Head of Department: Diagnostics and Crisis Organization

Your job

Are you an experienced manager looking to lead a team of skilled and driven project leaders, team leaders, and analysts? Are you the department head who ensures reliable diagnostics and serves as a pillar of support for our crisis organization in Lelystad? If so, keep reading!

The Role
As Head of Department, you have a clear strategic vision and stay up to date with the latest developments. You have a strong affinity for diagnostics and managing a diagnostic department.
You combine strategic insight with entrepreneurship: you identify opportunities, make decisive choices, and continuously seek innovative and efficient solutions within the department. You are responsible for the department’s annual plan, developing and maintaining knowledge and expertise within the team in the field of diagnostics. Additionally, you manage the department's budget and financial planning. You represent the interests of various stakeholders and stand firm when these interests conflict.
As Head of the DCO (Diagnostics and Crisis Organization) department, you are a member of the WBVR management team and report directly to the institute’s director. You will lead approximately 50 dedicated researchers, team leaders, and analysts.

Your Responsibilities

• Leading the department in alignment with WBVR’s mission and goals.
• Ensuring quality and optimal deployment of department staff.
• Driving the professional development of the field, the department, and its employees.
• Taking final responsibility for executing diagnostic tests under ISO17025.
• Expanding diagnostic activities through acquisition and client relationships.
• Implementing new tests and techniques and advancing automation and digitalization in the lab.
• Initiating and maintaining collaborations with WBVR researchers at national and international levels.
• Maintaining contact with the head of statutory research tasks at WBVR, the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality (LVVN), the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA), and industry stakeholders.

About Us
Wageningen Bioveterinary Research (WBVR) is a leading research institute in the fields of animal and public health. WBVR’s unique strength lies in its interdisciplinary approach and focus on innovative solutions for complex challenges in these domains.
WBVR holds a unique position in the Netherlands as the only research institute authorized to work with most animal viruses and bacteria up to biosafety level vBSL4 (vDM4), such as foot-and-mouth disease and African swine fever, in laboratories and animal facilities housing large livestock (e.g., cattle) and small rodents. Facilities for research and animal testing with BSL3 pathogens, such as avian influenza and Coxiella, are also available.

Our experts in pathogens, host responses, bioinformatics, pathology, epidemiology, and diagnostics enable WBVR to fulfill its mission and vision. WBVR contributes to a society where animals and humans live healthily by conducting scientific research to prevent the spread of animal diseases and promote health.
Through contract research, R&D, and statutory research tasks, WBVR adds value to the agricultural and life sciences sectors. We advocate for the interests of the Dutch agri-food sector, (veterinary) public health, and the life sciences and health industries. As a contract research organization, we focus on market-driven research in animal and human life sciences.

Your qualities

• An academic degree in veterinary medicine or life sciences.
• Experience leading a large team (>30 people).
• Preferably experience in acquisition within the veterinary diagnostics field.
• Proven experience working under quality systems (ISO 17025).
• Excellent leadership skills with demonstrable experience in managing employees at various functional levels.
• Strong management responsibility for internal planning and control cycles, including budget development, forecasting, monitoring, and implementing necessary measures.
• Reliability, decisiveness, and the ability to maintain oversight during (hectic) outbreak situations.
• A hands-on mentality, strong analytical skills, and a drive for continuous improvement.
• Political sensitivity, preferably with experience dealing with ministries such as LNV and/or VWS.

We would love to hear from you if you recognize yourself in most of these aspects and are confident in quickly mastering the rest.

Additional Considerations
Some of the work will take place in facilities where post-work quarantine restrictions apply (per EU regulations). This means you will not be allowed to keep cloven-hoofed animals and must avoid contact with such animals and poultry farms for 72 hours after your work.

During outbreaks of notifiable animal diseases, the DCO department plays a crucial role. Diagnostic tests are conducted in crisis teams, working closely with the NVWA, which supplies the samples. During crises, you may be required to work outside regular hours to manage outbreaks.

In our international work environment, communication is increasingly conducted in English. For this position, a Dutch language level of C1 is required. If you do not yet meet this level, we will support you with language training through Wageningen in’to Language.

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;
• 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. We offer, depending on your experience, a competitive gross salary of between €5.092,- and €8.474,- for a full-time working week of 36 hours, in accordance with the CLA Wageningen Research (scale 13/14).  As for your contract, we initially offer a one-year contract that can be extended - if possible within (company) organizational circumstances - on good performance. Of course, we are happy to have a conversation with you if you have any questions about this.

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

Location: Lelystad

Coming from abroad
Wageningen University & Research is the university and research centre for life sciences. The themes we deal with are relevant to everyone around the world and Wageningen, therefore, has a large international community and a lot to offer to international employees.

Because we expect you to work and live in the Netherlands our team of advisors on Dutch immigration procedures will help you with the visa application procedures for yourself and, if applicable, for your family. If you come with a partner, we offer a Dual Career group program organized by our Welcome Center. This program helps your partner to get familiar with the Dutch culture, labour market and assists your partner to find a job.

Feeling welcome also has everything to do with being well informed. Wageningen University & Research's International Community page contains practical information about what we can do to support international employees coming to Wageningen. Furthermore, our Welcome Center can assist you with any additional advice and information about for example housing, opening a bank account or schooling. Finally, certain categories of international staff may be eligible for a tax exemption on a part of their salary during the first five years in the Netherlands.

Do you want more information?

For more information about the position, please contact Annemarie Rebel, Director WBVR, telefoon: 0320-238800 of per e-mail: annemarie.rebel@wur.nl. 

Questions about the procedure? Get in touch with Ine van’t Land, corporate recruiter, recruitment.asg@wur.nl.

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

Don’t wait to apply, as we may start interviews as soon as we receive suitable applications.

Procedure

• As part of our selection process, an assessment may be included.
• Pre-employment screening is part of the selection procedure.
• Upon hiring, we require a Certificate of Conduct (Verklaring Omtrent Gedrag, VOG)

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.