Job Title: Senior Advisor – Solar Markets

The European Solar Academy, led by InnoEnergy, is driving one of Europe’s most important missions: building the skilled workforce that will power our solar future. We bring together the best in training, industry, and policy to ensure skills match market needs, scale world-class learning across the solar value chain, and close critical gaps with content designed for real-world impact.

We are looking for a leader who can supercharge this mission — accelerating growth, expanding reach, and delivering measurable results. This is a fixed-term role, fully dedicated to the Academy, with a mandate to make a lasting impact before the project’s conclusion on 27 February 2027.

The successful contract will be employed up until the end of February, 2027 and leave will be included.  There are certain other regional benefits depending on where the candidate is based.

If you want your work to directly shape Europe’s clean energy transition, this is where you make it happen.

Department: Strategy and External Relations 

Reports To: Solar Product Manager 

Job Summary: 
The Senior Advisor provides strategic direction, market intelligence, and external engagement to ensure Skills Institute programmes are positioned effectively within the evolving clean tech landscape. The role acts as a representative in high-level industry and policy forums, contributing expertise to strategic projects, market research, and thought leadership initiatives. The Senior Advisor ensures programmes are informed by current and emerging trends, regulatory developments, and employer needs. 

Key Responsibilities: 

Strategic Guidance 

• Advise on programme design and positioning to ensure relevance to market and policy trends. 

• Provide input on major projects such as industry credentials and sector-focused initiatives. 

• Guide thought leadership content to reinforce the Institute’s market position. 

External Engagement 

• Represent the Skills Institute externally at industry events and policy forums. 

• Maintain and develop relationships with key stakeholders such as SolarPower Europe, ESIA, and national agencies. 

• Develop network of learning training providers and sustain this network. 

• Facilitate collaboration between the Institute and external partners to advance shared objectives. 

Market and Policy Analysis 

• Monitor industry trends, technological developments, and policy changes relevant to clean tech skills. 

• Translate market intelligence into actionable recommendations for programme and business development teams. 

Collaboration Across Functions 

• Work closely with internal teams in programme design, marketing, business development, and partnership management to ensure that key teams are mobilised for projects where needed. 

• Work with Marketing to ensure relevant updates to the website based on key projects. 

Representation and Thought Leadership:  

• Act as a credible spokesperson for the organisation at conferences, panels, and industry events.  

• Contribute to thought leadership outputs, such as reports, opinion pieces, and presentations, to reinforce the organisation’s profile and influence in the clean tech skills market. 

Qualifications: 

• Minimum 5 years’ experience in senior advisory, strategic leadership, or policy roles in clean tech or vocational education. 

• Strong network in relevant industry and policy circles. 

• Masters Degree in Public Policy, Clean Tech or related fields. 

Key Competencies: 

• Strategic Thinking and Market Awareness: Able to anticipate industry and policy developments in clean tech, assess their implications for workforce and training needs, and adjust organisational priorities accordingly. Capable of connecting programme objectives to wider market trends and identifying emerging opportunities or risks. 

• Stakeholder Engagement and Influence: Skilled at building trust-based relationships with senior representatives from industry bodies, government agencies, and corporate partners. Able to represent the organisation’s position clearly and persuasively in external forums, and to broker agreements that advance programme objectives. 

• Policy and Market Intelligence Translation: Capable of analysing complex and sometimes ambiguous policy documents, market data, and industry reports, then distilling them into practical recommendations for programme design, product development, and business development teams. 

• Representation and Thought Leadership: Confident in acting as a credible spokesperson at conferences, panels, and meetings. Able to contribute to thought leadership outputs that reinforce the organisation’s positioning in the market. 

• Collaboration Across Functions: Works effectively with internal teams, ensuring that market and policy insights are integrated into programme planning, marketing, and partnership development.