Application Guide

How to Apply for Strategic Portfolio Designer- Maternity cover

at EIT Climate-KIC

🏢 About EIT Climate-KIC

EIT Climate-KIC is Europe's leading climate innovation initiative, uniquely focused on systemic transformation rather than incremental change. Working here means contributing to a mission-driven organization that connects policymakers, businesses, and researchers to drive a net-zero economy. The remote-first, UK-based role offers flexibility while being part of a globally impactful network.

About This Role

As a Strategic Portfolio Designer (maternity cover), you will design frameworks and visual tools to synthesize complex data from multiple projects, identifying patterns and leverage points for systemic impact. Your work will directly shape how Climate-KIC communicates its portfolio's contribution to climate resilience, and you'll facilitate cross-functional workshops to align teams around systemic goals.

💡 A Day in the Life

A typical day might involve analyzing data from multiple projects to identify systemic patterns, then sketching a visual framework to share with the team. You could also facilitate a virtual workshop with partners to co-design a new portfolio narrative, followed by a debrief to refine prototypes. Later, you might review emerging climate trends to inform future portfolio experiments.

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Interview Prep

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🎯 Who EIT Climate-KIC Is Looking For

  • A systems thinker with proven experience in pattern finding and complexity analysis within multi-stakeholder environments (e.g., climate, sustainability, or innovation ecosystems).
  • Skilled at translating complex data into clear visual frameworks and narratives that connect projects to broader systemic goals.
  • Experienced in designing and facilitating workshops that drive sensemaking, alignment, and collaborative action among diverse stakeholders.
  • Comfortable prototyping and experimenting with new processes to respond to evolving system needs, with a bias towards action and iteration.

📝 Tips for Applying to EIT Climate-KIC

1

Tailor your CV to highlight specific examples of systems thinking applied to climate or sustainability projects, not just generic strategic roles.

2

Include a portfolio or examples of visual frameworks you have created (e.g., system maps, causal loop diagrams, portfolio dashboards) that demonstrate pattern finding.

3

In your cover letter, explicitly connect your experience to Climate-KIC's mission and mention any familiarity with their portfolio areas (e.g., urban transitions, land use, finance).

4

Show how you have facilitated workshops that led to tangible outcomes (e.g., new prototypes, aligned strategies) rather than just describing facilitation skills.

5

Since it's a maternity cover, emphasize your ability to quickly grasp ongoing projects and hit the ground running, with examples of short-term impactful contributions.

✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter

["Your understanding of systemic innovation and how it differs from linear approaches, with specific reference to Climate-KIC's work.", 'Concrete examples of designing frameworks or visual tools that synthesized complex data and revealed actionable insights for multi-stakeholder groups.', 'Your experience facilitating workshops that bridged silos and drove alignment around systemic goals, ideally in a climate or sustainability context.', 'Your ability to work independently in a remote setting while collaborating across functions, and your enthusiasm for a fixed-term role with high impact.']

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🔍 Research Before Applying

To stand out, make sure you've researched:

  • → Explore Climate-KIC's current portfolio areas (e.g., Deep Demonstrations, Innovation Ecosystems) to understand their strategic focus.
  • → Read their recent publications or blog posts on systems innovation and portfolio design to see their language and frameworks.
  • → Look into the 'Transition Lab' methodology they use for multi-stakeholder processes, as it relates to workshop facilitation.
  • → Check the LinkedIn profiles of current team members (e.g., Strategic Designers, Portfolio Managers) to understand their backgrounds and projects.

💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics

Based on this role, you may be asked about:

1 Describe a time you used systems thinking to identify a leverage point in a complex portfolio. What was the outcome?
2 How would you approach designing a visual framework to communicate the systemic impact of several unrelated projects?
3 Walk us through a workshop you facilitated that led to a prototype or experiment. What was your process?
4 How do you stay updated on climate innovation trends, and how would you apply them to portfolio design?
5 This is a maternity cover – how would you ensure continuity and handover of your work? Give an example of a successful handover.
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⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Submitting a generic application without mentioning systems thinking or climate-specific work – this role demands both.
  • Overlooking the visual design aspect: failing to provide examples of your visual frameworks or diagrams can weaken your application.
  • Ignoring the maternity cover context: not addressing how you will quickly onboard and ensure knowledge transfer is a missed opportunity.

📅 Application Timeline

This position is open until filled. However, we recommend applying as soon as possible as roles at mission-driven organizations tend to fill quickly.

Typical hiring timeline:

1

Application Review

1-2 weeks

2

Initial Screening

Phone call or written assessment

3

Interviews

1-2 rounds, usually virtual

✓

Offer

Congratulations!

Ready to Apply?

Good luck with your application to EIT Climate-KIC!

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