Associate - Early-Stage Innovation Team (m/f/d)

• Early-Stage Innovation Activities: Support the Early-Stage Innovation Team (part of TDK's Internal Incubator) in screening, evaluating, planning, developing and executing innovation projects across the global organization
• Storytelling & Presentations: Transform strategy, planning, innovation, digital, and technology topics into compelling presentations, storylines and other (visual) communication formats
• Decision-Making Materials: Create decision papers, overviews, data reports and visualizations for management and other stakeholders
• Workshop & Meeting Support: Plan, organize and follow up on workshops, project meetings and appointments
• Project Support: Operations support for innovation projects, including coordination, team management, documentation and follow-ups
• (Internal) Communications: Manage contact databases and develop newsletters, blogs, updates that make innovation visible within the company
• Digital Efficiency: Leverage digital tools and AI applications to optimize workflows and project processes 

A Note on Culture: This position is ideal for ambitious talents who want to grow in a startup-like environment within the TDK Corporation. You'll become part of a motivated team driving real innovation on a global scale – and you'll play a central role in making it happen. For our team, your skills and ideas matter just as much as the operational excellence we expect from anyone in our team.

Hybrid work model: 3 days onsite, 2 days remote.

Education & Professional Experience:

• Completed degree (at minimum Bachelor's) in a relevant field (e.g., Business Administration, BWL, Digital Business, UX design, Innovation Management, Business Informatics, Informatics, Marketing, Media Design, product management, physics, math or comparable)
• 2–5 years of professional experience
• Fundamental understanding of innovation processes and business development

Core Competencies (Must-Have):

• Exceptional storytelling abilities – you craft clear narratives and compelling visualizations
• Demonstrated, advanced PowerPoint skills
• Experience supporting programs and projects (planning, organization, workshops, stakeholder management, follow-ups)
• Structured, independent work style with strong initiative and sense of responsibility
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English; Japanese is a plus
• Ability to communicate complex innovation topics clearly

Digital Affinity & Tools (Must-have):

• Advanced MS Office skills and experience with standard software workflows. Interest in evolving software solutions (especially through/with AI)
• Affinity for digital topics, AI applications, and emerging technologies
• Experience using AI tools (e.g., to support communications, analysis, or project processes/results)

Soft Skills:

• Willingness to drive initiatives: You think critically and proactively bring new ideas to the table
• Flexibility and stress resilience: You keep a clear head even when juggling multiple projects
• Positive mindset, curiosity about new developments, and genuine interest in innovation, technology, startups, and more
• Reliability, dependability, and attention to detail

Additional nice-to-have skills:

• Insights into the TDK corporate structures, products and processes
• Experience in startup, venturing or corporate innovation environments
• Entrepreneurial thinking and understanding of agile methods
• Experience in Design Thinking or similar innovation methodologies
• Experience with Miro, Atlassian/Jira, Salesforce or comparable CRM platforms
• Experience in management, implementation and administration of software