2 Institute Managers- Social Sciences

Are you an experienced and passionate leader? If so, this is an exciting role for you!

About Us
The Social Sciences Research institute is a contract research organisation. This year Wageningen Economic Research and Wageningen Centre for Development Innovation will merge into a new institute with about 450 employees. Within this new organisational structure 3new positions for Institute Manager have been created where each has its focus on a different domain; (1) Sustainable & Innovative Value Chains, (2) Global Food System Transformation and (3) Agricultural Policy and Data Management . For the first two domains, we are looking for new colleagues to join the team.

The other vacancy, for the domain Global Food System Transformation, can be found here .

The institute focuses on social and economic research that supports sustainable, inclusive and just food and eco systems transformations, contributing to socioeconomic equity and planetary health, around the world. Together with the Wageningen University Department of Social Sciences, it forms the Social Sciences Group (SSG), one of Wageningen University & Research’s five science groups.

Job Description
As the Institute Manager, you will play a crucial role in steering the institute towards strategic goals. In collaboration with two other Institute Managers, you will lead a globally influential institute, ensuring optimal performance and financial stability. Your responsibilities include developing and implementing the strategy, external representation, and achieving results together with the team leaders. Serving as the direct managerial connection to the team leaders, you will play a key role in promoting communication, coordination, and support across the organisation. You will lead the teams towards a sustainable and productive working environment.

As Institute Manager within the domain Sustainable & Innovative Value Chains, you will navigate at the forefront of leading research within the food system, focusing on the need for safe and ethical food production and consumption systems. Your role involves cultivating strong international networks and addressing the complex challenges posed by transformative shifts in the food system, all in close collaboration with European governments and the private sector. In particular, you will focus on the dynamic European research landscape, addressing both national and international developments in the retail and food industries.

Key Management Responsibilities

• Strategy Development and Realization: Formulate and execute strategies aligning with the institute's objectives.
• Inclusive Leadership and Management: Take up a leadership role and foster collaboration and coaching within the team.
• External Representation: Enhance the institute’s visibility through active engagement and representation.
• Collaborative Results and Financial Stability: Ensure achievement of collaborative goals and financial stability.
• Research-Oriented Acquisition: Manage portfolios and acquisitions in European and international contexts.

A strategic management team (SMT) will manage the institute, consisting of the SSG Managing Director, the SSG Director of Operations, and three Institute Managers, each focusing on a specific domain.

Your Profile:

• Substantive and relevant leadership experience in a managerial position (50+ FTE).
• Experience with managing a knowledge organisation and collaborating with academic, governmental and industry stakeholders.
• Expert in value chains, preferably in the agrifood domain.
• PhD in socioeconomic or life sciences.
• Relevant international network and active involvement in national and international debates.
• Fluent in both Dutch and English.

• Strategic thinking
• Collaborative and inclusive leadership
• Decisiveness
• Effective communication
• Networking
• Entrepreneurship
• Result-oriented

Shape the future of global food systems with us!

Wageningen University & Research offers excellent terms of employment . A few highlights from our Collective Labour Agreement include:

• working hours that can be discussed and arranged so that they allow for the best possible work-life balance;
• the option to accrue additional compensation hours by working more, per week;
• sabbatical leave, study leave, and partially paid parental leave;
• there is a strong focus on vitality and you can make use of the sports facilities available on campus for a small fee;
• a fixed December bonus of 8.3%;
• excellent pension scheme.

In addition to these first-rate employee benefits, you will of course receive a good salary. We offer, depending on your experience, a competitive monthly gross salary of between € 6.260,- and € 8.880,- for a full-time working week of 36 hours, in accordance with the CLA Wageningen Research (scale 15). You will initially receive a one-year contract, which can be extended to an open-ended contract.

Wageningen University & Research encourages internal advancement opportunities and mobility with an internal recruitment policy. There are plenty of options for personal initiative in a learning environment, and we provide excellent training opportunities. We are offering a multi-faceted position in an international environment with a pleasant and open working atmosphere.

Coming from abroad
Wageningen University & Research is the university and research centre for life sciences. The themes we deal with are relevant to everyone around the world and Wageningen, therefore, has a large international community and a lot to offer to international employees.

Our team of advisors on Dutch immigration procedures will help you with the visa application procedures for yourself and, if applicable, for your family.

Feeling welcome also has everything to do with being well informed. Wageningen University & Research's International Community page contains practical information about what we can do to support international employees and students coming to Wageningen. Furthermore, we can assist you with any additional advice and information about for example helping your partner to find a job, housing, or schooling. Finally, certain categories of international staff may be eligible for a tax exemption on a part of their salary during the first five years in the Netherlands.

Do you want more information?
For more information about this position, please contact Professor Jack van der Vorst, General Director Social Sciences Group, via email [email protected]  or telephone +31 317 485 248 .

For more information about the procedure, or an extensive job description please contact Jouke van Oostenbrugge & Jeanine van ‘t Veer corporate recruiters via email [email protected] .

Do you want to apply?
You can apply directly using the apply button on the vacancy page on our website which will allow us to process your personal information with your approval.

This vacancy will be closing soon so don't wait to send in your application. We will review the applications until we found the right candidate.  

Procedure
As part of our selection process, an assessment is incorporated within the procedure

Equal opportunities
Wageningen University & Research (WUR) employs a large number of people with very different backgrounds and qualities, who inspire and motivate each other. We want every talent to feel at home in our organisation and be offered the same career opportunities. We therefore especially welcome applications from people who are underrepresented at WUR. A good example of how WUR deals with inclusiveness can be read on the page Working at WUR with a functional impairment.

The mission of Wageningen University & Research is “To explore the potential of nature to improve the quality of life”. Under the banner Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen University and the specialised research institutes of the Wageningen Research Foundation have joined forces in contributing to finding solutions to important questions in the domain of healthy food and living environment. With its roughly 30 branches, 7,600 employees (6,700 fte) and 13,100 students and over 150,000 participants to WUR’s Life Long Learning, Wageningen University & Research is one of the leading organisations in its domain. The unique Wageningen approach lies in its integrated approach to issues and the collaboration between different disciplines.

Read the 5 reasons why your future colleagues enjoy working at WUR and watch this video to get an idea of our green campus!

We will recruit for the vacancy ourselves, so no employment agencies please. However, sharing in your network is appreciated.