Type	Work@EIT Food, part-time

Entry qualification	The entry qualification documents are accepted in the following languages: English.

Language requirements	English

More information	eitfood.eu/..-commercialisation-evaluators

Overview

Call for Expresion of Interest – EIT Food Evaluators: Commercialisation Evaluators

EIT Food Innovation invites applications from commercialisation experts to join our database of independent evaluators for our various calls for proposals. The first deadline is 13 April 2023.

Commercialisation evaluators will be part of a team of evaluators, including agri-food and EIT Food strategy experts, that will select innovation projects. Projects are selected through a process of calls and proposal evaluation, where our Commercialisation evaluators will be tasked with:

• Reviewing full proposal applications, with a specific focus on determining the financial and commercial soundness of the proposal, including where appropriate, business models, commercialisation plans, financial return mechanisms, forecasts etc.
• Qualitatively assessing proposals according to pre-defined evaluation criteria.
• Composing well-crafted comments in English on their scores.
• Preparing for and actively engaging in the Panel Meetings with the evaluation team.
Prior to assignment to an evaluator team, evaluators will be contracted and given a description of the tasks, duration, location (remote/physical), remuneration rates, and reimbursement methods. Evaluators will be issued both a Code of Conduct, including confidentiality, and a Conflict of Interest for each assignment to be reviewed and signed.
EIT Food Innovation is constituting a database of independent commercialisation experts with proven professional experience evaluating innovation proposals.

EIT Food

EIT Food is the world’s largest food innovation community, creating connections right across the food system. Supported by the European Union (EU), we invest in projects, organisations and individuals which share our goals for a healthy and sustainable food system.

We have built a unique not-for-profit business to carry out transformative programmes in skills, education, entrepreneurship, start-up investment and communications. We deliver these programmes in partnership with our members to create a culture and build a community which sees the long-term value in the food innovation we fund through open, competitive calls.

EIT Food has a strategic approach to systems change to create societal and economic impact. This is underpinned by a robust Theory of Change and a clear set of impact indicators and goals published in our Strategic Agenda 2021-27.

Eligible profiles

As an evaluator, you will be responsible for providing an opinion on the commercial viability of the proposal. You will need to analyse the written content including business plans, financial statements, sales forecasts, market analysis and other information provided by the respondents. You will also be part of a panel interviewing respondents, where you will need to draw on your experience to ask questions and evaluate whether the commercial aspirations of the proposal are achievable. To achieve this, we are looking for people with a profile as follows.

• At least 10 years of professional experience in roles with demonstrable responsibility for running commercial activities, for example some or all of the following:
Note: consulting experience will be considered, but we are looking for hands-on experience in managing and running businesses.
o Business planning, including budgeting, investment planning, objective and KPI setting etc.
o Financial management
o Commercial activities including sales and marketing, business development, developing go to market strategies and plans.
o Strategy setting
• Experience with criticality concept of technologies and innovation, TRL (technology readiness levels) and MRL (manufacturing readiness levels)
• Comfortable analysing detailed information such as market analysis and sales forecasts, to establish risks, issues and the viability of the opportunities presented.
• Coaching / mentoring experience desirable, in particular with start-ups. Have developed an open questioning style to enable you to draw out honest intelligence from organisations in a collaborative manner, whilst also able to identify weaknesses and risks.
• Participation in the evaluation of EU-funded programmes, Horizon 2020 (preferred)
• Fluency in English (written and spoken), and ability to work well with a team. You will need to be able to engage actively as a member of the evaluation panel, lead on specific lines of questioning, and support others with their understanding of the proposals.

More information about the application and selection procedure can be found on this website: www.eitfood.eu/open-calls/call-for-expresion-of-interest-eit-food-evaluators-commercialisation-evaluators