Portfolio Manager, Sustainable Production Systems

Climate-KIC is the EU’s largest public private partnership addressing climate change through innovation to build a low carbon economy.

We address climate change across four priority themes: urban areas, land use, production systems, climate metrics and finance. Education is at the heart of these themes to inspire and empower the next generation of climate leaders.

We run programmes for students, start-ups and innovators across Europe via centres in major cities, convening a community of the best people and organisations. Our approach starts with improving the way people live in cities. Our focus on industry creates the products required for a better living environment, and we look to optimise land use to produce the food people need.

Climate-KIC is supported by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), a body of the European Union.

Sustainable Production Systems (SPS)

The transition to economically viable circular models of production systems is key for SPS to deliver the net zero carbon economy of tomorrow. This means identifying alternative feedstock substituting raw materials through secondary materials and renewable, less carbon intensive resources as well as aiming at zero waste systems through valorisation of by-product streams and re-use of waste.  Climate-KIC’s circular model connects stakeholders along and across value chains. We aim at interlinking the upstream manufacturing industries in the chemicals and metal sector (B2B) with the industries with the highest demand for their products i.e. the downstream partners in the value chain (mobility, household appliances, consumer electronics, packaging and packaged goods, fabrics & clothing). Further relevant stakeholders will support building and interlinking markets for secondary resources and transforming waste into a resource (e.g. recycling and waste management operators).

Role purpose

The Portfolio Manager has a central role for the Theme in ensuring the development and selection of innovative projects with high climate and business impact and with clear strategic fit for SPS.

The job-holder is well connected to the Geographies and the Partner Community, will co-create with them business oriented approaches needed to deploy innovations to market and will identify synergies between the different projects and initiatives to increase the impact of our investments.

This individual will ensure valorisation and exploitation of the knowledge created through the project and start-up portfolio making outcomes available in a broadly understandable way to the SPS team, the wider Climate-KIC community and the wider public through educational formats, case studies, positioning papers or European events.

Core Responsibilities

Portfolio Management

• Ideation and co-creation with regional Climate-KIC centres and Partner Community ensuring connections with supply and demand actors and promoting demand led innovation
• Selection, Performance and Quality Management of Project Portfolio
  • Evaluation based on pre-defined success criteria, drafting of approval/rejection feedbacks for projects, preparation of decision papers for Theme Director
  • KPI-based Performance Tracking (e.g. climate benefits, jobs created, finance leveraged), preparation and participation to stage gate review process
  • Collaboration with Innovation Leads in regional Climate-KIC centres to leverage expertise from partner community and support quality management of projects
  • Support most promising projects to scale and identify support activities needed
  • For more mature projects negotiate return on investment for Climate-KIC
• Strategic Development of Portfolio and Portfolio Growth analysis of synergies between projects, mapping of further opportunities based on internal partner community and identification of gaps for integration of external stakeholders and development of new activities
• Interlinkage and co-ordination with regional Climate-KIC centres to support start-up portfolio development
• Supports the development of the multi-year strategic approach and the yearly business plan for SPS

Knowledge Management and Dissemination

• Valorisation and exploitation of project results internally and externally to Climate-KIC
• Ensure Climate-KIC and SPS visibility in the field of Circular Economy:
  • Collaboration with Education Theme and Marketing Department to develop content for educational formats, case studies, positioning papers and strong success stories for the SPS project and start-up portfolio
  • Provide regular updates on portfolio to enable SPS team members to leverage information for their work and creating new opportunities connected to the theme
  • Working with counterparts in other themes and with regional Climate-KIC centres, e.g. co-creation of ideation formats, provide input for regional events, etc.
  • Collaborate with Director and Business Development Lead on developing bids and pitches for fundraising.

Main Working Relationships

The Portfolio Manager reports to the Theme Director and is part of a small core team including a Flagship Program Manager, a Business Development Lead and a Business Analyst. The role cooperates with geographic teams and other theme portfolio managers to develop a consistent portfolio and ensure cross-cutting projects are well managed. In addition, the person collaborates with the Project Management Office to ensure consistency and interacts with Climate-KIC partners as part of managing the activity portfolio.

Profile and experience

This is a role that requires an experienced and enthusiastic portfolio manager who can develop, grow, and steer a great innovation portfolio across geographies, and is passionate about driving innovative climate solutions in close collaboration with end-users. The position requires a flexible, proactive, and collaborative working approach, and a good team player. The following qualifications, capabilities and experiences are important to us:

• Strong business expertise, ideally having been working in/for manufacturing industry with a proven track record of supporting successfully business model & technology innovation
• At least 5-8 years of experience in an international environment in portfolio management, innovation management, sustainability, or related experience in consulting business
• Strong analytical skills to understand quickly broad variety of technical sectors and identify innovation opportunities
• Demonstrated experience in stakeholder management, excellent interpersonal and communication skills and experience in multidisciplinary / international teams
• Capacity to represent Climate-KIC outside, demonstrated capacity to work at high level with business partners and key international organisations
• Ideally brings an already existing network of relevant contacts at EU level (e.g. industry partners, industry clusters, industry associations) in the SPS relevant value chains
• Excellent command of written and spoken English, excellent knowledge of MS Office

Our offer

We offer a vibrant working environment in an inspiring community of climate innovators across more than 140 partner organisations in Europe. The post-holder will be based at the candidate’s preferred Climate-KIC location throughout Europe but travel within Europe is required for this position. This is a fixed-term (2 year) position. Starting date will be negotiated but should be latest 01.01.2017.

For more information, please contact recruitment@climate-kic.org

Application Process

Climate-KIC values diversity and welcomes applications from all suitably qualified candidates regardless of age, gender, race, disability, sexual orientation, religion or ethnic background.

Please submit your CV (maximum 3 pages) and an application letter in English (maximum 2 pages) outlining your suitability for the role highlighting relevant experience to support your application.

Please send your full application to recruitment@climate-kic.org.