Ecorys is a leading international research and consultancy company addressing society’s key challenges. We combine our deep knowledge of the societal challenges and our extensive skills and expertise to make genuine sustainable change happen.

We offer the full policy cycle to our clients who are decision makers in the public and third sectors. We advise on the options and consequences of changes. We support clients in implementing and communicating change and managing the consequences. 

Ecorys is a company with strong European roots and international presence. With own offices in 10 countries, we employ over 600 people working alongside external experts and associates in about 200 locations throughout the world.

The role:

We are currently looking for a Senior Consultant to join our Sustainable agriculture and food systems team . In your Senior Consultant role, you will mostly work with EU institution clients, including the European Commission, e.g. DG AGRI , DG SANTE, DG ENV, but also other international institution, e.g. EIB,  and other competent authorities that require evaluation, impact assessment and research services. 

You will play an instrumental role in supporting our Sustainable agriculture and food systems team in winning and delivering projects aimed primarily at the European Market but also cutting across International and new client segments. This includes playing a leadership role in acquisition, managing our contracts, overseeing the project delivery team, lead consortia and partner formation and ensure quality assurance of our reports. 

Our team’s expertise spans:

• Public and private financing for the transition of the agricultural and forestry sectors
• Evaluation and Impact assessment of policy interventions across environmental, health, trade, and sector-specific domains impacting the agricultural and forestry sector
• Risk, resilience and functioning of the food value chain.

Our proposals are largely focused on agriculture, forestry, food value chain, animal and plant health, agri and environmental/climate nexus. 

More specifically, as a Senior Consultant, you can expect to:

• Contribute to leading work within the Sustainable agriculture and food systems team as well as with Ecorys partners and clients to advance the field of policy evaluation and impact assessment, notably in the thematic areas mentioned above. 
• Manage exciting and challenging medium- to large-sized pan-European projects, while keeping them within budget and timescale and overseeing teams of other researchers and experts.
• Support the portfolio in strengthening its strategic partnerships and further developing our pool of associates. Support the Director to strengthen inter-office relationships and work together with them. In particular, you will be responsible for: strategic partnership development, support network facilitation teams to expand our pool of associates and engage with key partners, universities and offices to build stronger working relationships.
• Work with senior colleagues to identify new business opportunities and contribute to drafting proposals for winning work in policy evaluation and impact assessment in a wide spectrum of EU policy areas.
• Successfully advance and conclude projects through the production of high-quality written reports and presentations of results. 
• Manage and lead high-performing, highly motivated and diverse technical delivery teams to work within tight deadlines.
• Assume line management responsibilities of more junior staff members.

What you will bring:

Essential experience

• At least 8 years of working, of which at least 5 years of experience in managing projects and in leading acquisitions and winning work in the fields of ustainable agriculture, livestock systems, plant health, biotechnology, animal health, land use or food systems
• Strong substantive expertise in at least one of the following technical domains, with the ability to engage across related areas: 
  • agronomy and farming systems (crop and/or livestock);
  • plant health, phytosanitary issues and/or agricultural biotechnology (including breeding, seed systems, innovative plant protection solutions or biotechnological applications);
  • livestock production systems, animal health or animal welfare;
  • environmental and climate externalities of agricultural and livestock activities (e.g. nutrient losses, emissions, biodiversity impacts, soil and water quality).
• Demonstrated experience contributing to or managing evaluations, impact assessments or analytical studies addressing the impacts of agricultural, livestock, plant health or biotech-related systems, technologies or policy interventions.
• Financial management and commercial know-how.

Technical and analytical profile

• Strong writing and analytical capacity, including in-depth knowledge of a variety of qualitative and quantitative research methods (including benchmarking, indicator development, contribution analysis, cost effectiveness and cost-benefit analysis, desk research, interviews, surveys, focus groups, etc.)
• Applied quantitative research skills are a desirable requirement (statistical analysis, logic models, regression analysis), including experience of designing, collecting/accessing and analysing quantitative data.    
• In addition to strong technical skills, you will need to be equally enthusiastic about business development in this field, with experience of winning new projects and leading tender-writing.
• Strategic thinking and problem-solving, contributing to the development of the company's strategy 
• Experience in managing and coordinating teams (including with industry and academic experts as well as partners and subcontractors), as well as developing and maintaining excellent client relationships.
• An outstanding level of spoken and written English, as well as strong presentation skills, are essential. 

Education

• A Master’s degree (or PhD) in agronomy, agricultural sciences, plant sciences, plant health, biotechnology, animal science, veterinary science, environmental sciences, agro‑ecology or a closely related discipline, with a strong grounding in agricultural or biological systems.
• Additional academic or professional experience in plant health regulation, biotechnology, environmental assessment, animal health or sustainability analysis is an advantage.

Please note that you will not be short-listed if you don’t have 5 years’ experience and project management experience in the EU market with EU DGs. To get short-listed, please outline in your cover letter how you comply with the requirements.

Ecorys offers its employees a professional, stimulating, and learning environment with ample opportunities for development. You will work in a multicultural environment alongside a supportive team atmosphere.

The role offers a competitive remuneration package and attractive benefits. Our package includes, among other things, a homeworking allowance, meal vouchers, private health, dental, and hospitalization allowances, a collective bonus, reimbursement for home internet and mobile phone devices and subscriptions. 

You will enjoy a good work-life balance and take advantage of our hybrid work policy.

If you would like to find out more about this opportunity and our company, please visit our website: https://www.ecorys.com

Please apply with your CV and cover letter; early applications are encouraged and reviewed daily. 

At Ecorys we are dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive and authentic workplace that we all enjoy and care for every day. So, if you are excited and feel qualified for this role but your past experience does not perfectly align with all requirements in the job description, we still encourage you to submit your application. You may just be the right candidate for this position!