Inside the role of an EIC Programme Manager: what the job actually involves

Brussels, September 13th 2021

Summary

›EIC Programme Managers provide sectoral leadership inside the European Innovation Council by developing scientific intelligence and actively managing portfolios of projects to accelerate breakthrough technologies.
›The role combines deep technical expertise with an ability to translate research into market opportunities, plus stakeholder convening and portfolio orchestration skills.
›Programme Managers are a new, evolving full-time function inside EISMEA and the EIC, tasked with shaping calls, supporting collaboration across projects, and brokering routes to market including grant and investment components.
›Candidates should expect a blend of science, innovation management and public sector processes and to work across Pathfinder, Transition and Accelerator instruments as well as with the EIC Fund and external ecosystem actors.

Inside the role of an EIC Programme Manager

The European Innovation Council has introduced a new in-house role called Programme Manager to provide sector-specific leadership for deep tech portfolios. The function was described in interviews with two early incumbents who joined the EIC in October 2020. Their accounts show a position that sits between traditional programme management, strategic intelligence and active portfolio stewardship. The role aims to turn disruptive research into marketable technologies by combining scientific oversight, community building and a hands-on approach to helping projects navigate the path to impact.

Core mission and day-to-day tasks

Programme Managers are responsible for three interlinked activities: identifying high-potential technological challenges, shaping competitive calls and selecting projects, and then actively managing portfolios to increase the likelihood that scientific results become market-ready innovations. They work across the EIC instruments and engage a wide range of stakeholders including researchers, entrepreneurs, investors, national contact points and ecosystem intermediaries.

Scientific intelligence:Programme Managers develop sectoral scientific and technology intelligence to spot disruptive research trajectories and emerging opportunities. This includes monitoring research trends, technology readiness, investment activity and gaps in the innovation ecosystem that block scaleup.

Portfolio stewardship:Beyond deciding which projects receive support, PMs actively manage project portfolios. That can mean creating common roadmaps, organising data sharing, brokering collaborations between complementary teams and steering projects towards investors or additional business acceleration services.

Ecosystem convening:PMs act as convenors across academic, industrial and investor communities. They run workshops and Info Days, engage national and regional actors, and use these channels to amplify successful projects and find routes to follow-up funding or partnerships.

Where the role sits within the EIC and EISMEA

Programme Managers are appointed full-time within the European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency, EISMEA. The role is designed to be a medium-term post, with appointments typically lasting up to four years. PMs work closely with the EIC’s funding strands including Pathfinder, Transition and Accelerator and with the EIC Fund when investment components are involved.

Pathfinder, Transition and Accelerator explained:Pathfinder supports high-risk, long-horizon research to explore new scientific directions. Transition helps projects move from lab results to prototypes and market validation. Accelerator provides blended grants and equity investments to scale companies. PMs operate across these instruments to connect the research pipeline to commercialisation pathways.

EIC Fund and investment components:When projects require investment, PMs engage with the EIC Fund, which co-invests alongside private partners. PMs help broker contacts with investors, prepare projects for due diligence and explain how grant and equity elements can be combined to support scaleup.

Profiles from the programme managers: what incumbents say

Two Programme Managers provided practical descriptions of the role and the blend of capabilities required. Their experience shows how the job is both strategic and operational and that PMs must be comfortable working with scientists and businesspeople alike.

Antonio Marco Pantaleo - energy systems and green technologies

Background: Antonio has about twenty years of experience in multidisciplinary research projects spanning renewable and clean energy technologies such as solar, wind, biomass and hybrid systems, energy systems integration, biosystems engineering and energy use in agricultural engineering and food processing. He joined the EIC as a Programme Manager in October 2020 and was one of the initial cohort of PMs.

How he summarises the role:Antonio describes PMs as developers of scientific intelligence for visionary technological breakthroughs. They proactively manage EIC portfolios by bringing stakeholders together around a shared vision and by helping to turn scientific results into market technologies.

What he looks for in candidates:He stresses a combination of a strong scientific or technical background in a broad deep tech field and a mindset oriented to transfer research into high-impact innovation and business opportunities.

Most interesting aspects of the job:He highlights engagement with visionary researchers and entrepreneurs and the chance to build connections among multidisciplinary, cross-sector and complementary projects.

Francesco Matteucci - materials for energy and environmental sustainability

Background: Francesco is an innovation manager and former researcher in materials science with two decades of experience. He has worked in corporate R&D in renewable energy production and storage, cofounded and directed start-ups and joint labs, and managed public-private partnerships. He joined the EIC as a Programme Manager in October 2020.

How he frames the role:Francesco emphasises that the PM is a new role and not yet rigidly defined. He describes three strategic activities for PMs: study, steer and engage. Study refers to horizon scanning and expert discussion. Steer means overseeing portfolios and co-designing roadmaps with partners. Engage covers outreach and building partnerships across the ecosystem.

Ideal profile in his view:He recommends deep knowledge of a sector’s research and innovation ecosystem, a solid scientific background, strong innovation management expertise and experience across different roles. He also mentions leadership qualities such as curiosity and strategic thinking.

Challenges and rewards he notes:The challenge is producing strategic, high-quality outcomes under constraints and prioritising many competing tasks. The reward is shaping the EU deep tech ecosystem and daily learning through conversations with worldwide experts.

Practical requirements and selection context

The EIC advertises Programme Manager roles as full-time appointments within the EIC and EISMEA. Candidates typically come from universities, national labs, industry, start-ups or public research organisations and must demonstrate deep expertise, multidisciplinary experience and strong communication skills. The role includes contributing to the design of calls, participating in evaluation and jury processes and liaising with National Contact Points, the Enterprise Europe Network and other public support bodies.

Interaction with evaluators, juries and coaches:PMs help shape Pathfinder Challenge calls and participate in selection. For Transition and Accelerator calls they may serve as observers in juries to provide technical insight. They also work with lists of external business coaches who support applicants translating short proposals into full submissions.

Programme Manager	Portfolio / Thematic area	Notes
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 and construction technologies
Ivan Stefanic	Food chain technologies, novel and sustainable food
Paolo Bondavalli	Advanced materials for energy
Hedi Karray	Artificial Intelligence
Orsolya Symmons	Health and Biotechnology

What makes the role different from traditional research management

Programme Managers are expected to combine horizon scanning and policy-oriented intelligence with much more hands-on portfolio orchestration than is typical in research programme management. The emphasis is on accelerating pathways to market by coordinating interventions across grant and investment tools and by mobilising ecosystem support rather than only funding isolated projects.

Skills that matter:Deep technical knowledge, experience with multidisciplinary teams, commercial awareness, experience of stakeholder engagement and convening, and clear communication skills. Familiarity with EU funding rules, procurement and public sector processes is also important given the institutional setting.

A realistic view on impact and constraints

The PM role is ambitious but constrained by institutional realities. Funding cycles, legal and procurement rules, and the need to balance scientific ambition with near term market feasibility can limit how fast programmes move. Measuring downstream impact is also difficult because meaningful commercial outcomes may take many years to show. Programme Managers can materially improve coordination and visibility, but their results are rarely instantaneous.

Potential risks and caveats:There is a risk of role overload as PMs juggle strategy, community building and operational tasks. The newness of the role also means approaches will evolve and best practices are still being established. Finally, turning research into companies depends on external market conditions and private investment beyond the EIC's control.

How to find out more or apply

At the time the interviews were published EIC invited candidates to apply for Programme Manager positions and set application deadlines. The EIC and EISMEA websites contain current recruitment calls, detailed job descriptions and guidance on the selection process. Prospective applicants should consult the EIC and EISMEA pages and the Funding and Tenders portal for up to date information and eligibility criteria.

Final assessment

The Programme Manager role represents a deliberate shift in how the European Commission seeks to manage high-risk, high-impact innovation. It aims to bridge research, industrial partners and investors to improve the odds of deep tech breakthroughs reaching the market. The position demands a rare combination of technical authority, strategic vision and practical convening skills. It is a promising model for mission-oriented innovation management but will need time and iterative learning to demonstrate systemic impact.