Project Officer

KIC InnoEnergy

Amsterdam, Netherlands

KIC InnoEnergy (KIC IE) is the European company dedicated to promoting innovation, entrepreneurship and education in the sustainable energy field, by bringing together academics, businesses and research institutes. 

Its goal is to make a positive impact on the transition to sustainable energy in Europe, by creating future game changers with a different mind-set, and bringing innovative products, services and successful companies to life, and by focusing on three business lines:

• providing acceleration services to start-ups and ventures by supporting entrepreneurs with their business ideas, strengthening their business models, building expert teams, and providing access to finance;
• supporting innovation in the field and bring innovative ideas to life that have a positive impact on sustainable energy in Europe;
• providing Master´s and PhD educational programmes that deliver knowledge and skills to students and managers that will shape the future of the energy sector.

This unique focus on the delivery of real products, services, talent and new companies to the Energy Sector is not only providing significant business opportunities, but also a societal obligation of outstanding performance and delivery of true impact.

Established in 2010, KIC IE is one of the first Knowledge and Innovation Communities (KICs) fostered by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT); a commercial company with 27 shareholders that include top ranking industries, research centres and universities, all of which are key players in the energy field. More than 200 partners contribute to its activities to form a unique, first class and dynamic network that is always open to new entrants and furthers our pursuit of excellence. Although profit-oriented, KIC IE has a “not for dividend” financial strategy, reinvesting any profits it generates back into its business activities.

With its headquarters in the Netherlands, KIC IE develops activities across offices located in Belgium, France, Germany, Netherlands, Spain, Portugal, Poland and Sweden.

KIC IE is committed to reducing costs in the energy value chain, increasing security and reducing CO2 and other greenhouse gas emissions.

To achieve this, it focuses its activities around 8 thematic areas:

• Clean Coal Technologies;
• Energy from Chemical Fuels;
• Energy Efficiency;
• Electricity Storage;
• Renewable Energies;
• Smart and Efficient Buildings and Cities;
• Sustainable Nuclear and Renewable Convergence;
• Smart Electric Grid.

Context

The funding of the KIC IE organization and its innovation activities in the Energy Sector, is obtained from a number of sources, varying from cash contributions by KIC IE partners, private sector investments and public funding from European instruments, to fresh cash generated by the return on investment from KIC IE activities.

With the strategic objective to become financially self sustainable over time, the European subsidy grant from the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) has been, and continues to be, the largest source of funding for KIC IE for the upcoming years.

The rules, regulations, terms and conditions of this grant are based on the EU Horizon 2020 Program (H2020) and are laid down in a Framework Partnership Agreement (FPA) between EIT and KIC IE.

This FPA calls for the development by KIC of multi-annual strategies linked to the overarching strategic objectives of KIC IE.

In addition, these strategies need to be translated into annual Business Plans, which in turn form the basis of the KIC IE annual grant application for H2020 funds.

Also on an annual basis, KIC IE and its partners need to report on the detail of the work carried out, deliverables achieved and KPI of their activities, thus substantiating the consumption of the EIT grant.

The complexity of the large network of KIC IE partners from all over Europe, the large variety of the projects and programs carried out in each of KIC IE’s Business Lines, the uniqueness of KIC IE’s business model, the continuous evolution of the EIT – KIC IE relationship and the continuation of steep business growth, are causing the accurate and timely development of these annual Business Plans and Grant Assessment (GA) Reports not only to be of vital importance to KIC IE’s short term business continuity, but also to be a task significant in complexity and size.

In order to strengthen the KIC IE organization in line with the expected continuation of growth, as well as in response to a career step of the incumbent officer, KIC IE is now looking to recruit a EIT Project Officer with the key responsibility to ensure the accurate, compliant and timely delivery of highest quality annual Business Plans and GA Reports to EIT.

This position is new and requires a unique combination of three key success factor competences:

• Project management: orchestrating the preparation of Business Plans and GA Reports across hundreds of partner resources and KIC IE staff across the European Energy sector;
• Relationship Management: developing, maintaining, negotiating and improving the operational interaction between KIC IE and EIT through the continuous development of personal relationships and improvement of planning/reporting processes and operating practices;
• Knowledge: applying sound knowledge of, and practical experience with, public funding instruments in general and H2020 in particular, in order to improve the interface and relationship between KIC IE and EIT, and contribute to its overall business success.

In addition, the position offers a unique opportunity to become part of, and add significant value to, a fast growing and international company, with a unique network and team structure across the energy sector in Europe, and with significant business-, career- and societal relevance opportunities.

EIT Project Officer – mission, scope and profile

The mission of the EIT Project Officer is to secure the funding of KIC InnoEnergy from the EIT.

Reporting to the KIC IE CFO, the scope of the EIT Project Officer is the entire KIC InnoEnergy business, including all Business Lines, Colocation Centers, support functions and Partners.

Key responsibilities for the EIT Project Officer include:

• Organizing, project managing and securing the accurate, compliant and timely delivery of the annual EIT Grant Business Plan and corresponding annual GA reports to the EIT, across the KIC IE organization and the extended KIC IE partner base, at minimal cost to KIC IE and its Partners;
• Collaborating with KIC IE CEO and CFO, as well as aligning and negotiating with the other KIC’s and with key EIT staff, to secure that reasonable, workable, timely and favourable EIT guidelines are put in place by EIT to govern the annual Business Planning and GA Reporting cycles;
• Contribute to the continuous monitoring of progress by the KIC IE organization and its Partners on the Business Plans, and collaborate with the relevant KIC IE staff to develop and deliver amendments to the annual Business Plan to the EIT as required;
• Management of the KIC IE Compliance function including people management of the KIC IE Compliance Officers;
• Matrix- and project management of KIC IE staff as well as KIC IE Partner resources during the annual Business Planning and GA reporting cycles;
• Single Point of Contact to the EIT KIC IE Project Officer, and applying the KIC IE account management principles and operating practices to manage EIT as a Key Account of KIC IE;
• Implement and maintain a regular cadence of on site visits and meetings between KIC IE and EIT aimed at establishing sound collaboration, grant cycle status transparency, open and comprehensive communications and continuous process improvement;
• Represent KIC IE on various cross-KIC and EIT initiatives, task force teams and projects, aimed at improving the EIT grant cycle management and monitoring processes;
• Act as the KIC IE Business Process Owner for all EIT related processes and ICT systems, amongst which the Grant Cycle Management tool.

The EIT Project Officer meets the following competence profile:

• MSc public administration or finance curriculum, supplemented with Project Management education;
• Sound understanding of international and EU policies and public investor logic;
• Strong business acumen and understanding of finance;
• > 5 years international business experience on the intersection between public and private sector;
• > 3 years practical experience with the operational management of EU subsidy grant programs;
• > 3 years experience of mobilizing people, leading complex programs and driving results in a heavily matrixed and complex international environment;
• Persistent and able to be successful in a challenging and ambiguous business environment;
• Ability to drive transparency and simplicity in complex administrative and business process;
• Clear inter-personal communication;
• Strong negotiation and influencing skills;
• Strong personality yet empathic, humble and helpful;
• Hands-on and analytical, organized and accurate;
• Fluent in English;
• 20% travel across Europe.

Please apply by sending your CV and a cover letter to louise.cuijpers@kic-innoenergy.com. For inquiries you can phone 0031 40 800 22 88.