Program Manager - Advanced Materials & Innovation (Hybrid)

Verhaert | On-site Consulting; Antwerpen; On-site; EUR 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Growth & Coaching

Cutting-Edge Projects

Attractive Compensation

Culture & Community

Job summary

Verhaert seeks an experienced Program Manager to own a strategic portfolio of multi-year, externally co-funded innovation programs. You will collaborate with European institutional bodies and international consortia to secure synergies, govern the portfolio, and translate milestones into scalable industrial outcomes.

The role demands 3–5 years leading complex programs in industrial/R&D settings, strong budgeting and stakeholder-management skills, and fluency in English (Dutch knowledge is a

Qualifications

• Master’s degree or PhD in Materials Science & Engineering, Physics, Chemical Engineering, or a closely related engineering discipline.
• 3–5 years of demonstrated experience leading complex multi-stakeholder technical projects or innovation programs in industrial or advanced R&D environments.
• Proven acumen in budget tracking, milestone planning, contractual compliance, and risk mitigation.
• Excellent interpersonal, diplomacy, and stakeholder-management skills; able to engage with technical specialists, executive leadership, and institutional authorities.

Responsibilities

• Program Governance & Roadmap Execution: Drive strategic coherence, planning, and execution across an interrelated portfolio of advanced R&D and scale-up projects.
• Consortium & Stakeholder Management: Liaise between internal project leads, external partners, grant management consultants, and institutional officers.
• Budget, Scope & Resource Control: Oversee multi-million program budgets, allocate shared resources, and enforce milestone-driven progress.
• Compliance & Quality Assurance: Ensure alignment with grant agreements by reviewing, approving, and submitting deliverables and progress reports.
• Internal Leadership & Alignment: Inspire cross-functional teams to foster technical excellence and cross-project synergy.

Skills

Budget tracking

Milestone planning

Stakeholder management

English language

Analytical mindset

Education

Master’s degree in Materials Science & Engineering

PhD in Materials Science & Engineering / Physics / Chemical Engineering

Related engineering discipline

Job description

Verhaert seeks an experienced Program Manager to own a strategic portfolio of multi-year, externally co-funded innovation programs. You will collaborate with European institutional bodies and international consortia to secure synergies, govern the portfolio, and translate milestones into scalable industrial outcomes.

The role demands 3–5 years leading complex programs in industrial/R&D settings, strong budgeting and stakeholder-management skills, and fluency in English (Dutch knowledge is a