Senior Business Developer - Sustainable Work Innovation

Want to make your mark on our time? Come work as a Senior Business Developer Sustainable Work Innovation at TNO in Leiden!

About this position

At TNO Health & Work, we address one of today’s most pressing challenges: how to keep the workforce healthy, productive, and adaptable in a rapidly changing labor market. Within the Future of Work proposition, we translate scientific insights into practical solutions for organizations and sectors. #LI-Hybrid

The challenges are significant: persistent labor shortages, limited productivity growth, and increasing health risks driven by factors such as workload, digitalization, and demographic shifts. At the same time, this creates opportunities to make real impact. Through innovations in sustainable employability, skills development, data-driven solutions, and human-centered technology, we contribute to a future-proof labor market.

To scale these innovations into real-world impact, we are looking for a commercially driven Business Developer who can turn market opportunities into tangible collaborations and deals.

What will be your role?

As a Business Developer Sustainable Work Innovation, you are responsible for bringing TNO innovations to market and scaling them across sectors. You translate research and knowledge into concrete, value-driven propositions.

You actively engage with the market and build relationships with organizations such as healthcare providers, educational institutions, large employers, sector funds, regional bodies, and government agencies. You identify opportunities and convert them into implementations.

You will work closely with researchers and fellow business developers, bridging science and market application.

Your responsibilities include:

• Identifying and developing commercial opportunities in sectors such as healthcare, education, government, and industry
• Translating client needs into propositions, business cases, and partnerships
• Selling and implementing TNO tools, methodologies, and interventions
• Developing revenue models such as licensing, data services, and subscriptions
• Initiating and building public-private collaborations and ecosystems
• Positioning data-driven and AI-based solutions for work and health

You will work with proven TNO innovations such as the First 1000 Working Days approach, ArboInzicht, SCEF, ErgoRisk, and CompetentNL, helping scale these in the market.

The team

You will join a team of experienced Business Developers within TNO Health & Work. You collaborate closely with researchers and experts and build long-term relationships with companies, sectors, and public organizations. Within this ecosystem, you play a key role in driving both societal and commercial impact.

What we expect from you

You are commercially driven, able to identify opportunities and translate them into measurable results. You easily connect with different stakeholders and can turn complex innovations into clear, value-driven propositions.

We are looking for someone who:

• Has strong experience in business development and commercial market development;
• Has a proven track record in building partnerships and closing deals;
• Is skilled in translating customer needs into concrete propositions and business cases;
• Has affinity with topics such as labor productivity, sustainable employability, skills, and AI;
• Can translate complex innovations into practical applications;
• Has strong networking skills and builds relationships across public and private sectors;
• Can engage effectively with executives, HR, policymakers, and researchers;
• Is fluent in Dutch and English.

What you'll get in return

Challenging and varied work with a real impact. And plenty of opportunities as, at TNO, you are in charge of shaping your career. We offer a gross monthly salary between € 6,000 and € 8,000 (based on your knowledge and experience), 8% holiday pay, a 13th month bonus of 8.33% and a flex budget (5.58% + € 180). In addition, you will be given every opportunity to develop yourself.

TNO offers optional employee benefits, enabling you to tailor your benefits package to match your personal situation. You may also expect:

• An extremely professional, innovative working environment where colleagues are leading experts in their field.
• The opportunity to attend courses, workshops and conferences, and to receive training and coaching based on your needs.
• 33 days annual leave plus a flexible holiday that can be used on a cultural, religious, or otherwise important day of your choosing (on a full-time basis).
• We offer a comprehensive and flexible mobility plan that also includes full compensation for public transportation for commuting and business travel or a lease car.
• Great social events with your team and other TNO colleagues. That’s how you will get to know a lot of people really quickly.
• Flexible working hours, the possibility to work parttime (32 or 36 hours) and the possibility of working from home.
• A good pension scheme.

TNO as an employer

Our people are at the heart of TNO. Their curiosity, expertise and entrepreneurial mindset make it possible to deliver high-impact research and innovations that contribute to society’s sustainable wellbeing and prosperity.

Your talent and ambition have every opportunity to flourish at TNO. You work with experts (both within and beyond TNO), have access to advanced technology and the freedom to explore, experiment and innovate. Our strength lies in independence, reliability and collaboration.