Open Innovation Lead

Do you want to ignite partnerships that accelerate innovation and bring breakthrough technologies to life?

At the Cosun Innovation Center in Dinteloord, we are looking for an Open Innovation Lead. The Open Innovation Lead ignites new partnership opportunities and builds strategic alliances with curated early-stage partners on selected emerging technologies of strategic relevance. This role plays a critical part in delivering the Cosun technology roadmap by identifying the right start-up/scale-up partner for a given opportunity, designing and executing a mutually beneficial collaboration with the partner, and embedding the external technology development in the internal Cosun structure.

This position enables the execution of the technology strategy roadmap by accelerating access to emerging technologies, in line with established internal priorities and monitoring of external developments. In this role, you will work closely with the executive innovation team, the internal scientific experts, and the corporate development team to leverage strategic partnerships towards business value.

About Cosun

Royal Cosun is a leading international agricultural cooperative and is owned by approximately 8,100 sugar beet growers. Our purpose is clear: we aim to contribute to an enjoyable, nutritional and circular world by unlocking the full potential of plants and people for current and next generations. This purpose is rooted in 125 years of Cosun history in successfully valorizing arable crops, such as sugar beets, chicory, and potatoes, and co-products into a diverse portfolio of value-added products.

Your main missions are to:

• Translate the technology strategy into clear tech exploration areas, and crystallise the conditions of success for an opportunity within this field (commercial attractiveness & technical USP).
• Leverage multiple pathways to potential early-stage partners, via direct scouting in curated events and/or via intermediates (incubators, etc.).
• From the players in a given field, recommend a few selected leads to explore a collaboration. Generate multiple versions of the form the collaboration could take based on the maturity of the external partner and their unique growth trajectory.
• Build and maintain a positive relationship towards a collaboration, and once active, act as a first point of contact (update internal organization of progress, represent Cosun at partner).
• Maintain overview, monitor status, fill progress reports, manage internal (scientific) stakeholders, and communicate about advancement per tech exploration area and per collaboration.
• Act as contact person for external intermediates and service providers like incubators and industry networks.
• Drive legal documentation (NDA, collaboration agreement, and IP) for each collaboration; prepare the documentation for the collaboration stage gates decisions, including co-creating the business case, ensuring internal alignment with all relevant departments.
• Contribute to RD&I position statements (white papers) by gathering external perspective of technology trends and emergence of disruptive technologies.
• Participate in dissemination of technology trends across the organization, as well as internal presentation about Open Innovation & its portfolio.

This role requires the individual to interface between the internal research portfolio and the external ecosystem of early-stage partners, and to recognize the intersection of technology and commercial opportunities specific to Cosun, even when not explicitly articulated yet. The applicant should therefore bring a strong scientific background with exceptional business acumen, and a passion for creating partnerships based on a clearly identified exciting opportunity, modulated by a robust sense of realism and likelihood of success mindset.

Your profile

• University degree (Master or PhD) in Life Science, Food Science, Plant Science, Food or Chemical Engineering, or related field.
• Business qualification, either through education or professional development. Ideally possesses an MBA. Experience in a start-up also qualifies.
• 10+ years of relevant technical experience, preferably in FMCG or as an innovative ingredient supplier.
• Experience in successfully managing project delivery in complex matrix organisations.
• Experience with P3M guidelines: portfolio, programme, project management.
• Familiarity with intellectual property management and legal framework for collaboration with external early-stage partners and their ecosystem.
• An insatiable curiosity for technology development and the frontiers of science.
• A creative pioneering mindset to identify potential technology development and their applicability to Cosun commercial and technology strategy.
• An irrational optimism which translates to grit and resilience behind the execution of the collaboration towards success, despite challenges and setbacks. The ability to pivot with an external partner.
• Able to cut through the uncertainty to generate data-driven decisions and translate high-risk, long-term projects into an exciting high reward opportunity for the business. Inspiring communicator, at ease with all levels of seniority, from lab to C-suite.
• Excellent relationship building and management. An international mindset is a plus.

What do we offer?

You will have the unique opportunity to accelerate breakthrough technologies and shape the future of sustainable food. Here’s why this position is exciting:

• Ignite strategic collaborations with cutting-edge start-ups and scale-ups to bring disruptive technologies to life.
• Work closely with senior leadership and play a decisive role in shaping Cosun’s innovation roadmap.
• Turn visionary ideas into tangible results that create value for the business and the planet.
• Competitive salary (€6,100 – €8,600 per month), solid pension plan, and flexible working hours.
• Plenty of room for initiative, creativity, and professional growth within a leading international cooperative.
• Join a dynamic team that thrives on trust, ambition, and bold thinking.

Where will you work?

You will be part of the Corporate Invention team and report directly to the CTO. At the Cosun Innovation Center, you will collaborate with senior leadership and cross-functional teams to deliver ambitious business targets and shape the future of plant-based solutions. Our team culture emphasizes trust, collaboration, and shared ambition, ensuring that everyone feels valued and included.

Waarom werken bij Cosun?

• Innovatieve en lerende omgeving
• Verbinding en samenwerking
• Voedsel- en duurzaamheidsimpact
• Ontwikkeling en verantwoordelijkheid
• Cultuur en vertrouwen
• Coöperatiegroei en verbetering
• Dynamisch & veelzijdig speelveld
• Werkplezier en veiligheid
• Werkplezier en teamprestaties