Senior Business Developer TNO-ESI | Eindhoven

It’s your time to make a real impact on how the high-tech industry designs and develops its complex systems and solutions. Contribute to shaping the world of tomorrow as the Business Director for TNO-ESI, based in Eindhoven.

You will have a unique opportunity to have impact by shaping how the high-tech equipment industry overcomes the complexity issues in their products and systems through guiding the TNO-ESI research towards the innovation needs of the industry. The strategic direction for TNO-ESI is defined in close consultation with our Partner Board, with representatives from industry, academia, and TNO itself. This partnership is one of the cornerstones of the success of TNO-ESI. In your role you are expected to foster and strengthen this partnership as well as to make it grow further by adding new partners in the coming years.

We are looking for a business developer who can act as the business director for ESI partnership, leading the business development activities, representing TNO-ESI in the Partner Board and managing the partnership program in close collaboration with the Research Manager of ESI. In close interaction with the partners you lead the definition of the agenda and roadmaps which are leading in the definition of new projects to solve real innovation challenges or to bring new Systems Engineering related technologies into industrial practice.

You will be part of a team of business developers in TNO’s business segment Digital Systems, which comprises multiple programs, including the ESI program. Next to you, one other colleague from the team focusses on the ESI program. Together with your colleague business developer, you acquire and initiate programs and research projects with the industry partners and other interested industrial players and are responsible for defining the impact to be created. You will manage the business perspective of several program lines of the ESI program in parallel, each with a series of projects that target the roadmap of each program line.

Projects, which include both national and European, are managed by a project manager in tight collaboration with industry partners and executed to a large extent at industry location. Many of our projects are public private partnerships with mixed funding, which requires upfront financial planning and management. Together with the project managers you will ensure that project results create the impact and fulfill the needs of all stakeholders, both public and private.

Your responsibilities towards the program and the partnership further include key account management, strong involvement with national technical roadmap definitions and communication with stakeholders. Together with the Research Manager of ESI, you create a duo to develop and foster long term relationships with both strategic management of our industry partners and our academic partners. This duo regularly report back to the Partner Board on the course and the contents of the ESI partnership-activities. You further serve on the portfolio steering groups in which TNO-ESI quarterly meets with each individual partner. In those meetings progress of the running projects with that partner are discussed and future directions are set.

You are goal-oriented and self-driven professional, energized by delivering high quality results and willing to learn from new experiences and your colleagues. You are passionate about creating impact for your partners and making technology work in practice as well as getting the best out of teams and individuals.

You enjoy to oversee multidisciplinary teams of ESI researchers, product innovation specialists and scientists who develop new methods and techniques for design and engineering of complex high-tech systems.

You like and have experience with working in and for complex organisational environments, where interests of multiple stakeholders come together. You combine at least ten years of experience in technical (high-tech) industry with a strong affinity to industrial R&D.

You have understanding of the cross-roads of systems engineering and digitalization, in other words: affinity and experience with system level concepts like system thinking, system architecture and/or system integration and with software engineering and development.

You combine a focussed drive to deliver, with the flexibility to adapt to changes in a dynamic environment. You like to make it happen, by taking ownership. You have excellent communication skills and you feel comfortable in communication with a range of stakeholders.

Preferably, you have built up a track record in influencing business decisions and directions, based on your technological insight and personality.

Summarizing, you are person a that we can build on guiding our partners and our research staff successfully through their innovation journey.

What else can you offer?

• Proven experience working in or with the high-tech industry ecosystem concentrated around but not limited to Brainport – understanding of the systems and software challenges of this industry.
• University education in technical sciences.
• Vision on the key drivers of future development of Systems Engineering of highly digitalized industrial systems – e.g. AI, Systems of systems, productivity challenges.
• Relation and partnership manager – creation, maintaining and exploiting ecosystems.
• Experience with research and innovation including successful interaction with executive R&D management at large industries.
• Experience with project acquisition, portfolio management and working with public funding agencies and NL government innovation policy.
• Fluent in Dutch and English.

Challenging and varied work with a real impact. And plenty of opportunities as, at TNO, you are in charge of shaping your career. We offer a gross monthly salary between € 6,633 and € 8,545 (based on your knowledge and experience), 8% holiday pay, a 13th month bonus of 8.33% and a flex budget (5.58% + € 180). In addition, you will be given every opportunity to develop yourself.

TNO offers optional employee benefits, enabling you to tailor your benefits package to match your personal situation. You may also expect:
The bullets below are examples only. Please determine the order on the basis of the target group’s priorities and, if necessary, make additions.

• An extremely professional, innovative working environment where colleagues are leading experts in their field.
• The opportunity to attend courses, workshops and conferences, and to receive training and coaching based on your needs.
• 33 days annual leave on a full-time basis.
• An employer that values and encourages diverse talent, with initiatives like the Female Leadership Program, our Rainbow Community and round tables on inclusion topics.
• We offer a comprehensive and flexible mobility plan that also includes full compensation for public transportation for commuting and business travel.
• Great social events with your team and other TNO colleagues. That’s how you will get to know a lot of people really quickly.
• Flexible working hours, the possibility to work parttime (32 of 36 hours) and the possibility of working from home.
• A good pension scheme.

Read more about tailoring your benefits package.

You will be working in one of the leading innovation and research centres on systems engineering with strong partnerships with industry-leading high-tech companies. You work with distinguished experts in this field, operating right in the heart of the high-tech ecosystem in the Netherlands. TNO-ESI addresses the ever-increasing complexity the high-tech industry is facing through the development of new methods and techniques for system design and engineering. This complexity concerns the systems these industries create themselves, but also their systems in the bigger context at their customer and further the engineering system which develops those high tech systems. Its extensive research programme aims to advance high-tech industry in improving lead-time and effectiveness of their product innovation process, as well as the functionality, quality and societal impact of their products. The ESI project teams are motivated to accomplish a difference for their eco-system within an informal working ambience.
Read more about ESI (TNO) or watch this TNO-ESI introduction video

At TNO, we innovate for a healthier, safer and more sustainable life. And for a strong economy. Since 1932, we have been making knowledge and technology available for the common good. We find each other in wonder and ingenuity. We are driven to push boundaries. There is all the space and support for your talent and ambition. You work with people who will challenge you: who inspire you and want to learn from you. Our state-of-the-art facilities are there to realize your vision. What you do at TNO matters: impact makes the difference. Because with every innovation you contribute to tomorrow’s world. Read more about TNO as an employer.

At TNO we encourage an inclusive work environment, where you can be yourself. Whatever your story and whatever unique qualities you bring to the table. It is by combining our unique strengths and perspectives that we are able to develop innovations that make a real difference in society. Want to know more? Read what steps we are taking in the area of diversity, equity and inclusion.