Competitive Funding Programme Manager

Who we are:

Irish Manufacturing Research (IMR) is a leading Research and Technology Organisation providing a portfolio of operations research, training, and consultancy services to Industry across the following four thematic pillars: Digitisation, Sustainable Manufacturing, Design for Manufacturing, and Robotics and Automation. As a leading manufacturing Research & Technology Organisation (RTO) with labs and industrial pilot lines in Dublin and Mullingar, IMR works with leading global and indigenous brands to demystify and derisk new and emerging technologies and to deliver high-impact collaborative research and services to enable advanced manufacturing for a broad range of clients across Ireland’s manufacturing network.

What IMR offers:

• An opportunity to contribute to the national economic growth agenda
• A competitive salary and pension
• A friendly and flexible working environment with State-of-the-art Innovation Centres
• Lots of diversity in terms of people, technology, projects and ideas
• The opportunity to join a dynamic and committed team
• Interaction with a diverse range of industrial clients and state partners
• 5 weeks holidays

The Role:

Irish Manufacturing Research (IMR) is seeking a Competitive Funding Programme Manager to join its Competitive Funding team on a 23-month contract. The Competitive Funding Programme Manager will manage a pipeline of European and National funding proposals from opportunity identification through to submission. Working closely with technical leads, Senior Management and senior members of the Competitive Funding team, you will help secure funding that supports IMR’s research, innovation and industry objectives.

The role offers the opportunity to contribute to high-impact national and international projects while helping to strengthen IMR’s competitive funding capability and grow towards leading coordinated European proposals. Some national and European travel may be required.

Key Responsibilities:

• Manage the development of European and National funding proposals, in close cooperation with the Competitive Funding team, technical leads and Senior Management, to ensure proposal scope aligns with IMR business objectives.
• Identify, assess and propose relevant European and National funding opportunities in IMR technology focus areas, and prepare information to support go/no-go decisions.
• Plan and manage proposal timelines and maintain the shared competitive funding pipeline (status, deadlines, resource requirements and key decisions), interpreting call documentation and funding rules, checking eligibility and funding conditions, and coordinating inputs and review points so that submissions are complete, compliant and on time.
• Take ownership of impact, implementation, work plan and budget sections, while working with technical leads (who own the technical content and excellence case) to shape, challenge, edit and consolidate their input into a coherent, high-quality proposal.
• Maintain and improve IMR's competitive funding toolkit, including proposal workflows, templates, review processes, evidence libraries and lessons learned from evaluator feedback.
• Engage with partners, clients, funders and consortium members during proposal development, and manage day-to-day consortium coordination on selected proposals.
• Support grant agreement preparation for successful proposals and manage a structured handover to the project team, after which responsibility for delivery moves to the project lead.
• Work with the Competitive Funding team and relevant leadership stakeholders to support delivery of IMR's competitive funding priorities.



Required Skills and Experience:

• Degree in a relevant technical, scientific or business discipline (Master’s an advantage).
• A minimum of 5 years' experience preparing and submitting proposals to competitive funding programmes in Europe (e.g. Horizon Europe) and/or Ireland (e.g. DTIF, Research Ireland, Enterprise Ireland), with a track record of successful proposals.
• Experience in coordinating a European proposal is desirable.
• Proven ability to manage multiple proposals and deadlines at the same time, working effectively within cross functional teams.
• An existing network, or demonstrated ability to build relationships, across European and Irish research and industry ecosystems.
• Confident with AI-enabled tools to support proposal development, research synthesis, evidence gathering, review workflows, knowledge management and reusable content development.
• Excellent written, verbal, client-facing and internal communication skills.
• Solid organisational skills including attention to detail and the ability to manage multiple deadlines simultaneously.
• Experience in building productive partner relationships across disciplines and cultures, and between research organisations and industry.

Location:

Candidates will be required to be resident in Ireland. IMR offices are situated in Rathcoole, Co. Dublin and Mullingar, Co. Westmeath. This role will be based in either office. We offer a hybrid working model with onsite presence in the office required at least one day per week. Travel between offices and client sites will be required from time to time.

Salary & Benefits:  

This position will command a package consisting of basic salary (€67,214 - €69,163 depending on qualifications and experience), employer pension contribution and 5 weeks holidays.

Closing Date:

All applicants must include an up-to-date version of their CV with their application. Electronic applicants only via LinkedIn or to careers@imr.ie

Closing date for receipt of all applications is noon Tuesday, 3rd November 2026. We reserve the right to close the vacancy early should we receive sufficient applications. Early application is encouraged.

Interviews are expected to take place week commencing 16th November 2026.

IMR is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace. We actively promote equity and equal opportunity in all aspects of employment and welcome applications from candidates of all backgrounds, experiences, and identities. We do not discriminate based on age, disability, gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, or any other protected characteristic. We strive to ensure our recruitment processes are fair, accessible, and free from bias.