Business developer regional

In this business development role, you will focus on the acquisition and development of (large-scale) research and innovation projects and programmes, particularly in the field of sustainable food production. You will do this in collaboration with private and public partners, also ensuring societal engagement where needed.

This position is a combination of business development for AMS (Amsterdam Institute for Advanced Metropolitan Solutions; a cooperation between WUR, TU Delft and MIT) and business development in the Amsterdam region for PSG (Plant Sciences Group of WUR; the research institute Wageningen Plant Research and the Department of Plant Sciences of Wageningen University).

AMS addresses urban challenges through experimental scientific research, education and entrepreneurship. This includes research topics such as shorter food chains, circular economy, and new production systems. Students, scientists and entrepreneurs experiment and learn in the city as a testing ground. They contribute their knowledge, network and experience to achieve impact: innovative solutions for metropolitan areas around the world to make them liveable, sustainable, resilient and equitable.

At AMS, your focus will be on initiating new and strengthening and expanding existing research programmes under the sub-theme 'Metropolitan Food Systems'. You will do this in collaboration with AMS Principal Investigators, colleagues from PSG, the City of Amsterdam and business partners.

At PSG, you will part of your time be involved in new business development for PSG in the region around Amsterdam (Noord-Holland, Flevoland). These activities are aimed at setting up new projects and collaborations in which the knowledge and experience of the Plant Sciences Group can be used for the development of the region.

Your duties and responsibilities as a business developer are:

• Staying up to date of metropolitan and regional developments and opportunities in and around Amsterdam and the aforementioned regions;
• taking the lead in translating societal and business needs into new, policy-relevant programme proposals;
• building an internal network within the business units and chairs of WUR Plant Sciences and beyond to know what knowledge, innovations and people can contribute to new initiatives;
• building a broad network in Amsterdam and the aforementioned regions with potential funders, cooperation partners and other stakeholders as a basis for new, innovative projects and programmes;
• developing successful business cases (national and international) within the cooperation between PSG and AMS, based on PSG's knowledge and expertise that can contribute to the interdisciplinary 'metropolitan solutions'. This will be done in consultation with the respective PSG business units and chairs;
• bringing together supply and demand within the above regions, initiating and shaping new projects/programmes with the involvement of PSG;
• having a shared responsibility for advising PSG management on strategy development in the field of urban and regional issues.

You will be based 1 day a week in Wageningen and 3 or 4 days a week in Amsterdam, with the possibility of working 1 day from home (depending on the number of working hours).

Within PSG you will be part of a small Business Development team of 8 people. Within AMS you will work in the Program Development Team (12 FTE), where the connection to both WUR and TU Delft is important. Three other business developers from WUR are also part of this AMS team. Colleagues from both teams will be your sparring partners when needed. In both of these teams, you will be given a high degree of autonomy and responsibility.