Director

plugandplaytechcenter; Tampere; On-site; EUR 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Plug and Play Tech Center in Finland seeks to build the innovation hub, drive the regional portfolio's operational execution and financial performance, and ensure value delivery to partners while achieving high ecosystem engagement.

The role demands revenue growth leadership, margin discipline, and hands-on team management across the Nordics, with strategic advice to C-suite executives and close collaboration with global colleagues to scale impact.

Qualifications

• MBA or equivalent; Executive education or similar credential.
• 7+ years of progressively responsible leadership experience in regional innovation ecosystems.
• Deep understanding of the local/regional innovation landscape and ability to advise C-suite executives.

Responsibilities

• Build a robust network of corporate and government partners in the region to drive growth and ensure long-term financial health.
• Lead business development activities across the assigned territory, aligning with regional and global strategies.
• Drive financial success by maximizing value of account portfolios and achieving margin targets.
• Lead major partnerships with operational alignment to defined financial targets.

Skills

Finnish language

English proficiency

Leadership

Business development

Partnership management

Strategic thinking

Education

Executive MBA

Job description

WHO WE ARE

Plug and Play Tech Center is the ultimate innovation platform, bringing together the best startups and the world's largest corporations to create the most meaningful connections that bring innovation to anyone, anywhere. We are on a mission to bring the benefits of Silicon Valley to all corners of the world. Each year, hundreds of entrepreneurs join our vertical-specific accelerator programs to team up with our corporate members or receive a direct investment from Plug and Play.

Plug and Play has over 60 locations across the world and our corporate members include: Prologis, Walmart, Coca Cola, Eli Lilly, University Hospitals, Zimmer Biomet, Duke Energy, Tavistock, Guidewell, Doosan Bobcat, UCF, and over 500 more. Plug and Play's corporate members utilize Plug and Play to identify the best startups to meet their challenges. Plug and Play's proven investment track record includes Honey, Dropbox, Lending Club, Kustomer, Einride, and many more.

WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR

We are looking for someone to build the innovation hub in Finland, drive the operational execution and financial performance of the regional portfolio, ensure delivering value to partners, high engagement in the ecosystem, the delivery of revenue target and margin sustainability through strong partner engagement and talent management.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Business Development & Financial Execution

• Build a robust network of corporate and government partners from the assigned region, signing partners that ensure the long-term financial health and growth of the regional ecosystem.
• Lead business development activities across the assigned territory, driving revenue growth and alignment with regional and global strategies.
• Drive the financial success by maximizing the aggregate value of the account portfolios, executing strategies to meet margin and growth targets.
• Lead the execution of major partnerships, ensuring operational alignment with the defined financial targets.

Operational & Strategy Execution

• Lead the operational activities in Finland with the support of Nordics and global colleagues
• Develop and execute the local strategy aligning and leveraging the Plug and Play network in the Nordics and globally
• Oversee the performance of the regional portfolio companies, acting as a strategic advisor to maximize their growth and contribution to the ecosystem.

Strategy, Brand & Ecosystem Leadership

• Become the official 'face' of Plug and Play in the region, developing strong relationships with key innovation stakeholders across the state and beyond.
• Advise corporate partners/leads on innovation strategy, knowledgeably sharing updates on technology and industry trends.
• Attend tech events around the area, creating significant brand awareness.

Team & Relationship Management

• Manage and grow the local team, ensuring team execution is effective and aligned with broader strategies.
• Maintain relationships with key funding partners and participating stakeholders, working with the team to collect data and deliver timely reporting to ensure partner satisfaction.
• Lead, mentor, and support local team members to achieve performance goals and foster a high-performance culture based on accountability and growth.

TYPICAL BACKGROUND

• Education: Executive Education (MBA) or equivalent advanced degree is mandatory.
• Professional Experience (7+ Years): Mandatory extensive progressive experience.
• 5+ years working actively in the industry in relevant roles.
• 3+ years in a leadership role overseeing operational delivery and performance management of complex regional operations.
• Deep understanding of the local/regional innovation ecosystem and demonstrated ability to advise C-suite executives on innovation strategy.
• Finnish language skills are required and an advanced level of English is essential; additional Nordic languages are a plus.