About this position

Be a catalyst for change in plastic circularity! As the Program Executive at Brightlands Circular Space, you’ll spearhead efforts to create a sustainable future. We’re seeking an innovative leader to manage operations and foster collaboration among key partners, creating a vibrant ecosystem and driving impactful results.

What will be your role?

Brightlands Circular Space is an initiative of Brightlands Chemelot Campus, Maastricht University and TNO. These organizations bring together knowledge, resources and determination to accelerate the transition to circular plastics, in line with European goals for plastic recycling and a climate-neutral Europe by 2050.
Brightlands Circular Space offers entrepreneurs, researchers and consortia an advanced environment and expertise for research, development, analysis, as well as testing and scaling up for the reuse of plastics. Starting up around summer 2026, these capabilities will be combined in a new open demonstration facility at Brightlands Chemelot Campus.

The role

The Founding Partners of BCS have set up a Steering Committee (the BCS board) in which one representative sits on behalf of each Founding Partner with an adequate mandate from within their own organization. The Steering Committee’s task is to monitor and promote the purpose and ecosystem of Brightlands Circular Space and oversees the strategic development of Brightlands Circular Space in the longer term and the joint ambitions and cooperation of the Founding Partners in this context.

As Board member of BCS you are working closely together with the BCSF BV (Brightlands Circular Space Facilities BV), which is responsible for setting up and operating the facility. You act as an orchestrator to steer and coach all stakeholders towards success for BCS.

You are responsible (together with the other founding partners) to realize the overall business case of BCS over a period of 10 years as well as securing the following responsibilities on behalf of TNO:

Define and approve the strategic business guidelines for the BCSF BV;
Expansion of activities;
The admission of a third party into the cooperation as a Strategic Partner;
The content agenda and development of partnerships within BCS;
The joint application by the (majority of the) Founding Partners for grants;
Formation of consortia/collaborations that are/become customers;
The joint external representation in various bodies and/or on various stages;\
The coordination of the projects that members of the Steering Committee wish to carry out, alone or with other members or third parties, within the BCSF BV;
Managing joint acquisition/BD with the deployment of BD from the founding partners;
Developing and possibly adjusting the Business Plan in the interim, monitoring the progress of the realization of the Business Plan and guiding the BCSF BV in realizing the budget and investments.

As a Board member of BCS you represent TNO in the BCS board and are responsible for the strategic alignment with various stakeholders within TNO. You ensure that TNO fulfills its obligation under the BCS contract and put everything into play to realize the business case of BCS. When applicable you will connect with the shareholder of TNO for BCS to align or finetune the overall approach.

You report your progress to the TNO strategic operational meeting at least on a quarterly basis. Together with the concerned research manager, you motivate and facilitate TNO’s employees in the execution of their tasks. You ensure TNO is clearly positioned within the field and are responsible for communication and the organization of events. You’re a national and international figurehead for BCS, as well as within Brightlands Chemelot Campus’ ecosystem. In addition, you maintain the relationship with the province of Limburg and other knowledge institutions/universities in the region.