Business controller (24 hours)

Your job

Do you have a passion for finance and want to contribute to a sustainable future? Then this challenging position as a Business Controller at the Animal Sciences Group (ASG) of Wageningen University & Research (WUR) is perfect for you!

At ASG, you will be the financial expert and trusted advisor for multiple research groups. Do you enjoy thinking along with financial challenges? Would you like to be part of a friendly and informal team? Then we would love to get in touch with you!

For the Finance & Control department of the Animal Sciences Group (ASG), we are looking for an enthusiastic, customer-oriented, and accurate Business Controller to join the F&C team of the Department of Animal Sciences in Wageningen (10 employees).

In this exciting role, you will:

• Act as a financial advisor and primary contact for several research groups;

• Be responsible for financial and business control within these groups;

• Analyze financial (project) risks, identify bottlenecks early, and provide recommendations;

• Contribute to financial assessments of investments, major grant applications, and personnel capacity requests;

• Advise management on strategic policy decisions;

• Collaborate actively with colleagues, sharing expertise and strengthening team spirit;

• Contribute to improvement projects and professionalization of the Finance & Control function within an organization that plays a major role in important societal themes.

Our Finance & Control department is a professional business partner for ASG, committed to quality, integrity, and excellent service. We achieve this by providing accurate, reliable, and integrated information and advice, actively contributing to excellent education, research, and business operations.

Your qualities

You are analytical, have strong advisory skills, and can balance the perspectives of finance, management, and the primary research process. You are accurate and capable of translating detailed financial data into high-level management insights (helicopter view).

You will be a great fit if you:

• Have HBO+/University-level education with a financial-economic focus;

• Have experience in business and financial control within a project-driven organization;

• Have a customer-oriented, hands-on mentality;

• Have strong communication skills and enjoy building connections within teams;

• Are results-driven, proactive, and take initiative;

• Have a good command of Dutch.

Additionally, you recognize these qualities in yourself: you are stress-resistant and always looking for opportunities for self-improvement. Proactively providing both solicited and unsolicited advice comes naturally to you.

In our international work environment, English is increasingly used for communication. The required English proficiency level is B2. More details about this level can be found in the Language Level document. If you do not yet meet this level, we will support you, and you can get assistance from our Wageningen in’to Language center.

This position offers plenty of challenges, which can also be seen as growth opportunities. If you do not yet meet all the listed experience requirements but have strong work experience, we encourage you to apply!

We offer you

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;
• 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 year-end bonus of 8,3%;
• excellent pension scheme.

In addition to these first-rate employee benefits, you will of course receive a good salary. Depending on your experience, we offer you a competitive salary of up to € 5,273 for a full working week of 36 hours in accordance with the Collective Labor Agreement for Wageningen Research (scale 10).

Wageningen University & Research offers plenty of opportunities for growth and development, with a strong internal recruitment policy and excellent training programmes.

You will work on the greenest and most innovative campus in the Netherlands, in an international and open working environment. For 20 consecutive years, we have been voted the "best university" in the Netherlands! A place to be proud of.

WUR welcomes applications from international candidates. However, for applicants for this specific position from outside the EU/EFTA zone, immigration restrictions may apply based on Dutch and EU immigration laws. Such candidates may be eligible for an “orientation year” in the Netherlands or a visa as a “knowledge migrant”.

Do you want more information?

Ready to apply?
Click on the application button next to the vacancy on our website. Only applications submitted through our website will be considered.

This vacancy is open until April 20, 2025. In the meantime, we will review your application and an interview may already be scheduled with you. 

Procedure
As part of our selection process, an assessment may be incorporated within the procedure

Welcome, safe, and valued
Wageningen University & Research (WUR) highly values diversity and inclusion because we believe that different insights lead to innovative solutions. We create a work environment where everyone feels welcome, safe, and appreciated, regardless of background, identity, or experience. Together, we are building a culture where everyone's unique contribution adds to the success of our organization.

We are

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.