PNO Innovation UK
Senior Innovation Consultant
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About Us
PNO Innovation is the leading innovation and funding consultancy in Europe. With our broad sector expertise, and more than 40 years of experience in national and European grants, we help give space to good ideas and make innovation happen.
PNO Innovation employs more than 600 professionals across offices throughout Europe: Belgium, Germany, France, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain and the UK. What started more than 40 years ago as a student project in the Netherlands has grown into a European industry leader with a focus on creating sustainable impact.
Job Summary
PNO Innovation UK is looking for an experienced Senior Innovation Consultant / Senior Grant Writer to lead complex Horizon Europe proposals and advise innovative organisations on their funding strategies. This is a genuinely senior role combining approximately 60% grant writing and 40% innovation consultancy. You will work independently with clients, technical experts and international consortium partners, transforming ambitious scientific and technological concepts into compelling, competitive proposals.
Your Mission
Your mission is to help innovative organisations secure European funding and turn promising ideas into impactful collaborative projects. You will guide clients from initial opportunity assessment and project concept development through to the preparation and submission of high-quality Horizon Europe proposals. As a trusted advisor, you will combine exceptional writing skills with strategic insight, technical curiosity and strong client leadership.
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Your Tasks
- Lead complex Horizon Europe proposals from initial strategy and concept development through to final submission.
- Write and review Excellence, Impact and Implementation sections, ensuring a clear, persuasive and evaluator-focused narrative.
- Develop project structures, work packages, deliverables, milestones, budgets and implementation plans.
- Coordinate international consortia, technical contributors and other stakeholders throughout the proposal process.
- Advise clients on funding opportunities, programme positioning, call requirements and long-term funding strategies.
- Translate complex scientific and technical information into clear, compelling and commercially relevant applications.
- Manage senior client relationships, challenge assumptions and provide confident strategic recommendations.
- Support business development while mentoring colleagues and reviewing and improving the quality of their work.
Your Profile
- At least eight years of relevant professional experience in grant writing, innovation consultancy, European funding or a closely related field.
- Extensive, hands-on experience with Horizon Europe and/or Horizon 2020 proposals.
- A strong track record of independently leading competitive proposals from concept to submission.
- Genuine consulting experience, including ownership of client relationships and complex assignments.
- Excellent written and verbal English, with the ability to communicate complex scientific and technical concepts clearly.
- Strong scientific, technical or innovation literacy and the curiosity to understand unfamiliar technologies quickly.
- Ability to work credibly across sectors such as life sciences, health, agrifood, bio-based industries, energy, environment and industrial innovation.
- A highly autonomous, commercially aware and collaborative approach, together with the right to work in the UK.
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Why Us?
- Join a specialist innovation consultancy with extensive experience in European research and innovation funding.
- Work on ambitious international projects addressing major scientific, industrial and societal challenges.
- Take genuine ownership of important clients and complex Horizon Europe assignments.
- Collaborate with experienced consultants and innovation experts across PNO Innovation’s European network.
- Contribute to the continued development of PNO Innovation UK and help shape how we support our clients.
- Benefit from a competitive salary of £55,000–£65,000, with flexibility above the stated range for an exceptional candidate whose experience and seniority strongly align with the role.
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