AI Project & Partnerships Manager

At Nova SBE - School of Business & Economics (Permanent), in Lisbon, Portugal

Remote policy: Partial remote

The AI Project & Partnerships Manager will support the D3 Institute (Digital Data Design Institute at Nova SBE and NOVA Medical School) in delivering, coordinating, and growing its portfolio of data and AI projects. Working at the intersection of project management, technology, and business development, this role is central to ensuring that the institute's initiatives - including the AI Experimentation Lab (AI X Lab) - are executed with rigor, communicated with clarity, and scaled with impact.

This is a role for someone who is equally comfortable managing a project timeline and exploring a new partnership opportunity - organized and analytical, but also curious, entrepreneurial, and energized by the fast-moving world of AI and emerging technologies.

Key responsibilities include

• Manage the end-to‑end delivery of D3 Institute projects, including planning, stakeholder coordination, milestone tracking, and reporting.
• Support the operationalization and ongoing development of the AI X Lab, coordinating between the Lab Manager, research team, and external partners.
• Identify and develop new partnerships and business opportunities aligned with the institute's mission, including outreach to potential clients, academic partners, and industry collaborators.
• Prepare proposals, pitch decks, and supporting materials for new projects and funding applications.
• Maintain clear and up‑to‑date project documentation, including timelines, budgets, deliverables, and meeting records.
• Liaise with internal and external stakeholders - including faculty, students, corporate partners, and public institutions - to ensure alignment and follow‑through.
• Support the communication and visibility of the institute's work, including contributions to reports, newsletters, events, and social media content.
• Monitor trends in AI, data, and technology to identify emerging opportunities relevant to the institute's research and commercial agenda.
• Support academic or research environments, including familiarity with research project management, grant or funding application processes, and collaboration with faculty, research centers, or institutional partners.

Main requirements

• A degree in Management, Economics, Engineering, or a related field.
• 5-8 years of experience in project management, technology consulting, or a related role, ideally in an innovation, research, or tech‑driven environment.
• Solid understanding of AI, data, and emerging technologies - not as a developer, but enough to engage credibly with technical teams and translate concepts for non‑technical stakeholders.
• Experience using project management tools and methodologies to plan, track, and deliver projects on time and within scope.
• Ability to support business development activities, including the identification of partnership opportunities, preparation of proposals, and engagement with potential clients and collaborators.
• Strong communication skills - written and verbal - in both English and Portuguese, with the ability to produce clear documentation, presentations, and reports.
• Comfort working with generative AI tools (e.g., Claude, ChatGPT, Copilot) to support research, drafting, and productivity tasks.
• Ability to manage multiple workstreams simultaneously, with attention to detail and a structured approach to prioritization.
• Familiarity with data privacy and AI governance frameworks, including practical knowledge of GDPR compliance requirements and awareness of the EU AI Act and its implications for the development and deployment of AI systems in organizational contexts.

Nice to have

• Experience in academic or research environments, including familiarity with research project management, grant or funding application processes, and collaboration with faculty, research centers, or institutional partners.
• Genuine curiosity about AI and emerging technologies, and a desire to understand how they can be applied to real‑world challenges across sectors.
• An entrepreneurial mindset - proactive, resourceful, and comfortable operating in an environment that is still being built.
• Commitment to the institute's mission of bridging academia, technology, and society, and an interest in the broader social and ethical dimensions of AI.