Teamleader Cultivation Systems and Crop Management

Your job

In the role of team leader you contribute to the sustainable production of greenhouse crops and flower bulbs and you will further strengthen the international leading position of Wageningen Plant Research in this field. You will work in a dynamic multinational environment and will have the opportunity to empower a diverse group of people.

As a teamleader Crop Management & Cultivation you are primarily responsible for the optimal functioning of the team, the strategy and vision of the team, team building and further expanding and strengthening the team in its area of expertise. Multidisciplinary collaboration is the strength of our business unit, so you will actively seek cooperation with program managers and other teams in the business unit and in the wider WUR organization. You report directly to the BU manager and are part of the management team of the business unit.  Using your people-oriented management qualities, vision and entrepreneurship you contribute to the long-term strategy of the BU and  the strategic personnel planning. Together with your team , and using your knowledge of the sector, you translate this into a strategy for the team Cultivation Systems and Crop Management.

Your duties and responsibilities as a teamleader are:

• Ensure the optimal functioning and well-being of your team. Develop their personal and professional skills in alignment with the requirements of the strategic plan;
• guard the budget and financial result of your team;
• develop and maintain a network in the sector and contribute to acquisition;
• contribute to the strategy of the Business unit as a whole.

Team

You are responsible for developing and strengthening your team, consisting of 20 people. The team Crop Management & Cultivation is based in Bleiswijk and is one of the 6 research teams of the business unit (BU)

Greenhouse Horticulture and Flower Bulbs

of Wageningen University and Research (WUR). As we are the world's leading research institution in the field of sustainable greenhouse horticulture, you have a position in a dynamic, international environment at the interface between science and application.

The team Crop Management & Cultivation focuses on the optimization of crop production systems both in greenhouses as well as for flower bulbs. Next to improving crop quality and profitability an important aim is to enhance sustainability. The team frequently collaborates with other research units as crop management expertise is needed for almost all topics that the business unit addresses.  The team focusses both on the improvement of existing cultivation systems as well as on new (greenhouse) crops such as vanilla, cotton and black pepper. 

Your qualities

For this role, you recognize yourself in the following competences:

• coaching, situational and binding leadership
• entrepreneurship
• persuasiveness
• organizational sensitivity
• planning & organizing.

You also bring:

• A MSc or PhD in a relevant research field;
• at least 5 years of work experience in a research organization;
• demonstrated experience in managing research professionals. Your leadership style is supportive and coaching, with attention to social aspects; you have an open eye for the individual needs and motivations of the team members, but also for the interests of the team as a whole and the organization;
• scientific background in a field relevant to the research scope (e.g. crop management, plant physiology, greenhouse production systems) and knowledge of the greenhouse horticulture sector and/or the flower bulb sector;
• demonstrable experience with national and international acquisition and project management;
• a broad (inter)national network that is relevant to the research area of the team;
• well-developed ability and experience to deal with commercial parties and to set up new bilateral and cooperative research projects;
• fluent in Dutch and English language.

In our international working environment there is an increasing amount of communication in English. For this position it is about

language level

 C1. If you do not yet have this level, we will of course help you and you can go to our language center

Wageningen in'to Language

You can see that there are plenty of challenges ahead of you. These challenges can also be seen as development opportunities. So if you do not yet have the track-record required in the vacancy, but do have solid work experience, we would also like to invite you to apply.

We offer you

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 gross salary of between € 4.862,- and € 7.306,- for a full-time working week of 36 hours, in accordance with the CLA Wageningen Research (scale 13). You will initially receive a one-year contract, which will be extended to an open-ended contract upon in mutual enthusiasm.                                                                                                   

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 Monique van Wordragen, Business Unit Manager, e-mail: [email protected] .
For more information about the procedure, please contact Dax Teunissen, Recruiter, via [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 listed up to and including April 8, 2024. 

Procedure
As part of our selection process, an assessment may be 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 .

We are

Wageningen University & Research
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, 7,200 employees (6,400 fte) and 13,200 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.. An integrated approach to problems and the cooperation between various disciplines are at the heart of Wageningen’s unique approach. WUR has been named Best Employer in the Education category for 2019-2020.

These are the points our employees list as good reasons to come work at WUR: read the 5 reasons to come work at WUR

You will work here:

Wageningen University & Research, business unit Greenhouse Horticulture and Flower Bulbs, is the leading international contract research institute for the greenhouse horticulture and bulb sector.

Commissioned by and in collaboration with industry, science and government, questions about greenhouse operations and crop cultivation are analyzed and translated into application-oriented research and innovation processes. Our research is strongly focused on making the sector more sustainable by reducing fossil energy and plant protection products and closing material flows.

The Business Unit has approximately 160 employees at two locations (Wageningen and Bleiswijk). In addition to the greenhouse facility team, which is responsible for all research facilities, and the management office, we work in six research teams:

• Crop Management & Cultivation
• Crop Health
• Root Zone Dynamics
• Crop Physiology and Quality
• Greenhouse Technology
• Greenhouse Automation & Robotics

The teams are interconnected by 5 thematic programs that reflect the main challenges of the sector. Currently these programs are:

• Circular Horticulture
• Energy
• Resilient Cultivation Systems
• Autonomous Cultivation
• Vision + Robotics

The position described here is based in Bleiswijk, but you are  expected to be regularly present in Wageningen as well.

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