Program Director Growth & Partnerships (1 fte, 40 hrs/week)
Brightlands Chemelot Campus – Kruimelpad
About Brightlands Chemelot Campus
Brightlands Chemelot Campus is a leading innovation hub in circular materials and chemistry, bringing together companies, knowledge institutes and talent in a unique open ecosystem. Together with Chemelot Industrial Park, it forms one of Europe’s largest research and industrial clusters. The mission is to accelerate innovation by connecting business, research and education to address global challenges in sustainability and health.
Context: Accelerating International Growth
Brightlands Chemelot Campus is entering a new phase where external growth, national and international positioning, and strategic partnerships are key to further strengthening our ecosystem and shaping the next stage of campus development. The Program Director Growth & Partnerships will lead the commercial expansion by attracting new companies and ecosystems, and by contributing to the strategic development and market positioning of the campus.
Your Role
You will drive commercial growth with a focus on acquisition, occupancy and strategic partnerships. You proactively identify, approach and negotiate with prospective companies, translating their needs into compelling propositions for locating on campus. This role reports directly to the CEO.
Key Initiatives
- Direct growth – actively approach new customers and increase the influx of promising companies.
- Indirect growth – secure funding and collaborations through national and European programmes, consortia and public–private partnerships.
Specific Responsibilities
- Proactively identify acquisition opportunities with companies in the Netherlands and abroad.
- Capture industry-wide opportunities by engaging with organisations such as Invest‑NL, Techleap and the Ministry of Economic Affairs & Climate Policy.
- Build partnerships that attract start‑ups and scale‑ups through international accelerator programmes, corporate innovation programmes, incubators and venture studios.
- Create new programmes via European and national funding, PPP structures and multi‑year collaborations with corporates to generate campus‑wide funding and strengthen the ecosystem.
Key Responsibilities
- Proactively identify opportunities with companies and ecosystems.
- Approach and convert new companies to establish themselves on Brightlands Chemelot Campus.
- Translate the campus proposition into compelling business cases for corporates, scale‑ups and R&D organisations.
- Drive acquisition efforts with a clear focus on occupancy and revenue generation.
- Lead commercial conversations, negotiations and deal closures with prospective tenants and partners.
- Develop and maintain relationships with external stakeholders, intermediaries and business networks.
- Represent Brightlands in relevant networks, trade missions and events to generate new leads and visibility.
- Initiate partnerships and programmes at a national and European level that support commercial growth and strengthen the ecosystem.
- Help steer the qualitative development of the campus by attracting companies and partners that reinforce its strategic profile and long‑term ambitions.
- Collaborate closely with internal stakeholders such as Real Estate, Business Development, Marketing and Innovation to ensure successful onboarding and alignment.
- Work structurally with the Director Business Development to convert opportunities into concrete contracts.
Your Impact
- Attract new companies and increase campus occupancy.
- Convert leads into concrete business opportunities and signed agreements.
- Strengthen the campus proposition through commercially relevant partnerships.
- Contribute to the strategic positioning and long‑term development of the campus ecosystem in target markets.
Qualifications
- Academic working and thinking level.
- 10+ years of experience in commercial business development, acquisition, partnerships or sales in a complex B2B environment.
- A proven track record of attracting new clients, negotiating deals and closing business.
- Experience with campus development, real estate, innovation environments or knowledge‑intensive ecosystems is a strong plus.
- Affinity with chemical, materials and/or recycling industry is a plus.
- A strong commercial instinct and the ability to recognise and act on opportunities quickly.
- Confidence and credibility in engaging senior decision‑makers and external partners.
- Excellent negotiation, influencing and relationship‑building skills.
- Strong communication skills in English; Dutch is a plus.
Leadership Profile
- Actively pursue opportunities and persist in follow‑up.
- Comfortable approaching new prospects and building trust quickly.
- Translate interest into commitment and commitment into contracts.
- Understand which partnerships and tenants add the most value to the campus and connect commercial decisions to a broader strategic vision.
- Combine commercial drive with sensitivity to operate effectively in a multi‑stakeholder environment.
Organisational Positioning
The Program Director Growth & Partnerships reports to the CEO and works closely with the Director Business Development. The role has a clear commercial mandate and strong influence across the organisation.
What We Offer
- A strategic and highly visible role within a leading European innovation campus.
- An international, dynamic and entrepreneurial working environment.
- Significant autonomy and mandate to drive growth.
- Competitive salary and benefits.
- Opportunities to shape the future of circular chemistry and materials.
Application
Send your application before July 3rd to . For more information, contact Femke Urlings (HR‑Business Partner) at . Interview rounds will be held in early July.
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