Senior Bid Manager

Job SummaryThe candidate will own the complete lifecycle of our strategic funding acquisition efforts, from opportunity identification through successful project delivery. This senior leadership position requires a proven track record in securing multi-million-euro funding streams, with particular expertise in HORIZON Europe Research and Innovation Actions (RIA) and Innovation Actions (IA) schemes. You will be responsible for building and maintaining the partner ecosystems essential for complex consortium leadership, while ensuring our bid activities strategically align with our core mission of bridging public ambition and private capital.This role demands excellence in both technical bid management and strategic vision. The successful candidate will understand that in the impact space, winning bids requires more than compliance with formal requirements. It demands the ability to craft compelling narratives that resonate with evaluators, translate complex innovations into fundable propositions, and orchestrate diverse stakeholders around shared visions. You will see each bid not as an isolated opportunity but as a building block in long-term ecosystem development and organizational growth. The ideal candidate's network spans sectors and geographies, and is equally comfortable engaging with government ministers, venture capitalists, academic researchers, and social entrepreneurs.Position DetailsJob Title: Senior Bid Manager - EU & International FundingLocation: Milan OR London (hybrid) with travels across European and Asian marketsType: Full-timeKey ResponsibilitiesStrategic Business DevelopmentGenerate and maintain a qualified pipeline exceeding €2M annually through strategic market intelligence, proactive opportunity identification. Ensure that all bidding activities are strategically aligned with the company's priorities and mission in ESG, impact investing, and innovation ecosystem development.Lead the full lifecycle of complex, multi-stakeholder proposals for HORIZON Europe RIA and IA schemes, ensuring technical excellence while crafting narratives that demonstrate both innovation potential and societal impact.Coordinate comprehensive proposal development processes, including partner engagement, content drafting, budgeting, and administrative compliance, while maintaining our target success rate of 25% or higher.Developing deep relationships with funding bodies, understanding emerging policy priorities before calls are published, and positioning our organization at the forefront of funding trends.Operational ExcellenceEstablish and continuously refine bid management processes that ensure consistent success rates while maintaining efficiency across multiple concurrent proposals.Implement systems for knowledge management, template development, and capturing lessons learned that strengthen our institutional capability.Oversee quality assurance processes ensuring all submissions meet the highest technical and presentation standards, while building a repository of best practices that can be scaled across the organization.Conduct structured, periodic scouting and reporting of funding opportunities, including both grants and public tenders at EU and international levels.Monitor policy and programme developments to inform project strategy and opportunity targeting, ensuring we remain ahead of market trends and policy shifts.Ecosystem LeadershipOrchestrate complex international consortiums spanning public institutions, private capital, research organizations, and impact-focused enterprises.Navigate cross-border regulatory requirements while building lasting partnerships that extend beyond individual bids. Act as our primary relationship manager with key ecosystem players, positioning the company as the preferred partner for high-impact initiatives.Contribute to consortium building and maintain relationships with relevant stakeholders and networks across Europe and beyond, leveraging our existing network while strategically expanding into new geographies and sectors aligned with our Asia-Europe focus. This includes managing relationships with at least 50 active partners and continuously expanding this network to support our growth objectives.Required QualificationsEDUCATION & CERTIFICATIONMaster's degree required. While all relevant specializations will be considered based on experience and track record, particularly valuable backgrounds include Engineering, Innovation Management, Technology Transfer, Environmental Science, European Studies, International Relations, Public Policy or Social Sciences. Candidates with technical degrees combined with demonstrated experience in research commercialization or policy implementation are especially encouraged to apply.EXPERIENCEAt least 5 years of experience in EU project design and proposal writing, particularly under HORIZON ****/HORIZON Europe.At least 2 successful awarded RIA or IA project within the last 5 years, demonstrating your ability to navigate complex technical requirements and evaluation criteria.High quality rate submissions/award track record > 25%.Proven ability to develop and manage a €2M+ annual pipeline with clear strategic rationale for opportunity selection. Must demonstrate how previous pipeline development aligned with organizational strategy rather than opportunistic bidding.Demonstrated experience with at least one of the following: innovation ecosystem development projects, ESG/impact measurement initiatives, public-private partnership structuring, or deep tech commercialization programs.Domain expertise in one of the following areas: sustainability, innovation ecosystems, deep tech commercialization, and public-private partnerships.Established partners network and portfolio and experience in creating and leading a consortium through the whole life cycle (design, award, delivery, postmortem) across different geographies regulatory regimes, and expertise domain.Proven capability in systematic opportunity scouting for EU and international funding opportunities.Experience managing post-award project delivery for complex multi-partner initiatives, including consortium coordination, milestone management, and stakeholder reporting.Track record of thought leadership in relevant domains, demonstrated through published articles, conference presentations, or policy contributions that position the organization as a sector leader.TECHNICAL SKILLSProfessional certification or demonstrated proficiency in project management methodologies (e.g., PMP, PRINCE2).EU Funding and Tenders Portal.Deep understanding of evaluation criteria and proposal requirements.Know-how with impact measurement methodologies and ESG reporting frameworks.Advanced financial modelling capabilities for developing complex multi-partner budgets coordination across different regulatory frameworks and understanding blended finance structure.Proficiency with collaborative proposal development platforms and collaboration tools for consortium coordination and project management.Digital Tools: Proficiency with cloud-based document management, expense management systems, and collaboration tools.Experience with innovation management tools and methodologies used in challenge-based programs and acceleration initiatives.LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTSEnglish: Native or Business-level fluency (C1)CORE COMPETENCIESStrategic Vision: ability to identify and shape funding opportunities that align with long-term market trends and company positioning that create sustainable competitive advantages.Stakeholder Orchestration: proven capability to align diverse partner interests and manage complex multi-stakeholder dynamics across cultural and regulatory boundaries.Analytical Thinking: Strong problem-solving skills with attention to detail and accuracy.Independence: Self-directed work style with minimal supervision requirements.Communication: Excellent written and verbal communication skills across all stakeholder levels.Commercial Acumen: Demonstrated ability to identify opportunities that balance social impact with financial sustainability, understanding how to structure proposals that satisfy both public funders and private partners while advancing company strategic objectives.Adaptability: Comfort with ambiguity and changing priorities in a startup environment.PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONSExperience in tenders EU, and in other bodies such as multilateral banks.Familiarity with other funding programmes (e.g., LIFE, Digital Europe, Interreg).Knowledge of additional languages from the Middle East or Far East (e.g., Arabic, Mandarin, Japanese, Korean, Hindi).Published track record in relevant domains (ESG, impact investing, innovation policy, or sector-specific expertise).Experience with emerging funding instruments such as Social Impact Bonds, blended finance facilities, or innovation procurement.Existing relationships with key European and Asian funding bodies, innovation agencies, and impact investment networks.Experience in fundraising/application for grants by philanthropic institutionsStartup Experience: Previous experience in high-growth startup environments.Consulting Industry Knowledge: Understanding of consulting business models, project-based revenue, and professional services operations.