Director New Business Ventures (m/f/d)
in Berlin

About us:

At the Lufthansa Innovation Hub, we’re pioneering the future of travel for the Lufthansa Group, the industry, but most importantly for everyone who travels.

The landscape of the travel industry is changing. Our job is to identify these shifts and translate them into new business opportunities in the travel sector.

We are guided by our ambition to take travel to new destinations. To achieve this we believe in constantly pushing the limits’ to make travel easier, more convenient and more enjoyable.

By building a valuable portfolio of travel companies and products, we are making an essential contribution to the asset-light business strategy of the Lufthansa Group.

Job summary:

The Director New Business Ventures (m/f/d) heads a team of venture developers and specialists to ideate and drive LIH ventures to successful spinoffs. The role is part of the LIH leadership team and co-responsible for the New Business capability. Lufthansa Innovation Hub’s New Business portfolio ranges from co-creation ventures with strategic partners from the travel & mobility tech ecosystem to greenfield company-building around the travel journey of tomorrow.

In this context, you will lead a fast-moving and growing interdisciplinary team with strong startup, corporate and consulting background while directly reporting to the Managing Director of the Lufthansa Innovation Hub. By shaping the strategic direction of the New Business capability, you actively steer our venture portfolio and guide venture teams to successful exits. The role is based in our Berlin office.

Given an above-average degree of flexibility, team setup, technological bandwidth and budget we understand the Director New Business Ventures (m/f/d) as a senior entrepreneur acting on behalf of the Lufthansa Innovation Hub.

Responsibilities:

• Create value and impact, both on a market level (by leading the development of valuable businesses) and on an internal level by consistently improving the LIH venturing approach as well as by developing (y)our team
• Help venture teams identify opportunity spaces and guide them towards the most efficient exploitation of such spaces through best-practice idea generation, validation, MVP design, and scaling
• Grow and manage the LIH venture portfolio in close collaboration with the other New Business directors
• Ensure external funding and drive ventures through spinoff process
• Actively manage and grow our external investor network
• Create an environment in which our venture teams can thrive
• Co-lead the New Business team consisting of 25+ venture developers and specialists 
• Lift our venturing toolbox onto the next level focusing on product, design, business development and growth marketing
• Define and constantly monitor suitable metrics and milestones
• Guide and coach junior team members and peers and transfer know-how systematically across teams and individuals

Profile:

• Outstanding entrepreneurial drive combining strategic vision with pragmatism and ability to implement
• Strong background in state-of-the-art digital tech, in-depth understanding tech opportunities and constraints
• Experience as startup founder
• Experience working with external investors and substantial VC network
• Proven leadership track record (e.g. Managing Director or Director position, division head, team lead)
• Knowledge and substantial experience with venture building tools, frameworks, and corresponding processes
• Credible understanding of major digital business models and the respective growth drivers
• Data-beats-opinion attitude with strong analytical skills
• Distinct travel & mobility affinity
• Excellent presentation skills
• Master’s degree in Technology Management, Computer Science, Natural Sciences, Business, Innovation, or equivalent
• At least 8 years relevant work experience in the digital context
• Fluent in English

Valuable additions:

• Fluent in German
• Advanced degree with connection to role 
• Professional touch points with travel (tech) and/or mobility

What we offer:

• Be an essential member of a smart, hard-working and growing team developing solutions for the traveler of tomorrow together with one of the most iconic brands in aviation
• Gain deep insights into the corporate world as well as the international Travel & Mobility Tech ecosystem
• Work independently and entrepreneurially holistically owning budgets, work streams and operational decision making
• Utilize seasoned Lufthansa and experienced tech talent
• Experience a truly unique setting in the heart of the Berlin tech ecosystem
• Competitive compensation with benefits

At LIH, we are super committed to fostering an environment that promotes diversity and inclusivity. We do not discriminate in employment on the basis of factors irrelevant to merit, qualifications or business need such as age, race, colour, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, disability, medical status, or any other status covered by the relevant law in the areas where we operate.