Managing Director, Social Sciences Group

Wageningen University and Research (WUR) is looking for a Managing Director for their Social Sciences Group.

On behalf of Wageningen University & Research, Perrett Laver is recruiting for this position. For more information, please visit:  Perrett Laver: Managing Director, Social Sciences Group

Holding final responsibility for the strategy, positioning and functioning of the Social Sciences Group, the Managing Director will lead the development of an inspiring vision for SSG as part of WUR and promote a structurally strong scientific position as well as a national and international market orientation for the group. Creating cross-institute cooperation and synergies, the Managing Director enables linking scientific output and innovation to creating societal impact, entrepreneurship, acquisition, and marketing. They are a team player with strong interpersonal skills that can bring people together and motivate them and has a leadership style that is people centred, approachable, guiding, unifying and coaching.

Wageningen University and Research is recognised worldwide as the leading centre for state-of-the-art knowledge in food, the natural environment and societal change. WUR’s integral and interdisciplinary approach, combining fundamental scientific research and education at Wageningen University with the market focus of the Wageningen Research Institutes, leads to scientific breakthroughs that can quickly be translated into practice and incorporated into education.

WUR’s mission is to explore the potential of nature to improve the quality of life, in the fields of 1) Food, Feed and Biobased Production, 2) Natural Resources and Living environment, and 3) Society and Wellbeing. WUR is driven by the desire to understand and contribute to the world’s challenges and the transitions. The WUR strives for societal impact by transforming current food systems in inclusive, healthy and sustainable food systems. Wageningen University & Research provides innovative technological solutions, yet fundamentally they are about societal change.

The Social Sciences Group (SSG) is one of the five sciences groups of Wageningen University & Research, all of which work to understand nature and society and to develop solutions that can be contribute to a future-proof, healthy, safe and sustainable society.  The group covers the entire healthy food and living environment domain from nature to city, from seed to food, from plate to health, from society to technology and from individual consumers to populations.

You can find more information about WUR, the Social Sciences Group and the profile in the attached brochure.

The ideal candidate:

• is a connector and team player who promotes cooperation and who has a leadership style that is both guiding and coaching;
• is result-driven and has proven management skills, with experience in administration and management;
• is open to and responds proactively to change, and can translate this into innovative solutions;
• has an international network (including government, industry, academia and other social partners) and is expanding this constantly;
• can link scientific quality and innovation to entrepreneurship, acquisition and customer focus, and has a vision for developing, transferring and adding value to knowledge;
• is outward-facing and sensitive to the public and politic debate;
• has an affinity with the scientific domains of SSG, and preferably a PhD;
• is receptive, seeks consensus and takes responsibility in resolving issues and stands behind decisions taken;
• communicates clearly and effectively;
• recognizes the role of the Works Council (employee participation) in the governance of SSG and is able to maintain constructive relations with it.

The position offered is on a fulltime basis for a period of four years, with the possibility of one extension. Salary is competitive and depending on qualifications and experience. Salary and benefits are based on the collective labour agreement for Dutch universities. Additionally, Wageningen University & Research offers an attractive package of secondary employment benefits.

An executive search exercise is being undertaken by Perrett Laver to assist the Appointment Advisory Committee. Applications should consist of a covering letter addressing motivation and suitability against the person specifications and a full curriculum vitae.

Perrett Laver may be contacted for informal enquiries and questions about the post at +31 20 2404 370 or [email protected]. 

Applications can be uploaded at the website of Perret Laver, Perrett Laver: Managing Director, Social Sciences Group , quoting reference number 7205. The deadline for applications for this position is 9 am CET on Friday 12th April.

Applications will be considered by the Appointment Advisory Committee in April. Perrett Laver will conduct preliminary discussions with longlisted candidates, and the Committee will then meet to decide on a shortlist of candidates in May. Shortlisted individuals will subsequently be invited for formal interviews in May and June. Selection of and negotiations with the preferred candidate will take place thereafter. A development assessment is part of the process.

As defined under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Perrett Laver is a Data Controller and a Data Processor, and our legal basis for processing your personal data is ‘Legitimate Interest’. For more information about this, your rights, and our approach to Data Protection and Privacy, please visit our website www.perrettlaver.com/information/privacy-policy .

Wageningen University and Research centre
Delivering a substantial contribution to the quality of life. That's our focus – each and every day. Within our domain, healthy food and living environment, we search for answers to issues affecting society – such as sustainable food production, climate change and alternative energy. Of course, we don’t do this alone. Every day, 6,500 people work on ‘the quality of life’, turning ideas into reality, on a global scale.

Could you be one of these people? We give you the space you need.

For further information about working at Wageningen UR, take a look at www.wageningenur.nl/career .