Technology Manager

You make sure Flanders Make stays ahead through explorative research.

Explorative research is an important part of the research process. It can help to generate new ideas, identify research gaps, understand complex phenomena, develop research questions, and improve research design.

As Technology Manager, you are responsible for the follow-up of the explorative research within the Flanders Make network. With this explorative research, we aim to stay ahead of relevant external technology roadmaps.

Job Description

You support the CTO in assessing which break-through technologies are needed at and should be further developed by Flanders Make. This requires a good overview of the relevant technology roadmaps, within and outside Flanders Make, and of the status of the technology development within Flanders Make. You coordinate the explorative research as preparation for new technology and projects.

You build a strong link with research and research track managers within the Flanders Make network to that you always have a good understanding of the explorative research requirements and are able to co-define them. You are responsible for defining the explorative research goals and actions, referred to by us as the individual CTO actions, and for the planning, budgeting and coordination of and reporting on this research. You not only coordinate the actions but also inspire, coach and steer your stakeholders towards excellent results.

More specifically, you will, amongst other things:

• Coach teams and individual team members carrying out CTO actions;
• Apply an appropriate management method (e.g. agile & lean), thus ensuring that the project results of CTO actions are delivered within the pre-set time and budget;
• Report to the CTO on the progress of CTO actions and coordinate/initiate mitigation actions if needed;
• Propose process improvements within Flanders Make wherever break-through technology and explorative research interact with other operational processes.
• Assume responsibility for the content of the communication on the explorative research within the Flanders Make network towards the various relevant stakeholders.

With your broad interest in technology development in general, you are enthusiastic to keep your learning scope open and acquire technical insight into developments that can add value to the implementation of Flanders Make's strategy, both from current explorative research results as from relevant international technology trends. This makes you an excellent advisor to the CTO, in assessing the level of ‘innovation’ of projects or other topics.

Profile

You have

• A Master’s degree in science/engineering within a relevant technological domain, e.g. mechatronics, production, … , with at least 10 years of experience in a technology-related job;
• Experience in research or technology exploration;
• Experience in project management of projects with multiple stakeholders;
• The ability to lead technical discussions with project leaders and experts. You are interested in and able to quickly learn about new technologies within Flanders Make’s research fields;
• An industrial mindset: you understand the needs of companies and can translate them into potential research projects for Flanders Make;
• Strong analytical and synthetic skills, so that you can at all times draw up a clear overview and summary of the results achieved, the next steps to be taken and the risks and potential countermeasures within and across research projects.

You are

• Able to analyse technical topics both broadly and in detail;
• A fluent communicator, with excellent written and spoken English language skills;
• Culturally sensitive;
• Empathic;
• A team player who can stimulate team work for mutual benefit;
• Able to work and keep on track within a complex stakeholders’ landscape by influencing and steering stakeholders in a non-hierarchical way.

Offer

• A job with impact on science and technology. You create leverage and synergies within Flanders Make and far beyond.
• The opportunity to develop yourself within our network of leading industrial companies, universities and research institutes;
• An open-minded, flexible and challenging work environment;
• A warm atmosphere and first-class colleagues;
• An attractive salary with fringe benefits.