Director, Strategic Innovation & Business Development
Irving, Texas Job ID JR0142538 Category Strategy, Business & Strategy Post Date Feb. 05, 2026McKesson is an impact-driven, Fortune 10 company that touches virtually every aspect of healthcare. We are known for delivering insights, products, and services that make quality care more accessible and affordable. Here, we focus on the health, happiness, and well-being of you and those we serve – we care.
What you do at McKesson matters. We foster a culture where you can grow, make an impact, and are empowered to bring new ideas. Together, we thrive as we shape the future of health for patients, our communities, and our people. If you want to be part of tomorrow’s health today, we want to hear from you.
Current Need
McKesson Corporate Strategy & Business Development (CSBD) is seeking a digitally minded Director, Strategic Innovation & Business Development to lead enterprise experimentation and early‑stage growth initiatives. The leader will champion an AI‑first, data‑driven approach to identifying new opportunities, modernizing commercial models, and accelerating enterprise innovation. This role partners across CSBD and business units to define, validate, and scale new solutions that leverage emerging technology, automation, and modern data capabilities.
Position Description
- Accelerate enterprise growth by translating strategic insights into AI‑enabled discovery, rapid prototyping, and proof‑of‑concept (POC) development using the SIBD innovation framework
- Develop strategic, financial, and operational feasibility cases—incorporating digital readiness, data availability, automation potential, and responsible‑AI considerations—to support investment in new opportunities
- Design and execute POCs with internal teams and external partners, integrating modern data platforms, scalable architectures, MLOps governance, user‑centric workflows, and key risk controls
- Drive strategic partnerships—including digital health, AI technology, and analytics vendors—to expand innovation capacity and accelerate post‑POC scalability
- Lead multiple complex strategic projects, ensuring high‑quality deliverables, measurable outcomes, and alignment to enterprise digital and analytics strategy
- Build deep relationship capital and influence senior leaders by articulating AI‑driven business value, data‑backed insights, and technology‑enabled growth pathways—even without formal authority
Minimum Requirements
- 10+ years in healthcare innovation, digital product development, corporate strategy, or technology‑enabled business transformation
- Experience working in collaborative, cross‑functional teams, particularly where data, AI, and commercial functions intersect
- Proven ability to develop and manage high‑value partnerships, including technology and AI vendors
- Demonstrated leadership in project management with familiarity in agile ways of working, rapid iteration, and technology‑enabled delivery
Critical Skills
Candidates with previous strategy roles and startup experience preferred. Healthcare industry experience is required.
- Innovation & Entrepreneurship
- Demonstrated ability to rapidly learn new technologies and apply them to novel use cases, including generative AI, automation, digital workflows, and data‑powered MVPs
- Build POCs and MVPs that incorporate emerging data and AI capabilities, enabling fast experimentation, value validation, and responsible “fail‑fast” learning loops
- Advance innovations that differentiate McKesson in an evolving healthcare technology landscape
- Navigate ambiguity and unstructured environments by leveraging AI‑assisted problem solving, discovery tools, and digital research methods
- Nurture relationships and negotiate commercial agreements with an understanding of digital business models and technology economics
- Strategic thinking
- Evaluate opportunities with an AI‑first lens—assessing feasibility, data quality, automation potential, and long‑term scalability
- Influence pipeline priorities by integrating market insight, customer needs, and the enterprise’s evolving data and technology capabilities
- Apply strong analytical judgment and problem‑solving skills to drive enterprise clarity amid complex or competing priorities
- Analytics acumen
- Proven financial acumen including modeling for digitally enabled solutions, AI value realization, working‑capital impacts, and operational improvements
- Develop financial business cases with explicit AI‑impact modeling (e.g., efficiency, accuracy, cycle‑time reduction, quality enhancement, documentation accuracy, and employee experience)
- Ensure strategic alignment with McKesson’s data modernization initiatives and capital allocation frameworks
- Healthcare knowledge
- Strong understanding of healthcare ecosystem, industry stakeholders, and macro trends—including the adoption of AI, automation, interoperability, and digital health
- Communication
- Excellent communication skills, with the ability to articulate complex digital and AI concepts to senior business leaders in a clear, credible, and persuasive way
- Build trust and influence decisions by connecting strategic narratives with data‑driven insights and technology‑enabled value stories
Education
- 4-year bachelor’s degree in business, finance or related field, or equivalent experience.
- MBA or other advanced degree preferred
Physical Requirements
Remote
General office demands
Occasional travel, approximately 10-25%
Must be authorized to work in the US. Sponsorship is not available for this position.
We are proud to offer a competitive compensation package at McKesson as part of our Total Rewards. This is determined by several factors, including performance, experience and skills, equity, regular job market evaluations, and geographical markets. The pay range shown below is aligned with McKesson's pay philosophy, and pay will always be compliant with any applicable regulations. In addition to base pay, other compensation, such as an annual bonus or long-term incentive opportunities may be offered. For more information regarding benefits at McKesson, please click here.
Our Base Pay Range for this position
$122,900 - $204,800McKesson has become aware of online recruiting-related scams in which individuals who are not affiliated with or authorized by McKesson are using McKesson’s (or affiliated entities, like CoverMyMeds or RxCrossroads) name in fraudulent emails, job postings or social media messages. In light of these scams, please bear the following in mind:
McKesson Talent Advisors will never solicit money or credit card information in connection with a McKesson job application.
McKesson Talent Advisors do not communicate with candidates via online chatrooms or using email accounts such as Gmail or Hotmail. Note that McKesson does rely on a virtual assistant (Gia) for certain recruiting-related communications with candidates.
McKesson job postings are posted on our career site: careers.mckesson.com.
McKesson is an Equal Opportunity Employer
McKesson provides equal employment opportunities to applicants and employees, without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability, age, genetic information, or any other legally protected category. For additional information on McKesson’s full Equal Employment Opportunity policies, visit our Equal Employment Opportunity page.
McKesson welcomes and encourages applications from people with disabilities. Accommodations are available on request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process. If you require accommodation please contact us by sending an email to Disability_Accommodation@McKesson.com.
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Benefits
We not only care about the wellbeing of our patients, customers and the communities we serve — we care about you. That’s why we provide our employees with a comprehensive support system for all aspects of Your Care: physical, emotional, financial and social.
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Hiring Process
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McKesson has become aware of online recruiting-related scams in which individuals who are not affiliated with or authorized by McKesson are using McKesson’s (or affiliated entities, like CoverMyMeds or RxCrossroads) name in fraudulent emails, job postings or social media messages. In light of these scams, please bear the following in mind:
- McKesson Talent Advisors will never solicit money or credit card information in connection with a McKesson job application.
- McKesson Talent Advisors do not communicate with candidates via online chatrooms or using email accounts such as Gmail or Hotmail. Note that McKesson does rely on a virtual assistant (Gia) for certain recruiting-related communications with candidates.
- McKesson job postings are posted on our career site: careers.mckesson.com.
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