Client Profile:
An EU-funded innovation initiative focused on sustainable urban mobility, operating across multiple countries with public-private partnerships and a complex funding cycle. When I joined, the organization had fewer than 10 team members; by the time I left, it had scaled to over 160 employees spread across international offices.
Challenge:
There was no formal onboarding or documentation when I entered. As the newly appointed Partnership Manager, I had to self-navigate the organization’s operational complexity while simultaneously managing live partner engagements. The organization lacked clear partnership processes, systems for data tracking, or shared learnings across the broader EU ecosystem. The entire partner management function needed to be built from the ground up — during live delivery.
My Role and Contribution:
This was a classic Thrive + Navigator (see services packages) engagement — combining agile learning, strategic structure building, and cross-ecosystem facilitation. I took ownership of defining and documenting all partnership processes, while actively engaging with partners and shaping how we tracked and supported them at scale.
Key Initiatives and Impact:
- Process Design from Scratch: Developed and documented end-to-end partnership management processes, now institutionalized across the organization
- CRM Evolution: Took over ownership of the partner tracking database, initially in Excel, and collaborated with the technical team to co-design an intermediate CRM system using Podio — translating real-world processes into structured digital workflows
- Learning by Doing: Independently navigated and mastered the organization’s complex EU funding cycles, integrating that knowledge into process design and partner communication standards
- Cross-Organizational Community Building: Initiated and led a cross-KIC Partnership Managers Forum — a space for collaboration, experience sharing, and peer learning across EU-funded innovation entities
- Operational Ownership: Became the go-to person for all things partner-related — managing partner statuses, workflows, and ensuring alignment with legal, communication, and program teams
Results:
- Created a repeatable, scalable partnership management process that’s still in use today
- Streamlined data flows and reduced manual tracking by co-building a CRM aligned with real operational needs
- Fostered EU-wide knowledge sharing through the cross-KIC forum — boosting collaboration and reducing duplication of effort
- Supported the organization’s scale-up from 10 to 160+ employees by embedding structure and ownership in a core functional area.
Reflections:
This engagement was about building foundations under pressure. With no onboarding and no existing frameworks, I created structure while learning, and delivered clarity while still navigating ambiguity. It was the essence of a Thrive-style process build, layered with Navigator-level ownership — a blend that turned scattered effort into a sustainable partnership function supporting an international, fast-growing EU innovation ecosystem.