Program Director Growth & Partnerships 1 fte (40 hrs/ week)
Functieomschrijving
Accelerate global partnerships and unlock the next phase of growth in circular chemistry’
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. Our mission is to accelerate innovation by connecting business, research and education contributing to global challenges in sustainability and health.
Context: accelerating international growth
Brightlands Chemelot Campus is entering a new phase in which external growth, (inter)national positioning and strategic partnerships are key to further
strengthening our ecosystem and shaping the next stage of campus development. To support this ambition, we are reinforcing our growth capability with a dedicated senior leadership role focused on acquisition, partnerships and ecosystem expansion beyond the campus. As Program Director Growth & Partnerships, you will drive the commercial expansion of the campus by proactively attracting new companies and ecosystems, while contributing to the strategic development and market positioning of the campus as a leading innovation ecosystem.
Your Role
You are responsible for driving commercial growth for Brightlands Chemelot Campus, with a strong focus on acquisition, occupancy and strategic partnerships. You proactively identify and approach prospective companies, understand their accommodation and innovation needs, and translate
these into compelling propositions for locating on campus. You know how to build a pipeline, open doors, negotiate terms and close deals. At the same time, you understand how each new company or partnership contributes to the long-term profile, critical mass and strategic development of the campus ecosystem. This role reports directly to the CEO.
The position has one primary goal: structurally accelerating campus growth through external acquisition, strategic partnerships and programmatic funding. This is achieved through two complementary tracks:
1. Direct growth – actively approaching new customers and increasing the influx of promising companies.
2. Indirect growth – securing funding and collaborations through national and European programmes, consortia and PPPs.
Specifically, this involves:
• Proactive (inter)national acquisition
Actively approach companies in the Netherlands and abroad, explore opportunities at other campuses and industrial parks, and identify companies that may relocate or are ready for a new growth phase, especially in the context of the international chemical industry shake-out.
• Capture industry-wide opportunities
Operate at the intersection of policy, strategy and business, engaging with organisations such as Invest-NL, Techleap and the Ministry of Economic Affairs & Climate Policy. You conduct conversations independently and support the CEO in discussions on sector development, funding and strategic positioning of the campus as a national spearhead.
• Build partnerships that attract startups and scale-ups
Develop partnerships with international accelerator programmes (starting in North Rhine-Westphalia and Belgium), corporate innovation programmes, incubators and venture studios to guide high-potential companies to the campus.
• Create new and relevant programmes
Initiate and shape programmes through European and national funding, PPP structures, consortia and multi-year collaborations with corporates that 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, scaleups and R&D organizations;
• Drive acquisition efforts, with a clear focus on occupancy and revenue generation;
• Lead commercial conversations, negotiations and deal closure with prospective tenants and partners;
• Develop and maintain relationships with relevant external stakeholders, intermediaries and business networks;
• Represent Brightlands in relevant networks, trade missions and events to generate new leads and visibility;
• Initiate partnerships and programs 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;
• Structural cooperation with the Director Business Development in forwarding opportunities to concrete contracts.
Your impact
You are a key driver of campus growth by:
• Attracting new companies and increasing campus occupancy;
• Converting leads into concrete business opportunities and signed agreements;
• Strengthening the campus proposition through commercially relevant partnerships;
• Contributing to the strategic positioning and long-term development of the campus ecosystem in target markets.
Your Profile
We are looking for an entrepreneurial and commercially driven dealmaker with a strong instinct for acquisition and relationship building, combined with a clear understanding of how commercial choices contribute to the strategic development of an innovation campus.
You bring:
• 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 in 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 recognize 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
You are a commercially sharp and energetic dealmaker who thrives on opening doors and closing opportunities:
• You actively go after opportunities and are persistent in follow-up;
• You are comfortable approaching new prospects and building trust quickly;
• You know how to translate interest into commitment and commitment into contracts;
• You understand which partnerships and tenants add most value to the campus and can connect commercial decisions to a broader strategic vision;
• You combine commercial drive with enough sensitivity to operate effectively in a multi-stakeholder environment.
Organizational positioning
The Program Director Growth & Partnerships reports to the CEO. This positioning is in line with the strategic, campus-wide scope of the position. You work closely with the Director Business Development, transferring opportunities that lead to space demand to Business Development for further commercial development and contracting. You operate with a clear commercial mandate and strong influence across the organization.
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.