Strategic Portfolio Designer

Job Title: Strategic Portfolio Designer
Team: The Hub

Contract: Ongoing

Level: Advanced
Please refer to our Capability Framework
Location: Belgium, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Spain, UK

Apply by: We're interviewing on a rolling basis until we close the role. We advise you to apply early as we may close the role early if we have a sufficient pool of candidates. 

ABOUT US

At Climate-KIC, we are wholeheartedly committed to building a diverse and representative team and an inclusive workplace that values different life experiences and perspectives, and we encourage personal development, learning and growth.

When recruiting, we look to achieve diversity in the candidate pool. We actively encourage applications from underrepresented groups and are happy to consider reasonable adjustments that will foster success in potential employees from diverse backgrounds and life situations. And because our team has differing needs and personal circumstances, we offer a high degree of flexibility to accommodate all working patterns. We’re happy to discuss your situation during the interview and see how best we can support you.

Don’t let Imposter Syndrome stop you from applying!

Climate-KIC (Knowledge and Innovation Community) is Europe’s foremost climate innovation initiative, entrusted by the European Commission to catalyse transformation through innovation. Headquartered in Amsterdam, with circa 160 people distributed all over the EU, Climate-KIC leads and orchestrates innovation with a community of more than 400. Together we conduct activities in 39 countries. We partner with cities, regions, governments and communities with the highest climate action ambition; providing the framework and expert support to holistically manage the complexity of climate change and deliver accelerated climate action.

Climate-KIC operates as a not-for-profit platform working through public-private partnership, wielding both public and private funding. We consist of 3 Legal entities: a Dutch BV Holding company (for profit) with 14 branches in European jurisdictions, providing grant management, innovation orchestration services, and impact investment advisory owned by a Dutch-based foundation with charity status – Climate-KIC International Foundation. Historically, we have been funded by our founder and core funder, the European Institute for Innovation and Technology (EIT), but we are currently transitioning to a multi-funder model.

ABOUT THE ROLE

Climate-KIC is seeking a Strategic Designer to embed systems thinking and strategic alignment across our portfolio/s. This role will enable Clusters, to sensemake within complex systems, align projects with broader strategic goals, and generate actionable insights that drive systemic change in addressing climate challenges.

The Portfolio Strategic Designer will work at the intersection of strategy, innovation, and execution, ensuring portfolio/s are cohesive, data-informed, and primed to deliver meaningful impact within the climate innovation landscape.

Key Responsibilities

1.Systems-Driven Sensemaking

• Design frameworks and tools to synthesise complex data streams from projects and portfolios.

• Identify systemic patterns, leverage interconnectedness, and reveal emerging opportunities to drive proactive adaptation.

• Design/facilitate sensemaking workshops, enabling stakeholders to align their work with larger system dynamics and strategic priorities.

2. Portfolio Alignment with Strategy

• Develop a systems narrative for portfolios, linking individual projects (Riff 1, Riff 2 CoP) to Climate-KIC’s broader mission and systemic impact goals (Portfolio Riff 3).

• Map interdependencies within and across portfolios to enhance synergies, resource efficiency, and collective impact.

• Provide actionable recommendations to prioritise initiatives that advance systemic outcomes and strategic goals.

3. Innovation through Systems Insight

• Lead research to identify emerging systemic challenges and opportunities, connecting them to new pathways for climate action.

• Translate insights into actionable prototypes and pilots, enabling Climate-KIC to address evolving climate system needs.

• Working in conjunction with the Learning Designer and MEL Orchestrator to build an insights pipeline to inform iterative strategy refinement and program innovation.

4. Cross-Functional Collaboration in Complex Systems

• Facilitate collaboration between teams to integrate systems insights into program design, strategy, and stakeholder engagement.

• Act as a bridge between operational teams, research, and leadership to ensure systemic alignment in organisational interfaces eg campaigns (Product Marketeer), fundraising (Strategic Partnerships), and delivery(Cluster Leads).

• Design shared language and visualisation tools to help stakeholders understand interconnected impacts and opportunities.

Key Working Relationships

The main working relationships:

• Project delivery teams, Cluster Leads in the context of the organisational sensemaking frameworks: Riff 1 (Project team) Riff 2 (CoP thematic or/and focus areas) & Riff 3 (Portfolio)

• Interfaces with all Hub teams, Communitations & Marrketing, Strategic Partnerships, Policy, Portfiolio and Learning/MEL, Community

• Deal Desk