Senior Innovation Consultant

Role overview

Senior Innovation Consultant / Senior Grant Writer at PNO Innovation UK, combining ~60% grant writing and ~40% innovation consultancy. You will independently help clients turn scientific and technological concepts into high-quality, evaluator-focused Horizon Europe proposals, and advise on their funding strategies.

Responsibilities

• Lead complex Horizon Europe proposals from strategy and concept development through final submission.
• Draft and review Excellence, Impact, and Implementation sections with a clear, persuasive narrative for evaluators.
• Design proposal structures including work packages, deliverables, milestones, budgets, and implementation plans.
• Coordinate international consortia and manage input from technical experts and other proposal stakeholders.

Client advisory & business support

• Advise clients on funding opportunities, programme positioning, call requirements, and long-term funding strategies.
• Translate complex scientific/technical content into clear, compelling, commercially relevant applications.
• Lead and manage senior client relationships, challenge assumptions, and provide strategic recommendations.
• Support business development and mentor colleagues, including improving proposal quality.

Requirements

• 8+ years of relevant experience in grant writing, innovation consultancy, European funding, or a closely related field.
• Deep, hands-on experience with Horizon Europe and/or Horizon 2020 proposal development.
• Proven ability to independently lead competitive proposals from concept through submission.
• Consulting experience, including client relationship ownership and management of complex assignments.
• Excellent English communication skills (written and verbal).
• Strong scientific/technical/innovation literacy and ability to quickly learn unfamiliar technologies.
• Ability to work credibly across sectors such as life sciences, health, agrifood, bio-based industries, energy, environment, and industrial innovation.
• Must be able to work in the UK with an autonomous, commercially aware, collaborative approach.

Nice-to-haves

• Not explicitly stated beyond the listed expertise and seniority alignment.

Compensation

• £55,000–£65,000 salary, with flexibility above the range for exceptional candidates whose experience and seniority strongly align with the role.