The posting
About Zinnov
Zinnov is a global management consulting firm that helps organizations make decisions that actually get used — and deliver results that matter. For over two decades, we’ve partnered with leading enterprises, high-growth technology companies, and investors to answer some of the toughest questions they face:
- Where should we invest?
- How do we scale globally?
- What capabilities will win in the next decade?
Our work shapes market entry strategies, global operating models, M&A decisions, and long-term growth bets. We’re known for being data-led, execution-focused, and outcome-driven — not opinion-heavy slideware.
At Zinnov, how you work matters as much as what you deliver. We value independent thinking, crisp communication, and early ownership. With 450+ professionals across 10 global offices, we work across industries including Digital Services, ER&D, Enterprise Software, Semiconductors, Healthcare, BFSI, Automotive, Media & Telecom, and Private Equity.
Zinnov isn’t for everyone. It’s for people who want steep learning curves, honest feedback, and the chance to see their work influence real business decisions — not just presentations.
Why Globalization Excellence (GE)
Zinnov’s Global Excellence (GE) practice helps enterprises build and scale Global Capability Centers (GCCs) end-to-end — from Design & Discovery to Build, Scale, and Run.
In GE, you don’t work in silos. You:
Own complex, end-to-end client journeys
Work across GCC advisory, managed services, and BOT / outsourcing models
Influence leadership decisions that shape long-term talent and operating strategies
This is where strategy meets execution — and where talent plays a defining role.
About the role:
Zinnov helps global enterprises set up and scale their Global Capability Centers (GCCs) in India. As part of our innovation offering, we run open innovation programs that help enterprises connect with the startup ecosystem — find relevant startup partners against real business challenges, running pilots, and turning them into adopted solutions.
We are looking for a Project Lead to run the startup-collaboration engine of the program — owning the startup journey from sourcing and selection, through pilots, to product adoption and go-to-market. This is a high-ownership and client facing role. You will be the first point of contact for founders and for the client, accountable for moving startups from first contact to a landed outcome.
What makes it distinctive: This role is built for someone from the startup ecosystem, an accelerator or incubator operator, a corporate-innovation or VC professional, or a former founder with existing founder relationships and the judgement to tell a real pilot from theatre. The ecosystem credibility is what you bring and demonstrated in the role.
What you'll do:
- Bring the outside in perspective - Track emerging innovation models, startup-ecosystem shifts, and what leading corporate startup programs are doing and translate that into fresh thinking for how the program evolves. Have a point of view, and challenge how things are done
- Market Intelligence – Scan the start-up ecosystem, scout, identify, and bring in startups that genuinely fit the program's technology and business challenges, drawing on your own network and building new pipeline. Quality fitment and run custom evaluation to explore synergies between start-up and the Enterprise.
- Run the program end-to-end - Own the operational spine day-to-day. Keep every workstream on track, and report progress and outcomes to the senior program owner and enterprise sponsors.
- Own the startup relationship - Be the point of contact for founders across the journey. Understand their technical and business needs and be their voice inside the program.
- Run pilots to a result - Scope focused, measurable proof-of-concept engagements between startups and the enterprise teams and drive them to a quantified outcome.
- Drive product adoption and go-to-market - Move startups from pilot to adoption — working alongside solution architects and enterprise stakeholders — and open co-sell and go-to-market opportunities where they fit.
- Orchestrate the ecosystem - Sit at the center of founders, mentors/advisors, enterprise sponsors, and internal Zinnov teams — matching the right startup to the right problem and holding momentum across all parties.
- Build the outcomes narrative - Capture and package metrics and results achieved over a time
What you bring:
Qualifications & Experience
- 4–9 years' experience with meaningful time in the startup ecosystem - Accelerator / incubator, corporate innovation or open-innovation team, VC/PE, or as a founder / early operator.
- A real, active network of startup founders and ecosystem players you can draw on from day one.
- A point of view, and the curiosity to keep forming one. You spot patterns across the ecosystem, form original perspectives on where innovation is heading, and can argue against them credibly with senior stakeholders.
- Direct experience operating a corporate or platform startup program is highly valued. You understand first-hand about program’s strategy, thesis and operations
- Demonstrated experience running structured programs — Cohorts, accelerators, pilots, or innovation challenges from start to measurable finish.
- Strong stakeholder skills: Equally credible in a founder's Slack and a GCC leader's boardroom.
- A bias for outcomes over activity, you measure success in pilots landed and business value created
- Comfortable being embedded and client-facing and operating with autonomy in a fast-moving program.
Strong plus
- Command of enterprise technology or a specific deep tech / AI / data domain, enough to earn credibility in a technical conversation.
- Familiarity with GCCs / global captives is welcome but not required; strong ecosystem candidates will be brought up to speed on the GCC context quickly.
- Prior consulting or client delivery experience is a plus.
What Success Looks Like – Globalization Excellence (GE)
- Engagements delivered end-to-end with strong quality, predictability, and stakeholder confidence.
- Teams coached to produce sharper research, stronger insights, and consistently client-ready narratives.
- Strong client trust built through clarity, cadence, and reliable delivery under tight timelines.
- Visible BD contribution through solutioning, proposals, and repeatable sales assets.
- Practice impact through reusable frameworks, thought leadership, and capability building.
If you enjoy owning consulting engagements end-to-end, leading teams to deliver analysis-rich and client-ready outcomes and shaping solutions that influence senior stakeholders — this role offers both impact and growth.
Zinnov is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to building an inclusive workplace. We welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds, communities, and experiences.
