Digital Strategy & Innovation Lead

Ralph Lauren Corporation (NYSE:RL) is a global leader in the design, marketing and distribution of premium lifestyle products in five categories: apparel, accessories, home, fragrances, and hospitality. For more than 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, which include 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 as well as those in which 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. Ralph Lauren is seeking an experienced, customer‑centric leader to join our Digital Strategy and Innovation team as the Digital Strategy & Innovation Lead. The Digital Strategy & Innovation Lead 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. 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. The role emphasizes 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. In addition, this role will spearhead the vision to rapidly test, validate and scale emerging ideas, technologies and business models. By creating a structured yet agile framework for experimentation, this role will drive faster market learning, enable proof‑of‑concept pilots and accelerate the transition of successful concepts into enterprise capabilities. Through internal collaboration and external partnerships with technology providers, startups and thought leaders, the Digital Strategy & Innovation Lead acts 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. This position requires great vision, technical depth and communication and partnership skills. The ideal candidate is part strategist, part builder, part storyteller, capable of turning forward‑looking ideas into tangible value for Ralph Lauren. Responsibilities Define and execute digital strategies that anticipate industry shifts and align with enterprise growth goals. Lead product and program management, driving initiatives from ideation through launch with measurable business impact. Influence senior executives and collaborate across technology, commercial marketing, retail, operations, design, corporate communications and finance. Utilize AI tools and platforms (generative AI, conversational AI, recommendation engines) to enhance customer and employee experiences. Apply automation and low‑code/no‑code tools (e.g., Make, Co‑Pilot Studio) and natural‑language programming for rapid solution development. Conduct competitive research, industry trend analysis and innovation strategy to guide long‑term investment and business transformation. Deliver exceptional presentation, storytelling and thought‑leadership skills to communicate complex strategies to executives, boards and external audiences. Drive change management and cultural adoption of digital‑first tools and practices across the enterprise. Identify, evaluate and pilot emerging technologies to shape strategic roadmaps while monitoring consumer trends and competitive products. 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 governance, best practices and scalable frameworks for digital product innovation, experimentation and performance measurement. Build external partnerships with technology vendors, startups and industry leaders to accelerate Ralph Lauren’s digital capabilities and expand the innovation ecosystem. Qualifications 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. Experience with ecommerce, mobile app and omnichannel initiatives on a 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. Salary range: $90,000 - $192,500 annually. #J-18808-Ljbffr Ralph Lauren