commercialization models
• Emerging technology landscape (5G, IoT, AI, Cloud, AR/VR, Quantum)
• Legal frameworks relating to research and innovation governance
• Project and product management principles
• Advanced analytical thinking and conceptual reasoning
• Commercial negotiation and partnership brokering
• Stakeholder engagement and cross-functional coordination
• Appreciation of commercialising products and what makes innovation translate into business outcomes

Competencies (Behaviour)

• Strategic governance alignment
• Cross-functional leadership and influence
• Stakeholder management and board-level communication
• Continuous improvement and transformation mindset
• Ethical and transparent decision-making
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
• Outcome-oriented: able to attribute and articulate value beyond research outputs alone

Education

• NQF 7: Bachelor's Degree/ Advanced Diploma

Experience

• 8 Years relevant experience, of which at least 3 years on senior management level

Additional Information

Qualifications and experience:

• Masters & PhD will be advantageous.
• Experience to include exposure to environments where research outcomes have translated into commercial or business value.

Certification, qualifications and experience:

• Project Management certification will be advantageous.
• Qualification in Computer Science, Information Systems, Engineering, Innovation or related fields or related discipline.
• Postgraduate qualification (MBA or equivalent) in Computer Science, Innovation, Information Systems, Engineering will be preferred.
• Minimum 8-10 years relevant experience in a research, innovation, technology development, or commercialization environment.
• At least 3 years at senior management level.
• Experience managing innovation projects from concept to commercialization.
• Proven leadership in research and innovation environments.
• Demonstrated ability to articulate research outcomes in commercial terms and partner with Business Units that take products to market.

Special Requirements

• Proven track record in innovation leadership and commercialisation execution.
• Ability to manage complex research programs involving multiple internal and external stakeholders.
• Ability to produce research reports with actionable insights.
• Ability to transition research initiatives into scalable and commercial business outcomes.

Physical Requirements

• None

Key Stakeholders

Internal:

• CEO and Executive Leadership
• Business Unit Research Teams
• Group Strategy
• Group Legal
• Innovation Committees
• Technology and Product Development Teams

External:

• Universities and Research Institutions
• Innovation Hubs and Incubators
• Technology Partners and Vendors
• Industry Regulators
• Licensing and Commercialization Partners