The main duties and responsibilities of the SBD Director are:

1. Acquiring collaborative projects and attracting suitable partners to boost indirect funding and contract funding;
2. Coordinating various UT activities that focus on acquiring and boosting indirect funding and contract funding;
3. Lobbying focused on the above;
4. A UT standard-bearer who promotes university services and products to current and future alliance partners. 

The SBD Director is a member of the Strategic Council and reports to the President of Executive Board.

JOB REQUIREMENTS

• At least five years’ experience in business development and project acquisition in an industrial environment;
• At least five years’ experience in managing professionals/projects/processes in an academic environment;
• Broad expertise and recent experience in creating Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) and innovative eco-systems, preferably with an international scope;
• Insightful administrator: able to maintain a solid overview of a complex playing field and understand what needs to be done to achieve results;
• Emphasis on the further development of the SBD team and programme stakeholders;
• Team player: strong affinity with and experience of cross-disciplinary and multidisciplinary working;
• Commitment to the societal impact of research and education;
• Academic level of professional and intellectual ability, experience in an academic research environment;
• A strong national and international network;
• Good understanding of the European and Netherlands’ scientific and economic landscape;
• Good command of the Dutch language.

Entrepreneurship

Identifies opportunities in the market for both new and existing products and activities, acts accordingly and is not afraid to take risks. Is decidedly results-driven. 

Inspiring personality

An individual who connects and who knows how to foster support. A standard-bearer for the university who works effectively outside the organization and who motivates people within the organization to reach their full potential. Has a clear vision on forging connections and helps people be the best they can be as they get the most out of themselves. Transfers these precepts to the organization. Takes a smart and measured approach to providing advice and is able to put himself in the background and let others excel. 

Networker

Understands the dynamics of synergies and interaction between the organization and its surroundings. Develops this expertise to enhance the organization’s results. Develops and maintains extensive contacts for the same purpose. Is able to tap into and build new networks by going off the beaten track. 

Coordinator

Encourages effectiveness and cooperation. Shares all relevant and useful information and ensures the right people are on board who will make the best decisions. 

Team player

Contributes to achieving a joint result, encourages others to grow.

APPLICATION AND SCHEDULE

• This vacancy will be advertised in the relevant media and on social networks starting on 11 October 2018.
• Please submit your application before 1 January 2018 at: www.utwente.nl/vacatures. Use the link below to submit your application, including a recent CV, by the deadline mentioned.
• An initial selection will be made. These candidates will be submitted to the UT selection committee, who will then invite individuals for interviews.
• The interview dates will be published soon.
• The references of the final candidates may be verified. The final candidates will also be subject to a security screening.
• An assessment may form part of the selection procedure. 

CONTACT ABOUT THIS VACANCY

For additional information about the vacancy, please contact the Secretary of the University, Susanne Wichman on +31 (0)53 489 6976 or, if this is not possible because of the autumn holidays (22-26 October), the Director of Human Resources, Joost Sluijs on +31 (0)53 489 8012.

For general information about the University of Twente, please see www.utwente.nl.

For information about the university’s organizational structure and our way of working, see the video: https://youtu.be/_o69dZ1HGzw.

Information on current university strategy is available here www.utwente.nl/vision2020/ and/or here https://issuu.com/utwente/docs/14337_brochure_vision_2020_eng

The terms and conditions of employment for this full-time position are in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities; remuneration is based on scale 15/16 and on the job profile for Policy Director 2/1. Employment will initially be for one year, with the intention of extending the contract indefinitely thereafter.
The University of Twente also offers excellent secondary employment benefits.

The Strategic Business Development (SBD) team is instrumental in enhancing the University of Twente’s economic and societal impact by forging effective and distinctive links between excellent research on the one hand and society and the market (both national and international) on the other. This collaboration results in increased external funding for the university.

SBD makes a specific contribution to the university’s broad valorization (knowledge transfer) objectives by boosting the number of strategic and long-term partnerships with companies, funds, Top Consortiums for Knowledge and Innovation (TKIs), non-profits such as hospitals, and governments (regional, national and international), while also making such alliances more comprehensive in scope. The team is proactive, creating and responding to opportunities where they occur to generate impact and achieve the ambitions expressed in Vision 2020. SBD helps researchers as they embark on the initial phase of partnerships and provides expertise to the UT organization and its stakeholders to help frame and build alliances that will eventually take root in the relevant faculties and/or research groups. SBD creates new opportunities for the university and forges connections between external parties and the appropriate UT research domains. This makes the SBD Director a standard-bearer for the entire organization.

SBD believes in the power of collaboration both within and outside the university. SBD’s role is one of facilitation, while also providing direction and coordination as necessary, all in close collaboration with research institutes, faculties, Novel-T, HTT, Fraunhofer and other parties. SBD ensures that the expertise is available for making such collaborations work.

The SBD team consists of a director, a project manager, the Grants Office and a secretariat. The team sources external expertise as necessary.
The SBD Director works with the business managers and directors of the scientific institutes, Novel-T and HTT. All parties work together in structured, multidisciplinary teams.

Products, partnerships and portfolio

• SBD creates and maintains a portfolio for implementing its activities to the greatest benefit of the university. The Deans and Scientific Directors provide input on the portfolio.
• SBD develops and manages a set of tools, e.g. facility sharing, support for EU projects, NWO (Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research) to leverage R&D investments.
• Partnerships, especially at the strategic level. SBD builds such strategic partnerships based on network, organizational form, legal structure, etc.

SBD advises (in consultation with other stakeholders) on:

• Valorization activities in development (to faculties and institutes).
• Valorization policy (to Strategy & Policy Department).
• Research portfolio (valorization potential) (to UT strategic council).