Program Director EWUU Institute for a Circular Society (0,5 – 0,8 FTE)

Functieomschrijving

We are looking for an experienced, hands-on Program Director for the Institute for a Circular Society (i4CS), who is passionate about taking part in the transition to a circular society.

i4CS (http://circularsociety.ewuu.nl) plays a pivotal role within the EWUU alliance, which harnesses the collective expertise of four prestigious Dutch institutions: Eindhoven University of Technology, Wageningen University & Research, Utrecht University, and the University Medical Centre Utrecht. This collaboration stands out for its innovative approach to transdisciplinary knowledge generation with societal impact.

As a respected scientific institution and key stakeholder, i4CS aims to accelerate the transition toward a circular society. Through groundbreaking research fostering innovations in circularity, interdisciplinary education, and impactful partnerships, we empower students, professionals, enterprises and governments across diverse sectors to propel this transformation forward.

You will collaborate closely with your colleagues within EWUU’s Institute for a Circular Society, with your main base at the EWUU alliance office in Utrecht, and with frequent activities in Eindhoven and Wageningen.

In addition to the operational management of i4CS, content-oriented program contributions are desirable and will be tailored to your specific background and expertise. These can be, for instance, setting up research partnerships in artificial intelligence/digital twins for circular society, organizing MSc level or other types of education in the field of circular society, or other strategic program developments which emerge over time and  vary over the years.   

Job Description

As a program director, you combine strong managerial, organizational and communication skills with a passion for transitioning to a circular, just and sustainable society, and the contributions of i4CS to that by transdisciplinary research and education, and by building societal partnerships.

Your primary responsibilities and capacity input will include:

• Coordinating the i4CS’s initiatives for research, education, and outreach in accordance with our roadmap 2024 – 2027
• Ensuring Financial and Human Resource stability for the i4CS team
• Support establishing lasting communities and partnerships, with a focus on the TU/e and Brainport region and the regional networks of WUR, in the agro-food and environment domain, and Utrecht University/UMCU in the field of sustainability and health.
• Strategizing for the institute's long-term viability beyond 2027 in close collaboration with the i4CS Scientific Director and the i4CS team, to be approved by EWUU supervisory and general boards.
• Program management contribution to the content of i4CS, tailored to your specific background and expertise, for example:
  • supporting internal seed funding processes, consortium formation, proposal development and community building in Digital Technologies/Artificial Intelligence in Circular Society crosscutting technology or other areas relevant for the transition to a circular society.
  • organizing joint MSc education on Circular Society either in existing programs among the EWUU partners of i4CS, or in a new joint MSc, or through novel forms of Hybrid Learning.
  • Other strategic topics that will emerge over the years

Responsibilities

Your role will involve overseeing and coordinating the institute's endeavors in research, education, and impactful partnerships for the roadmap period of 2024 – 2027 within yearly approved budgets and with the i4CS team of scientific coordinators and program managers. Key areas of focus include:

• Coordinating the coherence between and implementation of our research programs Circular Safe Hospitals (CSH) and Urban-Rural Circularity (URC), and our cross-cutting research theme: Digital Circular Society (DCS).
• Providing content-oriented leadership in for example Digital Innovations for a Circular Society, education in Circular Society under the EWUU framework, or another relevant topic, depending on your expertise and interests, and the needs of i4CS.

As the driving force behind the implementation of our roadmap for 2024-2027, and in collaboration with the scientific director, you will:

• Serve as a key discussion partner for program managers and scientific coordinators;
• Chair and coordinate management meetings and prepare the team for supervisory board meetings;
• Ensure adherence to the roadmap 2024-2027, and where needed, initiate discussions on necessary deviations and updates;
• Manage the institute's budget and HR policy;

The establishment of enduring communities and partnerships includes:

• Supporting program managers, coordinating scientists, and marcom officers in community building and project development;
• Identifying and capitalizing on collaboration opportunities within and outside EWUU;
• Offering practical assistance in forming consortia and developing proposals;
• Strengthening the institute’s network in the Eindhoven Metropole Area / Brainport region, and the WUR, UMCU, and UU networks.

Ensuring the institute's sustainability beyond 2027 involves:

• Advocating for administrative and political support within EWUU;
• Exploring and influencing long-term external funding opportunities;
• Investigating potential additional initiatives and directions for the institute.

Functie-eisen

To excel in this role, you should:

• Have strong organizational skills with the ability to prioritize effectively;
• Have a proven ability to translate ideas into actionable plans and foster collaboration;
• Have a track record of delivering tangible results;
• Be a team player with excellent interpersonal and networking abilities;
• Be an exceptional communicator in English and in Dutch;
• Be passionate about taking part in the transition towards a circular society
• Be strategically and politically sensitive;
• Be enterprising and flexible combined with the ability to quickly master new subjects and skills.

It is a plus if you:

• Have a network or are able to quickly build a strong network within the TU/e and Brainport community;
• Have a background in and/or experience in research support and/or business development;
• Have a good command of the Dutch language;
• Are interested in or familiar with content related topics such as digital technologies, (organizing) education on various  levels, or other circular society related topics that are expected to emerge the coming years.

Arbeidsvoorwaarden

Employer

Eindhoven University of Technology will be your new employer. As program director i4CS you will be embedded in the Research Support Office (RSO) and from there be allocated to work for EWUU, with the base at the EWUU alliance office in Utrecht. At TU/e, you will become part of the RSO, the central Research Support Office of TU/e that consists of a close-knit team of professionals who support the scientific staff in a variety of tasks. The RSO team further consists of research funding advisors, grant consultants, corporate lawyers, and project managers. Furthermore, you will become part of a team of Program Managers for TU/e institutes and alliances (such as EAISI and EIRES). This allows knowledge exchange and team building with colleagues with a similar role, albeit for a different institute/alliance.

Benefits

In addition to a stimulating role within an international yet close-knit organization, we offer:

• A competitive salary scale based on experience. The position is valued at salary scale 13, minimum €6286,- and maximum €7651,- gross per month on a full-time basis, in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement of Dutch Universities. Depending on your experience, salary scale 12 may apply;
• Holiday allowance and an annual bonus;
• Favorable leave arrangements;
• Opportunities for professional development;
• Flexible working hours for a healthy work-life balance;
• Employer contributions to the favorable ABP pension scheme.

Here you will discover even more information about our terms of employment. Build on your career at TU/e!

Informatie en sollicitatie

Information

Do you recognize yourself in this profile and would you like to have more information about the function, please contact Myrra Carstens (m.carstens@hands4grants.eu) or Qi Han (q.han@tue.nl), interim programme director and steering group member of the Institute for a Circular Society, respectively.

For other questions about the conditions of employment contact Brigitte van der Heijden, HR advisor, b.m.h.j.v.d.heijden@tue.nl or via tel. +31 40 247 6098

Did you become curious? At www.tue.nl/jobs you can find more information about working at the TU/e.

Application

If you are interested in this position, please submit your CV and a cover letter outlining your qualifications and motivation via the application button. We welcome applications from all qualified candidates, and the screening process will commence upon receipt of applications. Selected candidates will be invited for an interview, which will take place in Utrecht on April 10, 2025. Internal candidates may receive preference in case of equal suitability.

We look forward to receiving your application!