EU Horizon Project Coordinator

Join our dynamic team and play a pivotal role in the energy transition and IoT domain! We are seeking an experienced independent consultant to provide strategic and operational support in the preparation and submission of a Horizon Europe proposal focused on cybersecurity. The ideal candidate will bring strong project management and coordination skills, with a good understanding of the cybersecurity landscape and the ability to work effectively with technical experts across the consortium. They must have a proven track record of successfully coordinating or contributing to European research proposals in this specific field.

This role requires close collaboration with our internal and external stakeholders to ensure the proposal not only meets administrative criteria but also demonstrates technical excellence and relevance to current cybersecurity challenges.P

Responsibilities

• Lead the coordination of the proposal development process, ensuring alignment with the Horizon Europe Work Programme 2026-2027, specifically calls related Civil Security for Society (Cluster 3), including cybersecurity and AI-related calls supported by the European Cybersecurity Centre (ECCC)
• Support development of the project timeline, deliverables, and milestones related to proposal preparation.
• Coordinate contributions from consortium partners, ensuring technical coherence across cybersecurity domains (e.g., network security, cryptography, AI security, critical infrastructure protection).
• Provide expert guidance on eligibility criteria, evaluation scoring, and best practices for Horizon Europe submissions in the security sector.
• Draft, review, and refine key proposal sections, ensuring that the “Excellence” criterion clearly maps the project objectives, concept, and approach to the specific challenges, scope, and expected outcomes of the call, positioning the work against the relevant state of the art. Ensure that the “Impact” section convincingly articulates how the project results will maximize benefits for the European ecosystem, including public authorities, industry, and citizens. And that the “Implementation” section is structured and built up in line with Horizon Europe project expectations.Facilitate internal and external workshops, brainstorming sessions, and technical review meetings.
• Ensure compliance with administrative, financial, and security clearance requirements relevant to EU security projects.
• Liaise with National Contact Points (NCPs) specializing in security and digital technologies.
• Support the final submission process, including quality checks and portal uploads.

Required Qualifications & Experience

• EU Project Track Record: Proven experience (minimum 3–5 years) in coordinating or supporting successful Horizon Europe (or H2020/FP7) proposals. Candidates must demonstrate a history of working with consortia established in EU Member States or Horizon Europe Associated Countries.
• Regulatory & Administrative Expertise: Deep familiarity with the specific administrative, legal, and financial frameworks of the European Commission, including the Funding & Tenders Portal and the specific compliance requirements for projects coordinated within the EU.
• Domain Expertise: Solid understanding of current cybersecurity challenges within the European context (e.g., alignment with the NIS2 Directive, EU Cyber Resilience Act, AI Act, GDPR and ENISA guidelines).
• Location & Operational Setup: To ensure seamless integration with the consortium's governance and compliance structures, the candidate must be professionally established and able to operate from within an EU Member State or a Horizon Europe Associated Country. This ensures alignment with the project's legal coordination requirements and facilitates real-time collaboration during standard European business hours.
• Communication: Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English, with the ability to navigate the specific terminology of EU research policy.

What we offer

This is a fully remote role with flexible working hours, offering you the opportunity to achieve an ideal work-life balance. As an independent consultant or freelancer, you will work closely with various teams to ensure the successful planning, execution, monitoring, and closure of the project submission.

Our commitment to a flexible working hours policy and a full remote work setup is designed to empower you to manage your personal and professional life effectively. We believe that these policies contribute to reducing stress and increasing job satisfaction among our contractors. Face to face meetings are organized from time to time to ensure good alignment and allow for personal contact with key officers of the User Association.

Contract Details:

• Open only to independent consultants or free-lancers.
• A 100% remote working setup, with some travel if/as required for effective project follow-up.
• Personal time management is very flexible, aside from mandatory attendance at follow-up meetings.
• Consultant contract with an agreed hourly rate and pre-defined number of working hours, paid on a monthly basis – specifics can be discussed
• Additional working hours and/or assignments might come forth as per the evolving needs.
• This assignment covers the proposal preparation and submission phase (until September 2026). Depending on the outcome, the engagement may be extended to cover project coordination during the implementation phase.

About DLMS User Association

The DLMS User Association is a non-profit organization and a recognized leading voice internationally in strategic energy management interoperability development and certification, for over 20 years. Our mission is to foster member collaboration, drive innovation through standardization and deliver world-leading specification and certification programs that support interchangeable devices and secure data exchange.

• For more information visit: www.dlms.com or follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/dlms-user-association/