Senior Bid Manager - EU & International Funding

Company Overview

We are a specialized consultancy with a decade-long track record securing multi-million-euro funding at the intersection of public ambition and private capital. With offices in Milan and London, we operate across Europe and Asia, delivering social impact through profitable business models. Our expertise lies in transforming innovative concepts into fundable propositions, impact investing, and innovation ecosystem development. We are the trusted partner for complex public-private partnerships, creating structures where all stakeholders win. As we scale our strategic bidding capabilities, we seek an exceptional professional to lead our Bid Factory practice area.

Job Summary

You will own the complete lifecycle of strategic funding acquisition, from opportunity identification through successful delivery. This senior role requires a proven track record securing multi-million-euro funding streams, with particular expertise in HORIZON Europe RIA and IA schemes. You will build partner ecosystems essential for complex consortium leadership while ensuring bid activities align with our mission of bridging public ambition and private capital.

The successful candidate understands that winning impact-focused bids requires more than compliance—it demands compelling narratives that resonate with evaluators, the ability to translate complex innovations into fundable propositions, and orchestration of diverse stakeholders around shared visions. You will see each bid as a building block in long-term ecosystem development. Your network spans sectors and geographies; you engage equally comfortably with ministers, venture capitalists, researchers, and social entrepreneurs.

Position Details

• Title: Senior Bid Manager - EU & International Funding
• Location: Milan OR London (hybrid), with travel across European and Asian markets
• Type: Full-time Contractor with opportunity for employment and future partnership based on results

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Business Development

• Generate and maintain a qualified pipeline exceeding €2M annually through strategic market intelligence and proactive opportunity identification
• Lead full lifecycle of complex, multi-stakeholder HORIZON Europe RIA/IA proposals, ensuring technical excellence and compelling impact narratives
• Coordinate proposal development including partner engagement, content drafting, budgeting, and compliance, maintaining target success rate of 25%+
• Develop deep relationships with funding bodies, understanding emerging priorities before calls publish

Operational Excellence

• Establish and refine bid management processes ensuring consistent success rates across concurrent proposals
• Implement knowledge management systems, templates, and lessons learned repositories
• Oversee quality assurance ensuring highest technical and presentation standards
• Conduct structured scouting and reporting of EU and international funding opportunities
• Monitor policy developments to inform strategy and opportunity targeting

Ecosystem Leadership

• Orchestrate complex international consortiums spanning public institutions, private capital, research organizations, and impact enterprises
• Navigate cross-border regulatory requirements while building lasting partnerships
• Act as primary relationship manager with key ecosystem players
• Manage relationships with 50+ active partners while strategically expanding into new geographies aligned with our Asia-Europe focus

Required Qualifications

Education Master's degree required. Valuable backgrounds include Engineering, Innovation Management, Technology Transfer, Environmental Science, European Studies, International Relations, Public Policy, or Social Sciences. Technical degrees combined with research commercialization or policy implementation experience especially welcomed.

Experience

• 5+ years in EU project design and proposal writing, particularly HORIZON 2020/Europe
• At least 2 successful awarded RIA or IA projects within last 5 years
• Submission/award track record >25%
• Proven €2M+ annual pipeline development with strategic rationale for opportunity selection
• Experience with at least one: innovation ecosystem development, ESG/impact measurement, public-private partnership structuring, or deep tech commercialization
• Domain expertise in sustainability, innovation ecosystems, deep tech, or public-private partnerships
• Established partner network with experience leading consortiums through full lifecycle across different geographies and regulatory regimes
• Systematic EU and international funding opportunity scouting
• Post-award project delivery management for complex multi-partner initiatives

Technical Skills

• Project management certification or demonstrated proficiency (PMP, PRINCE2)
• EU Funding and Tenders Portal expertise
• Deep understanding of evaluation criteria and proposal requirements
• Impact measurement methodologies and ESG reporting frameworks
• Advanced financial modelling for multi-partner budgets and blended finance structures
• Proficiency with collaborative proposal platforms and consortium coordination tools

Language English: Native or C1 fluency

Core Competencies

• Strategic Vision: Identify funding opportunities aligned with market trends and company positioning
• Stakeholder Orchestration: Align diverse partner interests across cultural and regulatory boundaries
• Analytical Thinking: Strong problem-solving with attention to detail
• Independence: Self-directed with minimal supervision
• Communication: Excellent written and verbal skills across all stakeholder levels
• Commercial Acumen: Balance social impact with financial sustainability
• Adaptability: Comfort with ambiguity in startup environment

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with EU tenders and multilateral banks
• Familiarity with LIFE, Digital Europe, Interreg programmes
• Additional languages (Arabic, Mandarin, Japanese, Korean, Hindi)
• Published track record in ESG, impact investing, or innovation policy
• Experience with Social Impact Bonds, blended finance, or innovation procurement
• Existing relationships with European/Asian funding bodies and innovation agencies
• Philanthropic grant application experience
• Startup and consulting industry experience

What We Offer

Professional Development

• Leadership opportunity to build a strategic business unit with P&L responsibility
• Cross-functional exposure with leadership team
• High-impact, cross-border project portfolio
• Industry network and diverse client exposure

Work-Life Balance

• Flexible schedule with hybrid setup (2-3 days/week in office)
• Location flexibility between Milan and London
• Collaborative startup culture with direct impact visibility

Compensation & Benefits

• Competitive market-rate salary
• Performance bonus tied to win rates and funding secured
• Equity participation opportunity as unit scales

Application Process

• Initial screening call (30 min)
• Technical interview: track record, case study on past bids, consortium management, impact framework (90 min)
• Final leadership interviews (2 x 30 min)

Equal Opportunity Statement

We welcome applications from all qualified candidates regardless of race, gender, age, religion, sexual orientation, or disability status. Data processed per GDPR 2016/679 and UK Data Protection Act 2018.