Executive Director

At AC2T research GmbH, we are seeking an experienced Executive Director to join our team. As the Austrian Excellence Centre for Tribology, our team of 120 people with interdisciplinary qualifications and a comprehensive R&D infrastructure processes tasks in the fields of friction, wear, and lubricants. Financed by contracts from industry and public R&D project funding, with a turnover of around €14 million per year, our Centre is one of the world's largest R&D service providers in the field of Tribology. The COMET project "Centre of Excellence for Tribology" provides a multi-year funding framework for cooperative research projects.

As the Executive Director, you will support the Managing Director in management tasks, gradually taking over these agendas and qualifying to take over operational management within about 2 years. To this end, you will:

• Manage business activities with foresight and a strong technical understanding.
• Represent the Centre externally and at eye level with R&D partners, funding institutions, stakeholders, and political decision-makers.
• Constantly maintain and expand contacts with clients from industry.
• Acquire R&D contracts, particularly outside of funding programmes.
• Continuously develop personnel and equipment capacities.
• Lead the Centre into the future, both operationally and strategically.

Requirements:

• Technical or scientific academic degree related to Tribology, favourably supplemented by business education, with a qualification according to NQF VII / EQF 7 or higher.
• Several years of management responsibility (e.g., leader of a research group) in an R&D-oriented sector and preferably in-depth knowledge of contract drafting.
• Entrepreneurial mindset and several years of experience in R&D management.
• Strong customer affinity and excellent skills in the acquisition of R&D contracts.
• Proactive communication skills, ability to work in a team, and leadership skills.
• Profound knowledge of national & favourably European R&D funding programmes.
• Contractable knowledge of English and favourably German.
• Trained in tools for a digitalised work process.

We Offer:

Permanent contract; minimum salary (upon fulfilment of requirements; all-in; gross): €110,000 per year (Power of Attorney); €140,000 per year (General Manager). Performance bonus and company car (incl. private use) are envisaged. Start: within 9 months; location: Wiener Neustadt.