Business Development Manager ADVANCE

Enabling a Circular Economy

About VITO

As a leading European research center, VITO and its 1,300 employees turn scientific insights into ground-breaking technological innovations, AI solutions, and policy advice. We do so with one clear objective: creating and enabling a sustainable future.

Within the MatCh (Materials & Chemistry) unit at VITO, we focus on utilizing non-fossil, mineral, and circular resources to make industry more sustainable and enable new value chains. In addition, existing industrial processes are re-evaluated with a focus on improving energy and material efficiency.

Within the ADVANCE team, we aim to unlock the potential of the circular economy by providing targeted advice based on our portfolio of methodologies, models, and tools. We work on assignments for both governments and companies, with our research projects operating in Flemish, European, and international contexts (e.g. Horizon Europe). We map the underlying mechanisms of the circular economy, analyze the economic, ecological, and social impacts of circular strategies, and assess the role of technology within the relevant ecosystem. The insights and conclusions we generate support policymakers and businesses in evaluating current strategies and estimating the impact of future policies.

Your role

As a Business Development Manager Circular Economy, you act as the key link between technological innovation and market application. You will develop a deep understanding of our research portfolio and service offering, which you will use to identify new opportunities in industry and the public sector. In this way, you translate VITO’s knowledge and expertise into concrete value propositions and revenue models.

You drive the scaling of our services through commercial trajectories and funding programs. You actively participate in and co-create new collaborative ecosystems that bring together companies, government bodies, and knowledge partners to accelerate the transition towards a circular economy.

You work closely with researchers in the ADVANCE team and with the Program Manager leading the team. Moreover, you play a key role in strengthening internal connections with other research teams across VITO.

As a member of the Business Development Team, you report directly to the Valorisation Director of the unit. Your primary focus is to support and expand the business development and commercial activities of the ADVANCE team, in close collaboration with the Program Manager. Over time, you will broaden your scope to include the wider research portfolio of the unit and other VITO units, fostering synergies and cross-unit collaboration.

Key tasks and responsibilities

• Closely follow policy and industry developments and translate these into priority research needs. Identify market needs through industry and policy contacts and connect these to the ADVANCE research areas.

• Proactively build and maintain a strong network of stakeholders across industry, government, and academia in order to position VITO (ADVANCE) as a trusted partner, while continuously identifying and initiating strategic collaborations and partnerships that strengthen VITO’s and ADVANCE’s position in regional, European, and international ecosystems.

• Represent ADVANCE and the broader MatCh unit at events and conferences, ensuring visibility and continuous engagement with relevant networks.

• Strengthen internal collaboration by actively connecting ADVANCE with other research teams within MatCh and across VITO, enabling cross-team opportunities and knowledge exchange.

• Facilitate the setup of project consortia by identifying complementary partners and aligning interests.

• Contribute to the development and implementation of the valorisation strategy for ADVANCE knowledge and services, identifying and refining concrete value propositions for industry, policymakers, and society at large.

• Work closely with the Program Manager and researchers to develop impactful communication of outputs, creating external recognition and generating new valorisation opportunities.

• Facilitate the valorisation process within the team through hands-on support, such as screening relevant opportunities and coordinating internal workflows.

• Support experts during the proposal writing process by coordinating interactions with consortium partners, participating in budget negotiations, and assisting in the writing process through critical review and fine-tuning of proposal texts.

Your profile

• Background in sustainability engineering or economics. A track record in waste and material management, circular economy, or sustainability assessments is highly valued.

• Strong commercial and strategic skills, combined with a hands-on execution mindset.

• Commercially minded: networking and relationship-building come naturally to you.

• Solid understanding of customer needs and well-developed storytelling and pitching abilities, focused on creating win-win business opportunities.

• Strong attention to detail and the ability to translate business deal concepts into clear and accurate contract and/or agreement proposals.

• Knowledge of and experience with different funding channels (EU grants, VLAIO, ETF, etc.) are a plus.

• You are fluent in Dutch and English (written and spoken); French is a plus.

Our offer

• A competitive salary with a comprehensive benefits package, including allowances, insurance, and flexible vacation days.

• An activity-based working model: our research team is located in Mol, but partial homeworking and/or working from satellite offices in Antwerp-Berchem, Ghent, Ostend, or Genk is possible.

• A high degree of freedom and flexibility, enabling you to achieve a strong work-life balance.

• Opportunities for professional growth and training, helping you stay up to date in your field of expertise.

• The chance to be part of an organization with an international reputation in advanced technological research and consultancy.