Digital Strategy & Innovation Lead

Digital Strategy & Innovation Lead at Ralph Lauren

Ralph Lauren Corporation (NYSE:RL) is a global leader in the design, marketing, and distribution of premium lifestyle products across five categories: apparel, accessories, home, fragrances, and hospitality. For over 50 years, Ralph Lauren's reputation and distinctive image have been consistently developed across an expanding number of products, brands, and international markets. The Company's brand names, including Ralph Lauren, Ralph Lauren Collection, Ralph Lauren Purple Label, Polo Ralph Lauren, Double RL, Lauren Ralph Lauren, Polo Ralph Lauren Children, and Chaps, constitute one of the world's most widely recognized families of consumer brands.

At Ralph Lauren, we unite and inspire the communities within our company as well as those we serve by amplifying voices and perspectives to create a culture of belonging, ensuring inclusion and fairness for all. We foster a culture of inclusion through: Talent, Education & Communication, Employee Groups, and Celebration.

About the Role

Ralph Lauren is seeking an experienced, customer-centric leader to join our Digital Strategy and Innovation team as the Digital Strategy & Innovation Lead. This role is accountable for shaping and executing the organization’s digital vision by developing strategies that anticipate industry shifts, evolving customer expectations, and technological advancements. This role acts as a catalyst for innovation, ensuring the business not only adapts to change but actively defines the future of its category.

Key Responsibilities

• Working cross-functionally with senior leaders in technology, commercial, marketing, retail, operations, finance, and corporate communications, the Digital Strategy & Innovation Lead embeds digital priorities into enterprise-wide strategies.
• Emphasize forward-looking strategy development rooted in industry outlook, leveraging competitive intelligence, consumer insights, and emerging technology trends to inform executive decision-making and guide long-term investments.
• Spearhead the vision to rapidly test, validate, and scale emerging ideas, technologies, and business models.
• Create a structured yet agile framework for experimentation, driving faster market learning, enabling proof-of-concept pilots, and accelerating the transition of successful concepts into enterprise capabilities.
• Through internal collaboration and external partnerships with technology providers, startups, and thought leaders, act as the organization’s digital ambassador fostering a culture of innovation, establishing a pipeline of future-ready opportunities, and ensuring the business remains competitive and relevant in a rapidly shifting landscape.
• Accelerate innovation by identifying, evaluating, and piloting emerging technologies (AI, automation, data analytics, personalization, and beyond), while monitoring consumer trends and competitive products to shape strategic roadmaps.
• Own the end-to-end lifecycle of innovation projects, including business case development, funding approvals, product requirements, KPI definition, and reporting progress and outcomes to senior leadership.
• Establish and enforce governance, best practices, and scalable frameworks for digital product innovation, experimentation, and performance measurement.
• Cultivate external partnerships with technology vendors, startups, and industry leaders to accelerate Ralph Lauren’s digital capabilities and expand the innovation ecosystem.

Qualifications & Experience

• Proven ability to define and execute digital strategies that anticipate industry shifts and align with enterprise growth goals.
• Expertise in product and program management, driving initiatives from ideation through launch with measurable business impact.
• Strong cross-functional leadership skills, influencing executives and collaborating across technology, commercial marketing, retail, operations, design, corporate communications, and finance.
• Hands-on experience with AI tools and platforms (e.g., generative AI, conversational AI, recommendation engines) to enhance customer and employee experiences.
• Experience with automation and low-code/no-code tools (e.g., Make, Co-Pilot Studio, etc.) and vibe coding/natural language programming for rapid solution development (Lovable, Cursor, etc). Not Required but nice to have.
• Demonstrated strength in competitive research, industry trend analysis, and innovation strategy to guide long-term investment and business transformation.
• Exceptional presentation, storytelling, and thought leadership skills to communicate complex strategies to executives, boards, and external audiences.
• Skilled in driving change management and cultural adoption of digital-first tools and practices across the enterprise.
• 10 years of experience in digital strategy, product management, or innovation within retail, consumer, or technology-driven industries.
• Hands-on familiarity with AI, data platforms, and the end-to-end digital product development lifecycle.
• Ability to balance strategic vision with operational execution in a fast-paced, evolving global environment.
• Ecommerce, mobile app, and omnichannel experience with global scope.
• Performance history as a direct people manager with supervisory accountability.
• High level of intellectual curiosity and comfort with bringing definition and structure to ambiguity.
• Proven track record of delivering digital transformation or innovation initiatives from concept through execution and measurable impact.
• Strong analytical and strategic thinking skills, with the ability to build business cases, define KPIs, and measure ROI.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, with confidence engaging senior leadership and cross-functional partners.

Key skills/competency

• Digital Strategy
• Innovation Leadership
• Product Management
• Cross-functional Collaboration
• AI & Automation
• Competitive Intelligence
• Change Management
• Business Case Development
• Stakeholder Management
• Digital Transformation