Manager Finance & Control

Ben je een enthousiaste financieel professional en people manager die samen met je team impact wil maken in een organisatie die bijdraagt aan wereldwijde uitdagingen op het gebied van voedsel, klimaat en biodiversiteit? Ziet u financieel complexe kwesties als een uitdaging, en kunt u medewerkers inspireren en motiveren? Dan is deze functie misschien iets voor jou.

Jouw baan
We zijn op zoek naar een Manager Finance & Control (F&C) voor de Animal Sciences Group (ASG). In deze rol werk je vanuit een strategisch perspectief, deel je de verantwoordelijkheid voor het financiële beleid van de organisatie en zorg je voor de kwaliteit van de financiële informatie voor zowel individuele onderdelen van ASG als ASG als geheel.

Je draagt bij aan de uitvoering en verdere ontwikkeling van de volledige planning- en controlcyclus van ASG. ASG kent drie onderzoeksinstituten (Wageningen Bioveterinary Research, Wageningen Livestock Research en Wageningen Marine Research) en het Departement Dierwetenschappen met 12 leerstoelgroepen. Samen vertegenwoordigen deze onderdelen een totale omzet van ongeveer €180 miljoen en meer dan 1.100 medewerkers.

De afdeling Financiën & Controle bestaat uit ongeveer 30 professionals, georganiseerd in teams van business- en projectcontrollers voor elke ASG-onderdeel, ondersteund door een projectbeheercoördinator.

Als Manager F&C ben je verantwoordelijk voor het begrotingsproces, de jaarafsluiting, de maandelijkse rapportage en de bijbehorende analyses. Je houdt toezicht op jaarlijkse (project)audits en zorgt ervoor dat ze tijdig worden afgerond. U houdt de financiële prestaties nauwlettend in de gaten, identificeert risico's en doet proactief aanbevelingen.

Op strategisch niveau adviseert u zowel de ASG-directie als Leiding van de ASG-onderdelen. Op WUR-niveau neem je deel aan het Beleids Overleg Financiën (BOF) en draag je actief bij aan het algehele financiële beleid van WUR

• Je fungeert als centrale coördinator, geeft richting, kaders en duidelijkheid, en bevordert sterke samenwerking binnen het ASG F&C-team
• Je zorgt voor effectieve communicatie, vertrouwen en het delen van informatie tussen F&C en de bredere organisatie.
• U bent een sterke strategische sparringpartner voor ASG-management, Corporate F&C en de leiding van de ASG-onderdelen. Je houdt hen zowel proactief als op verzoek op de hoogte van beleid en de financieel-economische implicaties van beslissingen, businesscases en voorgestelde strategieën.
• Je draagt actief ideeën bij over hoe processen en benaderingen verbeterd kunnen worden.
• Je navigeert moeiteloos door complexe omgevingen en zorgt ervoor dat processen soepel verlopen. Waar nodig, pak je complexe kwesties samen met je team aan.
• Je maakt deel uit van het team van stafhoofden en draagt actief bij aan de ontwikkeling en implementatie van nieuwe beleidslijnen en bedrijfsactiviteiten binnen ASG en WUR.
• Je neemt deel aan het Beleids Overleg Financiën en draagt bij aan WUR-brede financiële ontwikkelingen (bijvoorbeeld dashboard gebaseerde rapportages, implementatie van een budgettool, nieuw projectmanagementsysteem).

Als Manager F&C rapporteert u aan de directeur bedrijfsvoering van ASG en heeft u functionele rapportagelijnen aan de F&C directeur van WUR. Je hoofdwerkplek is Wageningen, en je bent bereid regelmatig te reizen naar locaties zoals Lelystad en IJmuiden.

PhD position in AI-driven gene and trait discovery for plant breeding

Do you want to help shape the future of plant breeding? Are you excited about combining machine learning, multi-omic data analyses, genetics, and cutting-edge phenotyping to discover molecular drivers of complex traits? Then this PhD position may be the perfect fit for you!

Most traits behind crop performance and environmental responses are complex, driven by many interacting genes. These have classically been studied using genome wide association studies and other linear approaches. Recent developments in machine learning and AI have opened new avenues for studying the genetic architecture and molecular underpinning of complex traits. Building interpretable and explainable AI models allows for not only improved trait prediction but also understanding how predictions were made, providing new insights into the underlying biological processes.

The key task of this position will be to build AI models linking different levels of biological complexity to gain novel insights into underlaying gene and molecular networks. Initially, the focus will be on integrating transcriptome, proteome and metabolome profiles measured at the single cell level in faba bean to understand the signatures and drivers of differences between cell types and linking them to observed plant traits.

Your duties and responsibilities include:

• Design and implement methods to link genotypic and phenotypic data across different scales from single cells (multi-omics) to whole plants (high-throughput phenotyping)
• Design and implement interpretable and biologically grounded AI-based models to predict molecular and whole plant phenotypes using multimodal datasets
• Use the newly developed methods to study the genetic architecture of complex traits across different scales of biological complexity
• Benchmark newly developed methods against more stablished techniques such as genome wide association studies (GWAS/eGWAS)
• Work closely with colleagues across fields including bioinformatics, molecular biology, plant development and stress responses
• Publish your findings in scientific journals, collaborate across department and Chair Groups, and communicate your results in your PhD thesis and broader outreach activities.

You will work here
The research is embedded within the Wageningen University Department of Plant Breeding with collaboration from Aarhus University Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Wageningen Plant Research and other Chairs of Wageningen University Plant Sciences Group. Supervision of PhD will be led by Prof. Agnieszka Golicz, a newly appointed Chair of Plant Breeding.

PhD position: Tomato resistance to leaf mould disease

Are you interested in exploring the genetic potential of plant resistance? Do you enjoy the challenge of applying molecular and genetic approaches to unravel the plant-fungus interaction? Are you a highly motivated researcher with an interest in developing resistant crops for a sustainable agriculture? Then this vacancy may be of interest to you.

Tomato production worldwide is increasingly threatened by leaf mould disease caused by the fungus Fulvia fulva. Current resistance strategies are frequently overcome by pathogen evolution. The aim of this PhD project is to discover novel tomato genes for durable resistance to leaf mould disease and to develop next-generation predictive breeding strategies. This PhD project is embedded in a large public-private partnership consortium with multiple breeding companies.

Your duties and responsibilities:
In this project, you will work closely together with a (post-doctoral) researcher and technicians on uncovering and characterizing novel tomato immune receptors (encoded by Cf resistance genes) that recognize fungal effector proteins (extracellular proteins, Ecps), and will contribute to building a predictive framework for durable resistance.

You will operate at the interface of wet-lab biology and computational biology, with an emphasis on data-driven discovery. Your tasks include:

• Cloning and functional validation of candidate immune receptors
• Contributing to AI-driven prediction pipelines for receptor–effector interactions
• Experimental validation of computational predictions
• Interfacing with breeding partners to translate findings into applications
• Writing and defending a PhD thesis

Your team:
You will work closely with colleagues in multidisciplinary teams of the research group of “Breeding for Resistance” at WUR Plant Breeding, and the “Receptor Biology” group at the Laboratory of Phytopathology of WUR. In addition, you will collaborate with partners from eight breeding companies participating in this project. You will be supervised by a supervision team including Prof. Dr. Yuling Bai, Dr. Jaap Wolters and Dr. Anne-marie Wolters (from Plant Breeding), and Dr. Matthieu Joosten and Dr. Christiaan Schol (from Phytopathology).

You will work here

Plant Breeding, Wageningen University & Research is a merged unit of Wageningen Research and Wageningen University composed of around 200 people including MSc and PhD students and guest workers. It is a highly international group with more than 30 nationalities, organized in ten research groups. We conduct fundamental, strategic and applied research and provide teaching at all educational (BSc, MSc and PhD) levels. Our research focusses on the genetic basis of traits which are relevant to achieve a sustainable agri- and horticulture. We conduct this research often in partnership with breeding companies, local, regional and state governments.

Phytopathology, Wageningen University & Research (Laboratory of Phytopathology | WUR), with around 40 people including PIs, post-docs, MSc and PhD students and guest workers. We conduct fundamental, strategic and applied research and provide teaching at the BSc, MSc and PhD level. We study the biology of fungi, oomycetes and bacteria, with the aim to understand and predict their functioning in agricultural and natural ecosystems. This is accomplished by hypothesis-driven research on the molecular and genetic interactions between plants, pathogens and their environment, including the microbiome, and by studying populations. An important research topic is to understand the molecular dialogue between host and pathogen. Furthermore, we aim to understand how plants recognize and resist pathogens. On a different scale, from a population genomics point of view, we study how ecological and evolutionary processes interactively result in disease outbreaks. Finally, we work on the translation of our knowledge to practical applications that can be employed by farmers and food producers.

Manager Finance & Control

Are you an enthusiastic financial professional and people manager who wants to make an impact together with your team in an organization that contributes to global challenges in the field of food, climate and biodiversity? Do you see financially complex issues as a challenge, and can you inspire and motivate employees? Then this position might be something for you.

Your job
We are looking for a Manager Finance & Control (F&C) for the Animal Sciences Group (ASG). In this role, you will work from a strategic perspective, share responsibility for the organization's financial policy, and ensure the quality of financial information for both individual parts of ASG and ASG as a whole.

You will contribute to the implementation and further development of ASG's entire planning and control cycle. ASG has three research institutes (Wageningen Bioveterinary Research, Wageningen Livestock Research and Wageningen Marine Research) and the Department of Animal Sciences with 12 chair groups. Together, these divisions represent a total turnover of approximately €180 million and more than 1,100 employees.

The Finance & Control department consists of about 30 professionals, organized into teams of business and project controllers for each ASG component, supported by a project management coordinator.

As F&C Manager, you are responsible for the budget process, the year-end closing, the monthly reporting and the associated analyses. You will oversee annual (project) audits and ensure that they are completed on time. You keep a close eye on financial performance, identify risks and proactively make recommendations.

At a strategic level, you advise both the ASG management and the management of the ASG units. At WUR level, you participate in the Finance Policy Consultation (BOF) and actively contribute to WUR's overall financial policy

• You will act as a central coordinator, providing direction, frameworks and clarity, and fostering strong collaboration within the ASG F&C team
• You will ensure effective communication, trust and information sharing between F&C and the wider organisation.
• You are a strong strategic sparring partner for ASG management, Corporate F&C and the leadership of the ASG divisions. You keep them informed both proactively and on request about policy and the financial-economic implications of decisions, business cases and proposed strategies.
• You actively contribute ideas on how processes and approaches can be improved.
• You can effortlessly navigate complex environments and ensure that processes run smoothly. Where necessary, you tackle complex issues together with your team.
• You will be part of the team of staff heads and actively contribute to the development and implementation of new policies and business activities within ASG and WUR.
• You will participate in the Finance Policy Consultation and contribute to WUR-wide financial developments (e.g. dashboard-based reports, implementation of a budget tool, new project management system).

As F&C Manager, you report to ASG's Director of Operations and have functional reporting lines to the F&C Director of WUR. Your main workplace is Wageningen, and you are willing to travel regularly to locations such as Lelystad and IJmuiden.

PhD Position: Dynamic Modelling of Vegetation Responses to Nature Restoration Actions

As a result of increasing human activities across the globe, many landscapes have become degraded. In Europe, over 80% of habitats are in poor condition, and 75% of the species have a poor conservation status. Restoration is proposed as a vital strategy for the long-term and sustained recovery of biodiverse and resilient European ecosystems, but a lot is still unknown regarding the time- and context-dependent responses of species and habitats to restoration measures.

In this project you will build upon existing dynamic vegetation models to simulate the effects of different types of restoration actions on habitats across Europe. You will review existing dynamic vegetation models that can simulate recolonisation processes and vegetation succession in response to a wide range of restoration approaches—from reducing environmental pressures to implementing targeted interventions such as disturbance control or seed sowing. You will then select and further develop a dynamic vegetation model so that it can account for key external drivers, for example climate change and nitrogen deposition, on vegetation growth and development. Using this extended dynamic vegetation model, you will evaluate both the potential benefits of restoration measures and the degree to which global changes, such as shifts in climate and land use, may limit their effectiveness. Finally, you will apply the extended model to selected regions across Europe to simulate how different restoration actions are likely to influence habitat trajectories and outcomes.

These efforts will contribute to a European project focused on understanding ecological responses to nature restoration measures. Besides the research activities, you will contribute 10% of your working time to teaching activities to help you develop your teaching skills and further qualify for a career as an independent academic researcher.

Would you like to learn more about what it’s like to pursue a PhD at Radboud University? Visit the page about working as a PhD candidate.