Business Controller

Your job

Are you passionate about finance and eager to contribute to a sustainable future? Then this challenging position as a Business Controller at the Agrotechnology & Food Science Group (AFSG) of Wageningen University & Research (WUR) might be perfect for you!

At AFSG, you will be the financial expert and trusted advisor for multiple groups within Wageningen Food & Biobased Research (WFBR). Do you enjoy tackling financial challenges? Are you looking for a friendly and informal team to be part of? Then we would love to get in touch with you!

Your Responsibilities

• Act as the financial advisor within the Finance & Control department, overseeing budgeting, forecasting, multi-year trends, cash flow planning, and reporting.
• Serve as a key contact for multiple groups within WFBR, actively engaging in financial discussions and decision-making.
• Analyze financial (project) risks, support improvement projects, and provide recommendations for both your groups and WUR as a whole.
• Work closely with colleagues, fostering knowledge exchange and a strong team spirit.
• Assess investment proposals and large subsidy applications.
• Contribute to cost price calculations for pricing strategies and audit reviews.
• Advise management on strategic and long-term financial policies.
• Help professionalize the Finance & Control function within an organization that plays a crucial role in major societal challenges.

Your Team

The Finance & Control department at AFSG is a professional business partner committed to quality, integrity, and excellent service. Our mission is to provide accurate, reliable, and comprehensive financial information and advice, supporting top-tier research and business operations.

AFSG's finance department consists of over 30 financial professionals, organized into four teams:

1. Business Control
2. Project Control
3. Sales & Acquisition Control
4. Financial Administration (Shared Service Centre Finance)

As a Business Controller, you will work alongside project controllers, another business controller, and a financial controller, sharing responsibility for the financial management and internal processes of our institute while contributing to WUR-wide financial initiatives.

Your qualities

You are analytical, have strong advisory skills, and are organizationally aware. You enjoy connecting with people—both within your team and with management. You take on responsibility and can work independently.

Additionally, you have:

• A higher professional (HBO+) or university-level degree in a financial-economic field.
• Extensive experience in business control within a large, complex, project-driven organization.
• A customer-focused, hands-on mentality with strong communication skills—a real team player and connector.
• A results-driven, problem-solving, creative, and proactive approach.
• Experience with Power BI (highly preferred).

In our international working environment, communication is increasingly conducted in English. For this position, a C1 language level is required. If you do not yet have this level, no problem—we will naturally assist you, and you can make use of our language center, Wageningen in'to Language.

You can see that there are plenty of challenges awaiting you. These challenges can also be seen as development opportunities. Therefore, if you do not yet have the track record requested in the vacancy but do have solid work experience, we still warmly invite 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;
• the option to accrue additional compensation hours by working more;
• 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 December bonus of 8,3%;
• excellent pension scheme.

In addition to these first-rate employee benefits, you will of course receive a good salary. We offer, depending on your experience, a competitive gross salary of maximum €6.008,- for a full-time working week of 36 hours, in accordance with the CLA Wageningen Research (scale 11). A contract for 32 - 36 can be discussed. You will initially receive a one-year contract, which will be extended to an open-ended contract upon in mutual enthusiasm.

Wageningen University & Research encourages internal advancement opportunities and mobility with an internal recruitment policy. There are plenty of options for personal initiative in a learning environment, and we provide excellent training opportunities. We are offering a multi-faceted position in an international environment with a pleasant and open working atmosphere.

You are going to work at the greenest and most innovative campus in Holland and with your work you have a clear and positive impact on society. At WUR we work on the most pressing challenges of our time, like climate change and feeding the world in a sustainable way.

Do you want more information?

For more information about this position, please contact Ronald Bongers, Manager Finance & Control, tel. 06 – 43844083 or by e-mail: ronald.bongers@wur.nl.

For more information about the procedure, please contact Jeanine van 't Veer, Recruiter, by email: jeanine.vantveer-drost@wur.nl.

Do you want to apply?
You can apply directly using the apply button on the vacancy page on our website which will allow us to process your personal information with your approval.

This vacancy will be listed up to and including April 8th, 2025. Don't wait to apply; as soon as a suitable candidate comes forward, we will schedule interviews.

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.