Innovation Grant Lead

Novus Capital | Harrogate, North Yorkshire | Full-time, Permanent

Salary Range: £38,000 - £40,000 per annum + up to 30% performance bonus

Reports to: Innovation Funding Director

About Novus Capital

Novus Capital is a specialist R&D tax relief and government funding consultancy that helps innovative businesses unlock the financial support and non-dilutive funding. We work with high-growth startups, scale-ups and established SMEs across a range of sectors including software technology, biotech, fintech, clean energy, advanced manufacturing and life sciences. Our grant success rates consistently outperform national averages and we take pride in building long-term partnerships with the businesses we support.

We sponsor and partner with leading innovation platforms including Britain's Got Startups and Soapbox, a VC news outlet, giving us strong visibility across the UK startup and investor landscape.

The Role

We're looking for an experienced Innovation Grant Lead to join our growing team in Harrogate. You will be responsible for identifying, matching and securing grant funding for our clients from UK and European programmes including Innovate UK, ARIA, Scottish Enterprise, Horizon Europe and other public funding bodies.

This is a hands-on role. You will work directly with clients to understand their innovation projects, assess eligibility across multiple funding streams, write compelling grant applications and manage the full lifecycle from opportunity identification through to post-award compliance. You will also represent Novus Capital at industry events, conferences and talks, building our profile in the innovation funding space.

There is also the opportunity to develop and grow the role to support our portfolio of R&D tax clients.

Key Responsibilities

Grant Identification and Matching

·       Monitor and track open funding competitions across Innovate UK (IFS), ARIA, Scottish Enterprise, Welsh Government, Horizon Europe, Catapult centres, KTPs and other relevant programmes

·       Assess client projects against eligibility criteria, scoring frameworks and strategic fit

·       Proactively match clients to suitable funding opportunities and advise on timing and positioning

Grant Writing and Application Management

·       Lead the writing of high-quality grant applications, including technical narratives, work packages, impact statements and financial justifications

·       Translate complex technical and commercial concepts into clear, assessor-friendly language

·       Manage multiple concurrent applications to tight deadlines

·       Coordinate with client technical teams, finance teams and academic partners to gather inputs

Client Relationship Management

·       Build trusted advisory relationships with a portfolio of highly innovative clients

·       Conduct initial project scoping calls and innovation assessments

·       Provide strategic advice on funding roadmaps - sequencing applications to maximise success and total funding secured

·       Deliver post-award support including project reporting, change requests and compliance

Representation and Business Development

·       Represent Novus Capital at industry events, innovation conferences, Innovate UK briefings and networking functions

·       Deliver presentations and talks on grant funding opportunities and best practice

·       Contribute to thought leadership content (blogs, guides, case studies)

·       Support business development activity by identifying grant opportunities that open doors to new client relationships

What We're Looking For

Essential

·       Minimum 3 years' experience writing and managing grant applications for UK public funding programmes (Innovate UK / UKRI essential)

·       Demonstrable track record of successful grant awards with quantifiable outcomes

·       Strong understanding of Innovate UK assessment criteria, scoring methodology and portfolio decision-making

·       Experience working with technology-led SMEs and startups across multiple sectors

·       Excellent technical writing skills with the ability to articulate complex innovation in plain, persuasive English

·       Ability to manage multiple applications simultaneously under deadline pressure

·       Strong interpersonal skills and confidence engaging with senior leadership, CTOs and technical founders

·       Understanding of Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs), innovation lifecycles and commercialisation pathways

·       Degree-level education (or equivalent experience) in a STEM, business or innovation-related discipline

Desirable

·       Experience with Horizon Europe (including consortium-based proposals), ARIA programmes or Scottish Enterprise funding

·       Knowledge of R&D tax relief and how grant funding interacts with other innovation incentives

·       Experience with KTP (Knowledge Transfer Partnership) applications

·       Familiarity with SBRI (Small Business Research Initiative) competitions

·       Understanding of state aid / subsidy control rules

·       Experience delivering presentations or workshops at industry events

·       Existing network within the UK innovation ecosystem (Innovate UK, KTNs, Catapults, universities)

·       Other relevant professional qualifications such as Project Management or Innovation Management certifications

What You'll Get

·       Salary: £38,000 – 40,000 per annum

·       Bonus: Up to 30% performance-based bonus linked to successful grant outcomes

·       Location: Harrogate, North Yorkshire.  Our team is in the office on average three days per week, with some flexibility

·       Travel: Regular travel to client sites across the UK, plus industry events and conferences (occasional European travel for Horizon Europe-related work)

·       Equity: Opportunity to earn shares in the business as we grow

·       Growth: Direct mentorship from our Innovation Funding Director and exposure to a diverse client portfolio

·       Impact: Work with some of the UK's most innovative businesses at the cutting edge of their sectors

·       Culture: A small, ambitious team where your work has a direct and visible impact

How to Apply

Please send your CV and a short cover letter to alynch@novus-capital.com outlining your grant writing experience and a brief example of a successful application you led. We would love to hear about: the programme, the funding secured, and what made the application stand out.

Novus Capital is an equal opportunities employer. We welcome applications from all backgrounds and are committed to building a diverse team.