Managing Director (m/f/div) of the Cyber Valley GmbH

Cyber Valley (https://cyber-valley.de) is Europe’s epicenter for Artificial Intelligence. This dynamic ecosystem brings together leading international companies, academic institutions such as the universities of Stuttgart and Tübingen and the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, the State of Baden-Württemberg, as well as a network of start-ups, and venture investors to accelerate the AI revolution. Cyber Valley is home to Europe’s largest AI research consortium and is fostering technology transfer and start-up incubation in the field of intelligent systems.

To further expand this dynamic ecosystem as an international accelerator of scientific and economic development, the State of Baden-Württemberg and the Max Planck Society are founding the Cyber Valley GmbH with sites in Stuttgart and Tübingen. The purpose of the organization is to strengthen the research, development, application, and acceptance of methods and technologies in the field of intelligent systems. The Cyber Valley GmbH with approximately 20 employees will receive funding from the State of Baden-Württemberg.

For the management of the new GmbH, the two shareholders, the State of Baden-Württemberg and the Max Planck Society, are looking for a dynamic, visionary and ambitious candidate to become

Managing Director (m/f/div)
of the Cyber Valley GmbH

Your tasks:

• Organizing the development and manage the Cyber Valley GmbH
• Positioning the GmbH strategically-conceptually in coordination with the supervisory board and the shareholders
• Taking over the long-term, sustainable, and economic management of the GmbH including the responsibility for the results and the responsibility for all employees
• Shaping the business areas of the Cyber Valley GmbH with the goal of driving the growth of Cyber Valley, and supervise the day-to-day operations
• Supporting coordination and maintaining communication between the partners in Cyber Valley, companies, and investors, and keep close contact with public stakeholders
• Establishing the business areas of innovation and start-up support in the GmbH
• Building relationships with existing and new partner institutions, companies, and investors to drive Cyber Valley's growth
• Developing and organizing programs and networks that link research, start-up, industry, and SME activities in Cyber Valley
• You are responsible for communications & PR for the GmbH's activities in Cyber Valley and in the public domain
• Representing Cyber Valley at public events, conferences, and in the press on a local, national, and international level
• Coordinating funding applications in research and development together with Cyber Valley stakeholders, partners, and public and private institutions
• Being responsible for the planning and execution of Cyber Valley event series and strengthen the public dialogue on Artificial Intelligence with, among others, public engagement programs

Your profile includes:

• Proven leadership experience in building and managing teams incl. budget responsibility
• Outstanding organizational and analytical skills
• Excellent communication and conflict resolution skills
• Experience working in an interdisciplinary role integratively addressing research, business, public institutions and ministries, start-up activities, and business development
• Knowledge of public-private partnerships and technology transfer, including public funding
• Knowledge of the local, national, and international research landscape (public / private) as well as research funding and policy-making processes
• A university degree and ideally a background in digitization / intelligent systems
• Excellent written and spoken German and English

The position is to be filled on a full-time basis as soon as possible. It is initially limited to five years.

We strive for gender equality and diversity. We welcome applications from all backgrounds. We also want to increase the proportion of women in areas where they are underrepresented. Women are therefore expressly encouraged to apply. Severely disabled applicants will be given preferential consideration in cases of equal suitability.

Applications should be sent as one PDF document to applications-cyber-valley@is.mpg.de by September 7, 2021. If you prefer to send a hard copy of your application, please send it to:

Max-Planck-Gesellschaft
Max-Planck-Institut für Intelligente Systeme
z.Hd. Frau Anna Benzin – persönlich
Heisenbergstr. 3
70569 Stuttgart, Germany

For administrative and cost reasons, your application documents will not be returned and will be destroyed after the selection process has been completed.

Please direct inquiries to Ms. Anna Benzin (+49 (0)711 6891844) at anna.benzin@is.mpg.de.