Portfolio Manager

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.

The foundation of our organisation is our geographic distribution and their corresponding partner ecosystems. Our geographies are represented through Co-Location Centres (CLCs), our Regional Innovation Implementation Community (RIC) and Regional Innovation Scheme (RIS) links where innovation is put into practice. These centres are where we build our knowledge and competency assets and where we manage delivery. By better connecting inputs, outputs, outcomes and impact our geographies will ensure that we deliver for climate action.

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

We are currently looking for a talented, highly dynamic, and motivated portfolio manager for our Smart Land Use theme.

This is a central role for the theme and will ensure that the consistency, the quality, and the impacts of the portfolio of activities are relevant to the scope of the theme. This individual will ensure that Climate-KIC maintains an overview of all activities relevant to the theme and is driving the portfolio toward impact. 

Key Responsibilities

Ensures overview of, and contribute to drive toward impact all running and alumni projects and start-ups that are related to the theme. This includes:

• Planning, preparing and participating in reviews and selection processes (projects, start-ups)
• Using KPIs as tools, assessing and ensuring progress within the pipeline, maintaining an overview
• Identifying and developing synergies between activities of “innovation” and “entrepreneurship” types
• Contributing to our climate accounting approach to select the most impactful innovations
• Ensuring the challenges identified are well addressed

Contributes to knowledge development & capture. This includes:

• Collecting the knowledge generated
• Working with business analyst, education team to support curation of this knowledge

Contributes to the improvement of quality assurance procedures. This includes:

• Working with the Project Management Office (PMO) to maintain and ensure implementation of a manual of procedures and best practices
• Contributes to budget planning, monitoring and performance reporting. This includes:
• Working with geographic teams to monitor progress of the different activities
• Contributing to the preparation of grant applications and associated reporting

 Key Working Relationships

The portfolio manager:

• Reports to the Theme Director
• Cooperates with other portfolio managers and geographic teams to develop a consistent portfolio and ensure cross-cutting projects are well managed
• Works with Project Management Office and other relevant persons in central team
• Has connections with the key KIC partners

Person Specification

Qualifications

• A relevant academic degree or qualification

Experience

Essential

• 5-8 years of experience in a role with similar responsibilities
• Entrepreneurship experience including ability to identify business opportunities and knowledge of IP regulations required
• Experience of working in multidisciplinary / international teams

Desirable

• Working in a highly dynamic, pan-European environment

Skills

Essential

• Highly effective communicator who can represent the organisation externally
• Strong networking skills in relevant sectors
• Excellent command of written and spoken English
• Ability to address content as well as for procedures & quality assurance mechanisms
• Ability to engage with and influence project teams
• Track record of project delivery within an international product development environment
• Proven skills in stakeholder management,
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
• People management skills with a proven track record of people management

 Desirable

• Working knowledge of SharePoint
• Fluency in more than one European language

 Qualities

Essential

• Strong collaborative approach to working
• Committed and passionate about the mission of Climate-KIC
• Service oriented attitude
• Proactive and resilient
• Lives the Climate-KIC community values which are: Dynamic, Passionate, Engaging, Open, Inspiring, Excellent and Empowering

 Terms of employment

This is a fixed-term position from 15 September 2016 till 15 April 2017. Starting date may be negotiated with current line managers but will be no later than 1^st October 2016. The post-holder will be based at one of our Co-location or Regional Innovation Centres.

The position includes travel within Europe.

 Further information

For more information please contact Kayla Arundell on kayla.arundell@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.

Your application should consist of a full curriculum vitae and a covering letter describing briefly how your profile, skills and experience meet the criteria outlined in the person specification, and outlining your interest in and vision for the role.

Please send your full application by close of business (18.00 GMT) on 18th September 2016 to recruitment@climate-kic.org.