Chief Technology Officer - Surgical Innovations

Job Description SummaryThe Chief Technology Officer (CTO) for Surgical Innovations (SI) will be a globally experienced leader accountable for leading technology & innovation across the global $1+billion revenue SI business, which consists of 3 global R&D sites (US, China and Denmark). This leader brings a strong balance of strategic direction and engineering excellence and will collaborate closely across the SI business to deliver innovative products, next generation growth platforms, and solutions to differentiate GEHC SI in the market. Additionally, the ambition to create clinically meaningful, technically credible and commercially scalable solutions potentially not available in markets today will be critical to the role.
The CTO will shape clinical problems, customer value proposition, technology concept, external ecosystem and pathway to productization before detailed NPI execution begins. The role will be a visible and inspiring technology leader who brings both Engineering organizations and their leaders behind a common vision, while leading through a focused team and matrix influence.
Job Description
Responsibilities
Drives results and delivers by focusing on operating rigor on the critical few cascading and aligned KPIs
Cultivates innovation with a long-term view of the future of the industry, a keen understanding of how value will be created in the future, and a clear vision of how to generate sustainable competitive advantage
Aligns & partners with AIS CTO & other segment CTOs on enterprise technology strategy aligned with priorities and market trends.
Be proficient in the application of Lean Product Development concepts to Engineering organizations (inclusive of concurrent engineering, knowledge management, and product costing principles); apply Lean principles to increase design efficiency and direct proactive cost management on NPIs.
Drives budget control, engineering organizational design, technology differentiation, functional excellence and teamwork.
Early - Stage Innovation and solution vision
Own the SI early-stage innovation and potential market-creation agenda, with a clear focus on opportunities that utilize C-arm imaging and/or intraoperative ultrasound to improve surgical decision-making, navigation, visualization or workflow.
Identify unmet clinical needs and emerging workflows through direct engagement with surgeons, clinical experts, hospitals, academic centers and other relevant stakeholders.
Translate clinical insight into a compelling solution thesis: target use cases, customer value proposition, differentiated technology concept, adoption pathway and strategic rationale for SI.
Build and maintain an evidence-based opportunity funnel, including market and competitive intelligence, technology feasibility hypotheses, business potential, regulatory considerations and key adoption barriers.
Make clear choices about which opportunities to pursue, partner, mature or stop, and create decision-ready recommendations for the SI leadership team.
Technology leadership across Surgery and SVG
Bring deep technical understanding of intraoperative medical imaging, including their clinical applications, workflow constraints, system architectures, data and image requirements and integration opportunities.
Create a shared technology narrative, common problem definition, critical interfaces, feasibility experiments and technology choices together with the Surgery and SVG Engineering leaders
Lead cross-functional ideation, envisioning and technical concept sessions that bring together Engineering, Clinical, Product Management, Business Development, Marketing, Quality and Regulatory expertise.
Mobilize the existing Engineering organizations through influence, clarity and inspiration rather than by building a large standalone technology team.
Formulates the strategy for continuous improvement of systems, products and processes related to our products and how they fit into our supply chain and services. This includes driving continued efficiency & transformation through the use of AI in R&D.
Clinical strategy and focused team leadership
Lead a small, team focused on clinical strategy and/or Business Development and Product Management Innovation.
Establish a strong voice of the clinician and customer in the innovation process, using structured discovery, workflow observation, clinical advisory input and early concept validation.
Create an environment in which technical experts, clinicians and commercial colleagues can challenge assumptions, learn quickly and build commitment to a shared future state with common goals. Solicits diverse inputs and creates a safe space for exchanging and incubating ideas. Ensures that the organization has the talent required to meet current and future business needs.
Coach and develop the focused team, while creating clear interfaces with the two Engineering organizations and the broader SI leadership team.
Builds a world-class engineering team by engaging in recruitment, retention, talent acquisition and development, and mentoring.
External ecosystem and strategic partnerships
Act as a credible external face for the SI technology vision in discussions with surgeons, hospitals, academic institutions, technology companies, start-ups and other potential partners.
Identify, evaluate and develop strategic partnerships that can accelerate clinical insight, technology capability, evidence generation or access to new markets.
Lead external envisioning and co-creation discussions, define the potential contribution of partners and work with Business Development, Legal, Quality and Regulatory teams to progress viable opportunities.
Represent SI at selected conferences, industry events, research forums and customer discussions, communicating the vision with credibility and energy.
From validated concept to productization
Work with Product Management, Marketing, Sales, Services, Quality, Regulatory, Operations and Engineering to shape long-term solution roadmaps, business plans and investment cases.
Define the evidence, technology maturity, clinical value and business conditions required for a concept to move into productization.
Prepare a clear handoff to the appropriate Product Management, Engineering and Program leadership once an opportunity has reached productization readiness, while continuing to provide strategic technology sponsorship.
Inspiring leadership and culture
Create belief in a shared Surgery and SVG future and bring people along across organizational, functional and geographic boundaries.
Build trust between the two Engineering organizations by making the clinical purpose, strategic choices and decision rights transparent.
Model curiosity, constructive challenge, customer focus and disciplined experimentation, balancing breakthrough ambition with evidence-based choices.
Drives a culture that ensures outstanding compliance and adherence to product safety, quality and compliance in all areas for the Quality Management System
Qualifications and requirements
Bachelor's degree in biomedical, electrical, mechanical or computer engineering, physics, computer science, medical technology or a related field; an advanced degree is preferred.
15+ years progressive experience in R&D leadership and project management
Significant experience in medical technology, surgical technology, imaging, visualization or a closely related healthcare technology field, including experience in technology strategy or innovation leadership. Deep technical understanding of intraoperative medical imaging. The candidate must be able to engage credibly with senior engineers and clinicians on modality capabilities, limitations, workflows and integration opportunities.
A demonstrated track record of identifying and shaping early-stage market or solution opportunities before detailed product development or NPI execution.
Experience translating clinical or customer needs into differentiated solution concepts, technology roadmaps, business cases and productization decisions.
Experience building relationships with clinical leaders, academic institutions, technology companies, start-ups or other external partners, and converting those relationships into strategic opportunities.
Proven ability to lead through influence in a complex global matrix and to align senior Engineering, Product Management and commercial leaders around a shared direction.
Excellent communication, storytelling, facilitation, coaching, negotiation and executive presence, with the ability to make complex technology meaningful to different audiences.
Ability to travel up to 30%
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