Industrial Park Consultant

Utrecht is the fastest-growing city in the Netherlands. In 20 years, Utrecht will have approximately 100,000 more residents and 70,000 more jobs. To manage this effectively, Utrecht adopted its newSpatial Strategy Utrecht 2040in 2020. The Spatial Strategy defines the spatial contours: growth of the circular economy and manufacturing industry concentrated in business parks such as Lage Weide and Strijkviertel, more work in the neighborhoods, a Utrecht Science Park that is developing internationally into a vibrant top-tier campus, and five hubs in the city with a (to-be-developed) metropolitan live-work environment. The Regional Economic Agenda sets the economic course: health, digitization, and sustainability are central.

So not just any 70,000 jobs. No, future-proof jobs under the umbrella of “Broad Prosperity,” in balance with housing, public spaces, green areas, sustainable energy generation, and sports. Plus, you have to get there, so you can see that we’re also investing in mobility. We prefer to support employers for those 70,000 jobs who understand what the work of the future entails, know what good employment practices are, and look beyond their organizational boundaries.

One of our challenges, therefore, is to create more jobs within the same amount of space in our industrial parks. To this end, we are looking for an industrial park consultant.

This is your job

You are responsible for increasing the density of business parks. The goal of increasing the density of business parks is:

1. to create more jobs within the same area
2. to enhance the value of real estate and public spaces
3. and to make commercial space in the city more future-proof
4. Making industrial parks more sustainable—for example, by improving their energy efficiency ratings—is also part of this effort.

Funding is available for the acquisition and redevelopment of properties. We carry out this work in collaboration with the Utrecht Development Corporation (OMU). It is your responsibility to work with the OMU and colleagues from the Planning Department to develop sound investment proposals and accelerate the densification process. In practice, this means your responsibilities will include:

• Strengthening cooperation with the OMU
• Creating and maintaining a digital opportunity map highlighting investment opportunities in industrial parks in Utrecht
• Analyzing opportunities and prioritizing projects
• Prepare a financial analysis of the required investments for each project
• Preparing accountability reports and forecasts for management and the executive board, in collaboration with OMU

This is your workspace

You will be part of the “Economy and Employment for All” initiative. You will be based in the Investment Climate and Lobbying team. This team is working to transition the local economy into one that contributes to a healthier world by strengthening the regional knowledge and innovation ecosystem. The team works on the development and implementation of various strategic projects and programs at the urban, regional, national, and international levels.

The Business Climate team is also part of the Economy and Employment initiative. You will work closely with the economic area advisors on this team to develop and implement policies related to business locations in the city. This collaboration is essential to the success of the densification initiative.

This is your input

Since you will be working in a political and administrative environment, it is important that you have a good understanding of administrative decision-making processes. You are able to navigate complex environments, bring structure to them, and intuitively identify effective interventions. You do not shy away from speaking up when necessary, even to senior officials. You are skilled at relationship management.

You will also need to bring:

• At least a college-level standard of work and thinking
• At least 4 years of work experience, preferably in a (semi)public organization or a consulting firm
• Experience and an interest in real estate and industrial park development
• Knowledge of financial management, business cases, risk management, and project management

Here's what we offer you

You’ll have the opportunity to put your experience as a consultant to work for the fastest-growing region in the Netherlands. With concrete challenges ahead, you can make a real impact on Utrecht’s economy. To inspire you, you’ll be working in a dynamic, focused environment. Our 21-story city hall is located in the heart of a city that is rapidly developing. Working at an external location (e.g., the OMU) is encouraged. 

Of course, this comes with a competitive salary. Below you will find our offer; please also click on the link provided for more information on the other terms and conditions of employment.

• A 32- to 36-hour workweek with a gross monthly salary ranging from €3,701 to €6,103 based on a 36-hour workweek (pay grades 11 and 12). The exact amount will be determined based on your knowledge and experience
• A one-year temporary employment contract, which we would be happy to convert to a permanent position if your performance is satisfactory
• An Individual Choice Budget (ICB). The ICB allows you to tailor your employment conditions to your own circumstances. For example, you could use it to purchase additional leave hours. The amount of the Individual Choice Budget (ICB) is 17.05% of your salary
• At the City of Utrecht, we operate on a hybrid model. This means you’ll have the option to work from home. Of course, we’d love to see you in the office from time to time
• For an overview of all other employment benefits, such as travel allowance, please clickhere

This is good to know

Are you interested in working as a consultant on the intensification of business parks for the City of Utrecht? Apply now. There is no application deadline for this position. As soon as we’re impressed by your application, we’ll invite you for an interview.

If you have any questions about the job opening, please contact Jacqueline van der Schagt (Manager of Housing & Economy) at 06 - 39 88 46 64. If you have questions about the application process, please contactAxel Overmeen, corporate recruiter, at 06 – 28 82 65 20. If you can’t get through, please send a text message.

The City of Utrecht is an inclusive organization that welcomes everyone and harnesses the power of its workforce’s diversity to achieve better results for the city. Talent as our foundation, diversity as our strength. You are most welcome!