We are looking for an experienced and driven Product Owner to elevate our Data Management to the next level. Are you a passionate connector who can shape collaboration within our teams with enthusiasm and conviction?

The Work Environment
Wageningen University & Research, with the mission 'To explore the potential of nature to improve the quality of life,' has an international impact with 6,500 employees and 12,000 students from over 100 countries working on healthy food and living environments. Wageningen Economic Research (WEcR), a part of WUR with 300 employees, focuses on business economics and sustainability performance in agriculture and horticulture. WEcR is responsible for the collection and use of data in the Farm Information Network (the Informatienet / BIN), a unique, detailed data collection containing technical and financial information from over 1500 agricultural businesses.
The DSI (Data Science and Innovation) expertise group is involved in providing data-driven insights essential for strategic policy and decision-making, reporting, scientific research, and innovation. Our applications, crucial for the data management infrastructure, have been modernized and integrated in recent years.

The Position
As a Product Owner, you are the essential link between researchers and users of the applications and the management and development teams of these applications and data collections. You work closely with your stakeholders to set priorities in both the short and long term and coordinate the teams responsible for the development and maintenance of the applications. We work in a bi-weekly scrum cycle, and where necessary, you organize additional contact moments between the team and users to ensure everything runs smoothly.
You are responsible for managing and coordinating two teams within the DSI group, translating your vision into clear priorities and guidance through effective backlog management. The two teams are:

• Team 1: Data Management Platform - This team builds and maintains the central data management platform for WEcR.
• Team 2: Data Management BIN - This team handles the functional management of the applications where BIN data and the associated models are recorded.

Parallel to the activities of these two teams, the recording and use of datasets and models are increasingly being migrated to a modern Data Management Platform. You will play a crucial role within this framework, given your overview and central role within the teams.

Tasks and Responsibilities:

• Prioritization and Planning: Collaborate with users, project leaders, and development teams to set priorities and plan for the short and long term.
• Stakeholder Management: Maintain relationships with stakeholders to manage their needs and expectations.
• Guiding the Development Cycle: Organize additional contact moments between teams and users where necessary.
• Reporting and Monitoring: Report to the DSI group head and work closely to monitor and stimulate project progress and team development.

• Several years of experience as a product owner, preferably within IT teams.
• Strong affinity with data management and IT.
• Strong communication and analytical skills. Able to bring structure to complex development processes and communicate effectively with diverse stakeholders.
• Academic work and thinking level, with at least a completed (technical) higher professional education.
• Language Skills: Good command of Dutch and English, both spoken and written.
• Experience with scrum/agile methodologies is a plus.
• Accounting and Accountancy in Agriculture: Experience in these areas is a plus.

Competencies:

• Collaborative
• Entrepreneurial
• You create an overview
• Team player
• Pleasant to work with / connector
• Results-oriented
• Customer-oriented

• 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;
• 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 € 5.247 and € 6.737 for a full-time working week of 36-40 hours, in accordance with the CLA Wageningen Research (scale 12). 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.

You are going to work at the greenest and most innovative campus in Holland and with your work you have a clear and positive impact on society. At WUR we work on the most pressing challenges of our time, like climate change and feeding the world in a sustainable way.

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.

Because we expect you to work and live in the Netherlands 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.

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, 7,600 employees (6,700 fte) and 13,100 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.

Read the 5 reasons why your future colleagues enjoy working at WUR and watch the video below to get an idea of our green campus!

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