Dinalog offers challenging job : International Liaison Officer

Job profile for the position of ‘International Liaison Officer’

Background

Dinalog (the Dutch Institute for Advanced Logistics) was set up at the end of 2009 as the executive organization of the National Innovation Program on Logistics and Supply Chains. The Dinalog Campus, an actual and virtual open innovation ecosystem which is closely linked to the innovation program, is being developed alongside it. It is vital that Dinalog (institute and campus) builds up an international network if it is to carry out the innovation program successfully, to enable the Dinalog Institute to truly reach the European top and the Dinalog Campus in Breda to develop into the place for logistics professionals from shipping organizations, service providers, research and educational institutes and intermediary organizations to come together.

On the one hand, the network of business relationships will consist of contacts with other logistics clusters/regions in the world, with organizations similar to Dinalog (or those in the making) elsewhere, and contacts with government, or related, agencies which pursue analogous objectives and therefore want contact with Dinalog and its partners. On the other hand, the network will have to comprise globally-operating shippers and manufacturers, international logistics service providers and research and educational institutes. To this end, Dinalog is cooperating on a structural basis with various partners, including the Holland International Distribution Council (NDL/HIDC), the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation (EL&I), in this case: the Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency (NFIA), the development corporations, etc.

The objective of the structural cooperation, and its primary focus is:

·      To market the logistics knowledge developed by Dinalog and its partners through existing international networks and to create business and additional money flows on this basis for Dinalog itself, its partners, the logistics service providers and the research and educational institutes.

·      To position the Netherlands as an innovative logistics country and, following on from that, build up and develop international partnerships and alliances/exchange programs which will lead to additional money flows for Dinalog and its partners.

·      To bind development centers and comparable organizations and institutes abroad to the National Innovation Program and the Dinalog Campus

·      To bind foreign shippers and logistics service providers to Dinalog and its partners and, on this basis, develop business and additional money flows for Dutch logistics service providers and research and educational institutes, etc.

In order to realize these objectives, Dinalog wishes to appoint an ‘International Liaison Officer’.

Job description and responsibilities

·      To further substantively and strategically build up, expand and operate Dinalog’s international network (which is to be selectively developed) with globally-operating research and educational institutes, with organizations similar to Dinalog (or those in the making), with governments and related organizations met analogous objectives, with international logistics clusters/regions, with shippers, manufacturers and international logistics service providers, etc.

·      To substantively maintain and develop existing and new business relationships (which are to be meticulously selected) and create new links and partnerships within this network at a substantive/ knowledge level/business development and R&D level and a management board/administrator’s level.

·      To identify possible strategic leads and partnerships concerning Dinalog and the Dinalog Campus’s innovation program and to spread knowledge and the results of Dinalog projects and programs, substantively and programmatically, both for Dinalog itself and for its partners (and Dinalog’s programs/projects).

·      To develop these selected/qualified leads, with the aid of concrete strategic and substantive propositions, for participation in the program and Dinalog’s activities and/or possible activities or setting up branches at the Dinalog Campus

Another component of this position is the maintenance and further substantive enhancement of the relationships with and between the partner organizations: Dinalog, NDL/HIDC, NFIA, Development corporations, the Netherlands Foreign Trade Agency (EVD), EG Liaison / NL Innovation, Technical-Scientific Attachés (TWAs), embassies and regional/national representatives abroad, and the national and international knowledge infrastructure, because a great deal of contact with these organizations will be required in order to realize the above objectives.

Job requirements

·      Extensive substantive and/or commercial international experience in a research and/or business development position, a management position or international acquisition position in the substantive field and strategic level of, or related to, logistics and supply chain management innovations.

·      Commitment to and affinity and experience with knowledge development, research, education, development and innovation in the domain of logistics and supply chain management with demonstrable affinity and/or experience with the subject matter and methods of international scientific research and development in the field of logistics and supply chain management.

·      Excellent communication skills: at senior management, management board and administrators’ level on the one hand and in the research and educational world on the other; ability to act and move in the complex network of business relationships described above.

·      Demonstrable affinity an/or experience with dealing with the interests of different types of stakeholders (trade and industry, government and research and educational institutes).

·      Willingness to travel occasionally and represent Dinalog at international meetings, trade fairs and events.

·      Academic background, preferably related to the abovementioned field.

·      Fluent mastery of the English language; preferably able to speak various languages.

Organizational

·      The International Liaison Officer will report to the Dinalog Management Board.

·      The appointment at Dinalog will initially be for a period of a year with the possibility of extension if there are sufficient funds available (which will partly be generated by the candidate him/herself from the activities initiated).

·      Operational base: Breda at the Dinalog office.

We offer

·      A salary level appropriate to the weight of the position and dependent on age and experience.

·      A dynamic international working environment.

·      An annual contract at Dinalog for the time being with prospects for continuation of the position.

·      An important role in the development and success of the program and the activities comprising Dinalog and Dinalog Campus’s National Innovation Program.

Information and applications

For more information regarding the position or to apply, please contact ir. W.E.J.M. Bens, Managing Director of Dinalog, bens@dinalog.nl or call +31 (0)76 – 5315300.