Business Developer/Impact Developer Institute for Advanced Studies

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Business Developer/Impact Developer Institute for Advanced Studies

Faculty/Services: Technology Transfer Office

Educational level: PhD

Function type: Support Staff

Closing date: 13 februari 2023

Vacancy number: 11088

Bring novel complexity science based approaches to policy making for big societal issues

We are currently seeking a highly motivated Business Developer/Impact Developer to join our teams at the Institute of Advanced Studies (IAS) and Innovation eXchange Amsterdam (IXA) at the University of Amsterdam. You will be responsible for identifying and pursuing new business opportunities, building relationships with key stakeholders, and fostering complex collaborative partnerships, within academia and with societal partners.

Your initial project within this position will be to help develop the UvA initiative POLDER ( https:// polder.center ). POLDER is a research collaborative that helps policymakers to unravel complex challenges, create actionable insights, and explore new avenues of intervention. We develop and apply novel decision-support methods, using theories and tools from complexity science, system dynamics and network science. POLDER works together with researchers from all academic fields, and in co-creation with the direct stakeholders, to support responsible and effective decision-making.

In the coming years POLDER has the ambition to develop a POLDER Lab around the theme(s) of climate, behavior and policy. As a business developer you will help to develop this lab. More specifically, you will be tasked with helping to identify and communicate with potential partners that would participate in this lab. The aim is to attract partners that can contribute both intellectually and financially to the initiative. Part of your role will be to help support and manage the POLDER initiative within the UvA. You will help to pioneer new ways of conducting cross faculty research and education and help to develop best practices to guide the University with similar future initiatives. The POLDER collaboration is coordinated at the Institute for Advanced Study ( https:// ias.uva.nl ) and you will be working closely with the POLDER team (Dr Michael Lees).

What will you do?

Your main responsibilities will be:

Build and maintain relationships with key stakeholders, including academics, industry and public partners, and potential funding bodies.

Support the development of complex partnerships, including negotiating agreements and managing project delivery.

Develop and implement strategies to grow and diversify the organization's partnerships and revenue streams.

Monitor market trends and developments in the field and identify opportunities for the organization to innovate and stay ahead of the curve.

Identify and pursue new business opportunities in the field of complexity studies for society, with a focus on large scale collaborations.

Help to create and implement organizational procedures to facilitate interdisciplinary research.

Working closely with other members of the teams at IAS as well as IXA to support the overall growth and success of the organization.

What do you bring?

Required experience, skills and attitude are:

A master's degree with several years of relevant working experience or a PhD in a relevant field, such as complexity studies, ecology, social sciences.

Strong interest in business/impact development and a natural aptitude for identifying and pursuing new opportunities.

Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build and maintain relationships with key stakeholders.

Strategic thinking and strong problem-solving skills, with the ability to develop and implement effective business development strategies.

Ability to work independently and as part of a team, with strong project management skills.

Hands-on, with a strong ability to take ownership of projects and see them through to completion.

Willingness to learn and adapt to new situations, with a growth mindset and a desire to continue developing professionally.

Speak and write fluent Dutch and English.

What do we offer?

You will be employed at IXA-UvA ( https: // www. ixa.nl ), the Knowledge Transfer Office of the UvA, where you will be part of a team of enthusiastic business developers. You will perform your work in close collaboration with the researchers and staff connected to IAS (https: // ias.uva.nl). Your work may include or shift to other research institutes in the future. We have a hybrid work policy where, as far as work allows, you may work from home parttime. Your office workplace can be at different locations in Amsterdam (IAS, Roeterseilandcomplex, Amsterdam SciencePark).

We offer employment for the period of one year with a probationary period of two months. Upon positive evaluation and good performance, this will be continued in a permanent employment. The employment is for 30-38 hours per week (0.8-1.0 fte).

This is a versatile position in an exciting, development-oriented organization. The work is classified in the “Universitair Functie Ordening” System (UFO) as Knowledge Valorisation Officer (Medewerker Kennisvalorisatie).

Your salary is, depending on relevant experience at the start of employment, €3.974 to €6.181 gross per month based on a full work week of 38 hours (scale 11/12). The UvA offers a competitive salary with 8.3% year-end bonus and 8% vacation allowance and favourable fringe benefits such as a generous number of holidays, sports facilities, a professional and innovative working environment, flexible working hours and room for professional and personal development. The CAO Dutch Universities (CAO-NU) is applicable.

About us

IXA – Innovation eXchange Amsterdam – Office UvA/HvA IXA UvA-HvA (Knowledge Transfer Office) is the service center of UvA and Hogeschool van Amsterdam (HvA) offering: valorization support (business development, external collaborations and management of funds), grant advice, legal support for valorization and research collaboration, organizing events and communication about knowledge transfer. IXA UvA-HvA has a team of more than 30 highly motivated professionals.

IXA is a collaboration between the KTOs (Knowledge Transfer Offices) of the University of Amsterdam, Hogeschool van Amsterdam, the Amsterdam University Medical Center and the VU University Amsterdam.

IAS – Institute for Advanced Studies The University of Amsterdam has established its Institute for Advanced Study (IAS) to offer outstanding researchers a haven – free from constraints of disciplinary boundaries – where they can work collaboratively on complex scientific and societal challenges. IAS' approach can be dividend in several roles: developing interdisciplinary science, creating a place for slow science, advancing new interdisciplinary research collaborations (incubator).

University of Amsterdam The University of Amsterdam is the largest university in the Netherlands, with the broadest range of courses. An intellectual hub with 39,000 students, 6,000 staff and 3,000 PhD students. Connected by a culture of curiosity. Teaching and research at the UvA are conducted within seven faculties: Humanities, Social and Behavioural Sciences, Economics and Business, Law, Science, Medicine and Dentistry. Housed on four city campuses in or near the heart of Amsterdam, where disciplines come together and interact, the faculties have close links with thousands of researchers and hundreds of institutions at home and abroad. The UvA's students and employees are independent thinkers, competent rebels who dare to question dogmas and aren't satisfied with easy answers and standard solutions.

Curious about our organization and attractive fringe benefits such as a generous vacation plan and development opportunities? Read more about working at the University of Amsterdam here.

Questions?

Do you have any questions or do you require additional information? Please contact:

Topic and content related: Mike Lees, Researcher Lead POLDER, [email protected]

Role related: Rudi Rust, director IXA, [email protected]

Application

Are you enthusiastic about this opportunity and fit the profile? Please send us your application in one combined PDF-file containing:

A letter of motivation

A curriculum vitae

You may apply online by using the link below. The application deadline is February 13, 2023

Selected candidates will be invited for an interview. Interviews will be held in February/March 2023.

The UvA is an equal-opportunity employer. We prioritise diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for everyone. We value a spirit of enquiry and perseverance, provide the space to keep asking questions, and promote a culture of curiosity and creativity.

No agencies please.

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