Grant manager/specialist

Novo Nordisk Foundation · Hellerup, Denmark · Full-time · Posted 2026-10-20

Workplace: on_site

Department: Grant Management

Description

We are seeking an experienced Grant Specialist or Grant Manager to join the Grant Management Department at the Novo Nordisk Foundation in Hellerup. Do you thrive with well-run processes and close collaboration with applicants, committees and colleagues? Then you could be our new colleague in Grant Management at the Novo Nordisk Foundation.

We are open to candidates at different stages of their career from specialist with grant related processes ready to move into more end-to-end grant management to grant managers who are experienced working with complex portfolios of committees and open calls. We will shape the position around your experience.

Grant Management is a department with 25 international employees across two teams. As a Grant Manager, your primary responsibility is to ensure seamless and professional grant management for our grantees, committees and internal stakeholders. Grant Management is on an exciting development journey where we continue to strengthen our role as partners to our internal colleagues in the programme areas while driving operational excellence in grant management. This entails ensuring efficient processes, developing standardised ways of working and maintaining solid day-to-day operations. We work collaboratively across the department’s teams and disciplines and place a strong emphasis on knowledge sharing, continuous improvement and professional development.

About the role

Your key responsibilities will be:

Take end-to-end responsibility for committees and open calls, from call design and launch through assessment and decision making to award
Prepare decision material, facilitate committee meetings and implement outcomes in line with governance and quality standards
Support applicants, committee members and grant recipients with transparent processes, timely decisions and clear communication
Manage a portfolio of strategic grants, including review grant agreements, milestones, deliverables, reporting and follow-up after award
Advise on strategic grants, including grant models, timelines, risk assessment and key decision points
Ensure compliance with the Foundation’s policies and procedures and contribute to due diligence
Drive the improvement and digitalisation of our processes, acting as project manager for defined initiatives
Coordinate tasks with colleagues, provide guidance and quality assurance and contribute to project management across the department and organisation.

Beyond managing grant portfolios, you will have opportunities to contribute to process improvements, digitalisation initiatives and the continued development of our ways of working. You will contribute to a positive team environment and working culture where you interact and build relationships with colleagues across the organisation.

What you bring

A bachelor’s or master’s degree or similar
Experience with grant administration from a university, research institute, foundation, NGO or the public sector
A solid understanding of grant-making processes with the ability to apply rules and guidelines with sound judgement and to ensure quality across a portfolio of cases
Strong skills in MS Office and digital systems and an interest in using digital tools to work smarter
Excellent written and spoken English

Professional and personal qualifications

We are looking for a candidate with a expertise in managing complex grant processes. You hold a bachelor’s or master’s degree within a relevant field and have at least min. 3-4 years of relevant experience in grant management from a university, research institute, foundation, NGO, or the public sector.

As a person, you are a collaborative team player who shares knowledge, offers sparring and gives constructive feedback. You are proactive and solution-focused, and you thrive in a changing environment. When perspectives differ, you rely on professionalism, sound judgement and constructive dialogue. You take ownership of your work while respecting the roles and responsibilities of others.

As a person, you:

Act as a collaborative team player, actively supporting colleagues through knowledge sharing and sparring.
Are highly structured, detail-oriented, and proactive, with the ability to manage multiple deadlines and deliver high-quality results in a dynamic, fast-paced environment.
Take responsibility for constructive collaboration across functions and respecting role clarity and ownership.
Seek, reflect on, and provide feedback in a way that supports continuous improvement and a positive working environment.
Thrive in a cross-disciplinary setting and in team-centric ways of working.
Handle differing perspectives with professionalism, sound judgement, and constructive dialogue.

We believe the best solutions are created through collaboration. We value openness, constructive feedback, mutual support and a willingness to learn from one another. We succeed as a team and actively share knowledge and expertise across the department. This role offers a unique opportunity to work at the intersection of science, strategy, operations and stakeholder engagement while contributing to some of the Foundation's most important grants and initiatives.

You will work onsite at the Novo Nordisk Foundation’s headquarters in Hellerup. We have an office-based policy where limited remote working can be agreed.

Application and information

We encourage you to apply as soon as possible, as we will conduct in-person interviews on an ongoing basis and close the advertisement once we have found the right candidate.

To apply, please upload your motivated CV by clicking the "Apply" button. Please note that applications not meeting these requirements will not be taken into consideration.

Candidates invited to the second interview will be asked to complete a case study and an assessment test in advance.

About The Novo Nordisk Foundation
Established in Denmark in 1924, the Novo Nordisk Foundation is an enterprise foundation with philanthropic objectives. The vision of the Foundation is to improve people's health and the sustainability of society and the planet.
The Foundation's mission is to progress research and innovation in the prevention and treatment of cardiometabolic and infectious diseases as well as to advance knowledge and solutions to support a green transformation of society.

Apply

Apply at Novo Nordisk Foundation

About the company

Novo Nordisk Foundation is an enterprise foundation based in Denmark, focused on philanthropy. It funds health and sustainability initiatives through strategic grants, partnerships, and long-term investments. Instead of selling products, its value comes from supporting programs and collaborations that improve health outcomes and contribute to a sustainable society and planet. By offering grants and overseeing investments, it aims to catalyze impactful projects and durable change. What sets it apart is its foundation structure and philanthropic mission, not a commercial business model, enabling long-term, mission-driven support rather than profit-driven competition. The goal is to benefit current and future generations by advancing health and sustainability through effective funding and partnerships.

Company Size

201-500

Company Stage

N/A

Total Funding

N/A

Headquarters

Hellerup, Denmark

Founded

1923

Get referred to Novo Nordisk Foundation

See people who can refer or advise you

Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

September 30, 2026 Broad Institute renewal adds $53 million for diabetes and obesity genomics.
September 4, 2026 Quantum Foundry Copenhagen strengthens Europe's quantum chip supply chain.
June 15, 2026 EDCTP3 partnership adds up to €18 million for global health research.

What critics are saying

Novo Nordisk's February 2026 price war pressure threatens the foundation's asset base.
Quantum Foundry Copenhagen opens in 2027; commercialization failure leaves DKK 2.9 billion stranded.
If semaglutide patent erosion accelerates, grant capacity shrinks and long-horizon projects get cut.

What makes Novo Nordisk Foundation unique

Founded in 1924, it controls Novo Nordisk and Novonesis through Novo Holdings.
September 2026 quantum investments build manufacturing capacity, not just academic grants.
It funds translational science across Denmark, Africa, and the Broad Institute.

Help us improve and share your feedback! Did you find this helpful?

Benefits

Flexible Work Hours
Relocation Assistance

Company News

Fusion Components

Sep 29th, 2026

Riber reports 19% yoy H1 2026 revenue growth, returns to profitability amid ROSIE platform expansion.

Riber reports 19% yoy H1 2026 revenue growth, returns to profitability amid ROSIE platform expansion. 2026-09-29 10:16:49 Riber posts 19% year-over-year first-half 2026 revenue growth to €12.7M. France-based Bezons firm Riber, a leading maker of molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) systems, has announced a 19% year-over-year rise in first-half 2026 revenue, climbing from €10.7m in H1 2025 to €12.7m this year. The strong performance is fueled by explosive growth in its Services & Accessories division and steady Systems sales. Revenue from Services & Accessories jumped 71% over the same period last year, rising from €3m to €5.1m. Systems revenue held nearly flat year-over-year at €7.7m, compared to €7.8m in H1 2025, with three units delivered in both six-month periods. Revenue growth lifts Riber back to profitability. The company's gross margin also saw a healthy uptick, moving from 36.2% in H1 2025 to 39.8% in H1 2026. Combined with careful control of operating expenses, this margin growth and higher top-line revenue pushed Riber back into net profit: the firm reported a net income of €0.2m for H1 2026, a €1m improvement from its €0.8m net loss in the first half of 2025. This result includes €0.1m in net financial income. As of the end of June 2026, Riber held €5.2m in cash, up from €2.5m at the end of June 2025, though lower than the €7.5m cash position it reported at the end of December 2025. Shareholders' equity dropped slightly from €27.3m at the end of 2025 to €25.7m at mid-2026, primarily due to a €2.1m payout to shareholders from the issue premium account in June. Financial debt (excluding IFRS 16 standards) reached €6.4m as of June 2026, up from €1.4m at the end of 2025 and €2.3m at mid-2025. This figure includes €6m in bank loans Riber secured in the first half of 2026 from Bpifrance and top French banking institutions. As a result, Riber held net debt of €1.2m at mid-2026, compared to net cash of €0.2m at the same point last year. Bank financing drives continued development of the ROSIE epitaxy platform. With the €6m in bank funding secured, Riber is moving forward with its long-term strategic roadmap. The ROSIE (RIBER Oxide Silicon Epitaxy) platform is built to grow functional oxides on 300mm silicon wafers, fully compliant with SEMI global industry standards. The technology is designed for integrated silicon photonics use cases, including electro-optical parts for telecom networks, data centers, and select quantum computing architectures. The second ROSIE system was shipped in July to a leading quantum computing company based in the United States. Riber is now speeding up the industrialization of ROSIE II, a dual-chamber cluster production platform that is the next iteration of the ROSIE line. "With support from our financial partners, we are hitting a key milestone as we advance the buildout of ROSIE II. This new platform will let us speed up process qualification and get the technology ready for full commercial launch," shared Riber Chair and CEO Annie Geoffroy. The ROSIE II system will help mature the platform's technology, speed up qualification of BTO/STO (barium titanate oxide/strontium titanate oxide) production processes under real industrial operating conditions, and pave the way for wide commercial rollout. Riber notes it may use the first completed ROSIE II unit to manufacture technology wafers, or assign it to an industrial partner customer. The first BTO/STO samples developed as part of Riber's partnership with the Novo Nordisk Foundation Quantum Computing Programme (NQCP) will be available to customers in the fourth quarter of 2026. Multiple laboratories and industrial firms have already confirmed interest in the technology, with pre-orders placed for the specialized wafers. Riber has also been invited to join major new industrial and technology partnerships to support the creation of new use cases for its tech. "We keep expanding our product portfolio by combining epitaxy and deposition technologies, plus building out process automation solutions," Geoffroy added. "We are staying on track with our roadmap, with goals to strengthen our offerings built on our established core technologies, and tap into new opportunities in photonics, quantum technologies, and advanced deposition solutions." Mid-2026 order book remains strong despite headwinds. Riber reports that its commercial activity continues to hold up well, especially for use cases related to datacom and quantum technologies. As of the end of June 2026, the company's total order book stood at €26.8m, a 3% dip from the €27.7m recorded at mid-2025. The drop is attributed to export restrictions to Asia that blocked more than €8m in potential orders, plus longer purchase decision timelines from some customers. Systems orders fell 27% year-over-year from €22.5m to €16.5m, covering four total units: three production systems and one ROSIE platform. This figure does not include a July 9, 2026 announced order for a production system from a European customer, which is scheduled for delivery in 2027. In contrast, Services & Accessories orders nearly doubled year-over-year, jumping from €5.2m to €10.3m. This growth was driven by spare part sales for recently shipped equipment, plus multiple upgrade projects for long-time Riber customers in North America. "Our first half 2026 results prove the strength of our core business, even as we operate in a complex global market," said Geoffroy. "The strong growth in our Services & Accessories division, plus ongoing high interest in our core technologies, are very positive signs for our future." Full-Year 2026 business outlook. Riber notes that its sales are historically seasonal, with most unit deliveries falling in the second half of the year, so first-half results cannot be used to predict full-year performance directly. The company says its target markets continue to see positive long-term growth trends, especially in photonics, artificial intelligence, and quantum technology segments. It also expects sustained high demand for its Services & Accessories offerings. If Riber secures the required export licenses for Asian markets, it expects full-year 2026 revenue to be roughly on par with 2025 full-year results. Governance update. During a September 22, 2026 board meeting, Riber's board of directors accepted the resignation of independent director Nicolas Grandjean, who stepped down for professional reasons. The board thanked Grandjean for his contributions to the company and his commitment during his term in office.

NordForsk

Sep 15th, 2026

Historic agreement with Novo Nordisk Foundation strengthens Nordic research co-operation.

Historic agreement with Novo Nordisk Foundation strengthens Nordic research co-operation. The Novo Nordisk Foundation (NNF) and NordForsk have signed a framework agreement to fund Nordic research co-operation over the period 2026-2030. The agreement will strengthen the scope of open, competitive calls across the Nordic region. During the first part of the agreement period, NNF will contribute up to 50 million Danish kroner to NordForsk's calls, with the possibility of additional contributions later in the period. "This is a historic agreement. It is the first time that a private research foundation has entered into a binding collaboration of this kind with an institution under the Nordic Council of Ministers. The agreement will contribute to a significant strengthening of Nordic research co-operation and enable us to ensure that even more excellent research is carried out in the Nordic region," says Johnny Mogensen, Director of NordForsk. "For us at the Novo Nordisk Foundation, it is a core priority to strengthen Nordic collaboration in research and innovation. NordForsk is a unique institution in this regard, as it provides access to open calls across the Nordic countries," says Søren Nedergaard, Chief Portfolio Officer at the Novo Nordisk Foundation. Strengthening the Nordic Region's position as a leading research area. Karen Ellemann, Secretary General of the Nordic Council of Ministers, sees the agreement as an example of how Nordic research co-operation can bring together efforts across sectors and countries. "The societal challenges we face today cannot be solved by any single actor alone. This agreement is an important step towards strengthening collaboration between the public and private sectors. Together, we can give research projects greater momentum, strengthen the Nordic region's position as a leading research area, and bring us closer to the vision of becoming the world's most sustainable and integrated region," says Ellemann. The purpose of the agreement is to ensure clarity and transparency in future collaborations on calls and research projects. Funding from NNF may be used for co-financing in the fields of health, sustainability and life sciences. Both parties emphasise that these funds are intended to complement, not replace, contributions from national funding sources. The agreement covers the period 2026-2030. NordForsk will be responsible for calls, project follow-up and administration, while a joint management-level contact committee will be established to meet annually and prioritise and monitor the collaboration.

PE Hub

Sep 10th, 2026

Novo Holdings inks first China medtech deal amid Asia ramp-up.

Novo Holdings inks first China medtech deal amid Asia ramp-up. The investment arm of Denmark's Novo Nordisk Foundation is expanding the size of both its tickets and its team in Asia, says regional head Amit Kakar. He outlines why and how. 1 hour ago

A2A Electronic Limited

Sep 8th, 2026

Semiconductor industry breaking news.

Semiconductor industry breaking news. TSMC plans to adopt ASML's high numerical aperture technology in advanced process mass production starting in 2030. Apple and Kioxia sign long-term NAND supply agreement, possibly with no price cap. Samsung plans to apply high numerical aperture EUV to the mass production of DRAM by 2028. INTEL announced that it has processed more than 1 million 300mm wafers using its High Numerical Aperture Extreme Ultraviolet (High-NA EUV) lithography equipment. ASML pushes forward with upgrades to its next-generation lithography machines, targeting the large data center chip market. Malaysia is considering using Huawei's Ascend 910C processor to build a $494 million sovereign AI project. Novo Nordisk Foundation will invest $62 million to build a quantum chip factory in Denmark. Samsung's Taylor factory will begin trial production of 2nm chips at the end of September 2026. All capacity is currently booked, with an initial monthly capacity of 50,000 wafers.

MedWatch

Sep 4th, 2026

Novo Nordisk Foundation to invest DKK 400m in quantum chip factory

Novo Nordisk Foundation to invest DKK 400m in quantum chip factory The Novo Nordisk Foundation is investing in a new factory in Copenhagen that will develop and manufacture quantum chips. The initial investment is expected to be DK 400m. MARKETWIRE 4 September 2026at 10:45

Novo Nordisk Foundation

Grant Manager/Specialist

About the job