JOB VACANCY AT EIT FOOD
ECOSYSTEM MANAGER
ABOUT EIT FOOD
EIT Food is Europe’s leading food innovation initiative, working to make the food system more sustainable, healthy and trusted by consumers. Established by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) in 2017, EIT Food is a fast-growing partnership organisation focusing on entrepreneurship and innovation in the food sector.
EIT Food is a member organisation bringing together key industry players, agri-food startups, research centres and universities from across Europe representing the food value chain in Europe. In addition to thematic leadership, EIT Food is also responsible for coordinating a multi-million euro EU grant allocation from the EIT and distributing it among its partners and stakeholders for the implementation of projects.
EIT Food headquarters (HQ) are based in Leuven (Belgium) and it has 5 regional offices (Co-Location Centres or CLCs) in Europe (based in Poland, Spain, Germany, the UK and Belgium), each working with and for partners in several EIT Food partner countries.
Visit our website: https://www.eitfood.eu
JOB DESCRIPTION
As an Ecosystem Manager for EIT Food, your primary responsibility is to develop and grow the ecosystem of partners, participants, connections, and startups in one of our three regions (i.c. North-East) Working closely with the regional leadership team, you will shape the ecosystem so that it meets the needs of EIT Food by engaging a broad range of organizations and communities, building a strong presence for EIT Food in the region, and developing and managing a broad network of people and organizations.
THE POSITION WITHIN THE ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE:
Reporting line to the CLC North-East Regional Director in a matrix organization.
You will work with other Ecosystem Managers in your specific region as a team focusing on different Community Partners and audience types.
MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Develop an Ecosystem Plan: You will develop a comprehensive plan, working with others across your region, that outlines the shape and size of the ecosystem needed by EIT Food in your assigned region. This plan should identify key partners, stakeholders, and startups that can contribute to the growth of the ecosystem, as well as organisations we would like to be engaged in our community.
- Engage with Stakeholders: You will need to engage with key stakeholders, including potential partners and participants, to build relationships and foster collaborations. This will involve attending events, conferences, and other networking opportunities to build a strong ecosystem, as well as using all of our communication channels.
- Facilitate Collaborations: You will be responsible for facilitating collaborations between partners, participants, and startups in the ecosystem. This may involve organising workshops, hackathons, and other events to promote collaboration and innovation. Where the region runs a RIS programme, the Ecosystem manager will act as a main contact point for Hubs and partners from RIS countries.
- Support Key Account Managers: You will work to identify new partners and participants and to support ongoing projects. You will also provide feedback on the performance of partners and participants in the ecosystem.
- Work with Communications, Marketing and other Functional Teams within EIT Food: You will collaborate with other teams to develop and execute strategies that promote the growth of the ecosystem. This may involve creating content, developing social media campaigns, seeking or providing regional intelligence and promoting ecosystem events.
- Monitor and Evaluate the Ecosystem: You will need to monitor the progress of the ecosystem and evaluate its effectiveness in achieving the goals of EIT Food. This will involve analyzing data, identifying trends, and making recommendations for improvement, as well as sharing success stories from across our community.
EXPERIENCE & SKILLS
To be successful in this role, you should have strong interpersonal skills, be comfortable working in a fast-paced environment, and have experience in ecosystem building and collaboration. You should also have a deep understanding of the food and agriculture industry and be passionate about promoting sustainable and healthy food systems.
Ideally, the candidate has:
- Bachelor or Master’s degree in a relevant discipline, g. food technology, agronomy, nutrition, sciences, business administration, finance etc.
- At least 3 year’s experience in a similar community management or networking role
- Experience of working in the food industry and/or an understanding of the needs of either industry, university/research institutions, start-ups and entrepreneurs or learners
- Strong team player; willingness and openness to work with other members of the partnership team to improve the partner experience together
- Impact mindset: Strong focus on driving measurable outcomes that contribute to the success of the partnership
- Collaborative approach: Ability to work closely with teams across EIT Food, as well as with external partners
- Strong communication skills: Ability to communicate effectively with partners, stakeholders, and senior management, using a range of channels and formats
- Excellent presentation and public-speaking skills; comfortable talking to media and representing EIT Food
- Very good English language skills are a prerequisite, fluency in languages of relevance to individual regions welcomed
- Flexibility: the ability to work in a rapidly changing organization
- Organisational sensitivity and business acumen: ability to translate business needs and problems into
WHAT WE OFFER
Working at EIT Food means joining a team of like-minded individuals who are dedicated to creating a better future through food innovation. We cultivate a culture of collaboration, inventiveness, inclusivity, and constructive feedback. All employees are encouraged to contribute their ideas and expertise towards our mission of creating a more sustainable and inclusive food system.
Together, we're making a real impact on the food industry and we're looking for talented individuals like you to join us.
As a valued member of our team, we'll provide you with a competitive salary and comprehensive benefits package.
CONTRACT TYPE
Full-time permanent position.
LOCATION & TRAVEL FREQUENCY
The role will be based in Warsaw or remotely in the Nordics.
Frequent travel within Europe will be required
APPLICATION
Interested candidates are asked to upload their CV and Cover Letter in English in electronic format to CV Warehouse before 01.04.2024
Shortlisted candidates may be invited for an interview and may be asked to prove their background, qualifications, skills and experiences by providing relevant documents.
EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES
EIT Food is an equal opportunity employer, offering each candidate matching the minimum obligatory qualifications and experiences an equal chance in employment and promotion procedures.