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) in Europe (based in Poland, Spain, Germany, the UK and Belgium), each working with and for partners in several EU and associate countries.
Visit our website: https://www.eitfood.eu.
JOB DESCRIPTION
The role of the EIT Community Officer encompasses three primary operational domains aimed at fostering collaboration, disseminating information, and enhancing the visibility of the EIT Community. The successful candidate will be employed by EIT Food to facilitate functioning of EIT Community RIS Hub Poland (EIT CRH) and work supporting all EIT Knowledge and Innovation Communities (EIT KICs) operating in Poland: EIT Digital, EIT Climate-KIC, EIT Culture and Creativity, EIT Food, EIT Health, EIT Innoenergy, EIT Manufacturing, EIT RawMaterials, EIT Urban Mobility. Responsibilities include orchestrating various EIT Community awareness-raising events, facilitating participation in national events, managing information dissemination through multiple channels, and overseeing the upkeep of the EIT Community RIS Hub website.
Additionally, the Officer is tasked with identifying opportunities for external projects involving EIT KICs, supporting the implementation of joint activities aligned with regional priorities, active scouting for participants and beneficiaries of EIT KICs activities also serving as a central contact point for local stakeholders and innovation ecosystem actors. Furthermore, the Officer is entrusted with nurturing relationships with EIT Community RIS Hub members: Co-Location Centres and offices or dedicated Hubs of EIT KICs in the country, establishing physical spaces for stakeholder engagement, maintaining records of EIT CRH, reporting and streamlining administrative processes to optimize operational efficiency.
We are looking for a highly motivated individual with experience in ecosystem management and European project management with multiple partnership. This person should strive to generate positive environmental and social impact in line with EIT mission and foster a shared understanding of goals and commitments across teams with different styles and expectations.
You will report to the Director of EIT Food North-East region.
MAIN DUTIES & RESPONSABILITIES
Leading Role:
- Serve as a centralized contact gateway for local stakeholders to the EIT Community and refer them to relevant EIT KIC contacts.
- Suggest and support the implementation of possible joint activities among EIT KICs aligned with relevant RIS3 priorities.
- Scout for and recommend opportunities to implement joint projects financed through EU/national/regional funds (including ESIF and IPA III).
- Actively scout for new potential partners and start-ups which can join the KICs’ programmes, specifically for KICs not present in the country.
- Support updating of local Country-specific roadmaps and assist with their implementation as required.
Regarding Events and Dissemination:
- Lead the organization of shared EIT Community awareness-raising events (including a kick-off event of the EIT Community RIS Hub Poland and events connected with EU Presidency).
- Maintain awareness of and respect other dissemination and scouting events organized by EIT Community members.
- Design appropriate methods and tools for information sharing and coordination and actively collect and disseminate information about KICs’ funding opportunities, events, and initiatives organised or promoted by the KICs through applicable channels.
- Support the participation of EIT Community representatives in relevant national events and coordinate the collection and dissemination of funding opportunities and key events from sources other than those from the KICs, in collaboration with the local CLC colleagues.
- Manage and update the EIT Community RIS Hub website https://eit-ris.eu, both in English and in Polish with information on EIT Community activities and opportunities, including dedicated sections for specific stakeholders.
Supporting Role:
- Provide additional support to the EIT and EIT KICs in navigating the local innovation landscape (ecosystem mapping) and securing co-funding opportunities.
- Support a coordinated approach among EIT CRH members towards national authorities.
- Develop a thorough understanding of the EIT model and stay updated with KIC activities by establishing good working relationships with EIT Community RIS Hub members and other KIC offices.
- Manage KPIs, deliverables, milestones and reporting.
EXPERIENCE & SKILLS:
Qualifications and experience
- University degree in management, business administration, economics, law, entrepreneurship, political or social science, environmental studies, sustainability, or other innovation related fields or equivalent by experience
- Minimum 3 years of relevant working experience in innovation, entrepreneurship and/or European affairs as project manager or key expert
- Minimum 1 year of experience working for an EU-financed project
- Experience in project management with multiple stakeholders
- In addition, it will be nice to have:
- Connection to and knowledge of the local innovation ecosystem in Poland.
- Knowledge of the EIT system, collaboration experience with EIT/EIT KICs/RIS Hubs in the last 8 years.
- Experience of working in a multi-national and multi-cultural environment
Skills
- Solid public speaking and presentation skills
- Excellent ability to connect and communicate effectively with individuals from different countries and backgrounds
- Professionalism and personal culture, including comfort in connecting with high-level executives, experts and government officials
- Conflict resolution and negotiating skills, ability to engage in multilateral dialogue
- Respect for time schedules and deadlines, and attention to detail
- Excellent ability to keep track of a high number of different tasks and topics at the same time
- Ability to work both independently and in small (multi-national) teams contributing to joint success
- A can-do attitude
- Excellent command of Microsoft Office tools (including Word and Excel)
- C1 level fluency and excellent verbal and written communication skills in English
- C1 level fluency and excellent verbal and written communication skills in Polish
- Another European language would be an advantage
- Managerial skills to follow up on KPIs, deliverables and financial reporting
WHAT WE OFFER
Working at EIT Food for EIT Communities means joining a team of like-minded individuals who are dedicated to creating a better future through innovations. 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 addressing key societal and environmental challenges for European societies with innovative solutions generating positive impact.
As a valued member of our team, we'll provide you with a competitive salary and comprehensive benefits package:
- a salary package consisting of a monthly salary and annual bonus,
- health care insurance and a generous holiday allowance,
- flexibility and the balance between work and private life – We are flexible when it comes to working from home and fixed office hours.
Great colleagues in a creative and diverse team speaking different languages from around Europe, fantastic intellectual discourse, mission-driven and intensely passionate people.
Great colleagues in a creative and diverse team speaking different languages from all over Europe, mission-driven and intensely passionate people open to fantastic intellectual discourse are an added bonus.
CONTRACT TYPE
Full-time fixed term position until 31 December 2025 (with trial period of up to 3 months).
LOCATION & TRAVEL FREQUENCY
The position is based in Warsaw (Poland) and requires occasional travel within Europe.
APPLICATION
Interested candidates are asked to upload their CV and Cover Letter in English in electronic format to CV Warehouse before August 5th 2024. Please note that this position can be closed at any time if the right candidate is found. Applications and interviews will be carried out on a rolling basis.
Shortlisted candidates will 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. If you require specific conditions for the interview process, please let us know.