EIC seeks up to six Programme Managers to steer Europe’s next deep-tech wave — deadline extended to 30 September 2021

Brussels, September 6th 2021

Summary

›The European Innovation Council and EISMEA opened a call to recruit up to six full-time EIC Programme Managers to lead portfolios of high-risk, high-impact deep-tech projects.
›Application deadline was extended to 30 September 2021 and shortlisted candidates face interviews in early October 2021.
›Programme Managers are temporary agents (AD9–AD11) appointed for up to four years and expected to provide vision, stakeholder brokerage and active portfolio management.
›Candidates must combine deep technical credibility with experience in research or innovation management and strong communication and networking skills; women are explicitly encouraged to apply.
›The role sits inside EISMEA and works across the EIC, interacting with the EIC Board, EIC Fund partners and wider European innovation actors; data sharing and due diligence partners include EIB, Alter Domus and Dealflow.

EIC Programme Managers: what the call is, who it targets and why it matters

The European Innovation Council (EIC) and the European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency (EISMEA) launched an open call for expressions of interest to recruit up to six Programme Managers. The role is new, high profile and explicitly designed to change how the EIC supports deep - tech research and the transition to market. The deadline for applications was extended and candidates must apply by 30 September 2021.

Role and purpose

What an EIC Programme Manager does:Programme Managers (PMs) design and champion technology visions, assemble and steer portfolios of EIC-funded projects, and broker connections between researchers, innovators, investors and users. They move beyond single-project oversight to shape thematic portfolios so that individually funded projects can produce collective, market-relevant impact. PMs act as content leaders in a handful of strategic technological or sectoral areas.

Why the EIC created PMs:Horizon Europe legislation encourages a proactive approach to managing high-risk innovation. The PM model is intended to concentrate technical intelligence, accelerate cross-project collaboration, reduce duplication, highlight bottlenecks such as regulatory or ecosystem gaps, and connect projects to business acceleration services and investors.

The immediate operational context

Where the role sits in the EU innovation architecture:The PMs are recruited by EISMEA which implements the EIC and other SME and innovation programmes. PMs report to the Head of the EIC Programme Managers’ Office and work closely with the EIC Board, EIC Fund, EIB and other ecosystem players. Current EIC Programme Managers already lead portfolios in areas such as biotechnology and health, medtech, materials for energy and environment, and energy systems.

Current named Programme Managers and their portfolios include Carina Faber (renewable energy conversion and alternative resource exploitation), Samira Nik (quantum tech and electronics), Isabel Obieta (sustainable semiconductors), Stella Tkatchova (space systems and technologies), Federica Zanca (MedTech and AI in healthcare), Franc Mouwen (architecture engineering construction technologies), Ivan Stefanic (food chain technologies), Paolo Bondavalli (advanced materials for energy), Hedi Karray (artificial intelligence) and Orsolya Symmons (health and biotechnology). This list reflects the EIC's already broad remit across deep-tech domains.

Who the EIC is looking for

Profile and combination of skills required:Ideal candidates combine a robust scientific or technical background in a relevant deep-tech field with experience in innovation management, technology transfer, start-up creation or early stage investment. They should be able to spot disruptive research, assemble multidisciplinary teams, and convert scientific results into business opportunities. Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement skills are essential.

Formal eligibility and experience thresholds:Applicants must hold a university diploma of at least four years in a related field and be nationals of an EU Member State. Language competence is required, including very good oral and written command of English. Professional experience minimums vary by grade: typically at least 10 years for AD9, 12 years for AD10, and 14 years for AD11. The role also requires fitness for duty and compliance with EU employment rules.

Behavioral and leadership competences:EISMEA asks for leadership and the ability to inspire and manage diverse teams, the capacity to connect actors across the innovation ecosystem, and strong outreach and communication skills. Candidates should demonstrate strategic thinking, creativity and a track record of delivering results in complex, high-risk research or innovation environments.

The selection process and what to submit

Application materials required:Candidates must submit a concise CV (maximum four pages), a PDF presentation (maximum six slides) outlining a proposed technological or innovation challenge programme addressing opportunity, timing, bottlenecks, impacts and why the candidate should lead it, and a short video (up to four minutes) explaining the candidate’s motivation, expectations and vision.

Stages of the procedure and timetable:Applications are screened for eligibility then assessed against selection criteria. Shortlisted applicants will be invited to interviews, conducted in English, where candidates will present their challenge pitch. Interviews were provisionally planned for weeks 40–41 (4–15 October 2021). Following interviews, a reserve list of approximately 15 candidates will be created and be valid initially until 31 December 2022. Inclusion on the reserve list does not guarantee employment.

Milestone	Details	Date / Deadline
Application deadline	Extended deadline for expressions of interest and complete application package	30 September 2021, 12:00 Brussels time
Interviews	Shortlisted candidates present their pitch and answer questions; held in English	Indicative: weeks 40–41 (4–15 October 2021)
Reserve list	Approx. 15 candidates to be placed on reserve list; list valid until at least 31 December 2022	Following interviews
Appointment	Employment offers made from the reserve list as needs arise	Subject to Director decision

Contract, grade and working conditions

Type of contract and duration:Selected Programme Managers are offered Temporary Agent contracts under Article 2(f) of the Conditions of Employment of Other Servants. The initial contract is for two years with the possibility of an extension to reach a maximum total appointment of four years.

Grade and step:Posts are classified in function group AD9 to AD11 depending on candidate experience and responsibilities. Classification and step on appointment will be made according to EISMEA implementing provisions and the candidate’s professional experience and qualifications.

Governance, data sharing and due diligence partners

Who the PM will work with and what data flows to expect:Programme Managers do not work in isolation. They coordinate with the EIC Board, EISMEA staff, the EIC Fund and other Commission services. For actions involving investment due diligence or EIC Fund equity, personal and company data may be processed with partners such as the European Investment Bank (EIB), Alter Domus (for KYC and fund accounting), and Dealflow.eu (for investor outreach and due diligence support). EISMEA and the Commission publish data protection notices describing the legal bases and retention periods for personal data related to EIC calls and the Accelerator.

Data protection safeguards and sharing:Data processing rests on legal bases in Regulation (EU) 2018/1725 for Union institutions. Personal data are stored in Commission or Agency systems and in some cases processed by contracted providers bound by confidentiality clauses. Applicants should expect collection of identification, CV and contact data, and for interview logistics additional ID and employment documentation. Candidates can exercise statutory rights such as access, rectification and complaint to the EDPS.

Areas of expertise sought and example thematic fields

The call is open to candidates from any deep-tech field complementary to current PM portfolios. EISMEA gave illustrative examples rather than a prescriptive list. These examples include unconventional ICT and cybersecurity, quantum technologies, novel artificial or robotic intelligence, femtech, bio-inspired hybrid technologies, food chain and sustainable nutrition technologies, planet-first and biodiversity technologies, blue economy technologies, novel propulsion and transport, and space data and applications.

Equal opportunity, conflicts of interest and transparency

Diversity and selection fairness:EISMEA stresses equality, non-discrimination and a commitment to diversity. The agency explicitly encourages women to apply and indicates that in cases of equal merit priority will be given to women candidates. All appointments are expected to follow merit and achievement criteria.

Conflict of interest and ethical expectations:Because PMs operate at the intersection of public funding and private innovation they are subject to measures to manage and mitigate conflicts of interest. Candidates should be prepared to disclose relevant links to commercial actors, past investments and advisory roles. The role demands professional integrity and adherence to EU public service principles.

What this appointment model means for European innovation, and caveats

The Programme Manager model is an explicit experiment in active public management of high-risk, potentially transformative innovation. Placing sectoral experts inside the EIC can shorten the route from lab to market by coordinating portfolios, unlocking cross-project synergies and surfacing barriers such as regulation or supply chain weaknesses. The EIC’s budgets under Horizon Europe and its associated EIC Fund amplify the potential impact of PM-led initiatives.

However the model raises governance questions that merit scrutiny. Concentrating steering power in named PMs risks privileging certain visions and networks. Conflicts of interest must be robustly managed given the proximity to investment decisions and private actors. A reserve list is not a guarantee of employment and the role remains temporary. Finally PM success depends on wider ecosystem cooperation, the availability of additional funding instruments and realistic expectations about how quickly deep-tech research becomes scalable business.

Practical next steps for applicants

Before you apply:Prepare a targeted CV of no more than four pages, a six-slide PDF that crystallises a credible deep - tech challenge and programme, and a short video pitch up to four minutes. Check eligibility, be ready to provide documentary evidence of experience and identity for interview logistics and be prepared to declare potential conflicts of interest. Submit your full package before 30 September 2021, 12:00 Brussels time.

For successful candidates this role offers a rare combination of policy influence, hands-on leadership of funded deep-tech portfolios and visibility across Europe’s innovation networks. For the EIC and the Commission the PM experiment is a strategic bet on making EU funding more targeted and interventionist. Observers should watch how transparency, conflict management and results measurement are handled as the first crop of PM initiatives mature.

Sources and further reading

This article synthesises the EISMEA and EIC call for expression of interest EISMEA recruitment notice, related data protection and EIC programme pages and the published role profiles and news pieces about current Programme Managers. Applicants should consult the official EISMEA/EIC webpages and the EIC data protection notice for the Accelerator for the full legal texts and procedural details.