Corporate Transformation Lead (all genders)

The Fraunhofer Society is one of the world's leading organisations for application-oriented research. 75 institutes develop groundbreaking technologies for our economy and society – more precisely: 32 000 people from technology, science, administration and IT. You know, who comes to Fraunhofer wants and can change something. For yourself, for us and the markets of today and tomorrow. In the innovation process, the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft plays a central role – with research focus on key technologies relevant to the future and the transfer of research results to the industry to strengthen the German and European business location and to the welfare of our society. The decisive factor for the impact of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft is the consistent market orientation of the research work, which derives from its mission, reflected itself in the so-called ''Fraunhofer-Modell'' and is the key to the continued success of Fraunhofer innovations in the market. The ''Fraunhofer-Modell'' is a unique feature in the differentiated German scientific system, as the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft receives a maximum of one third of its budget from institutional support (basic funding from the federal and state governments). At least two-thirds of the research volume, Fraunhofer is competing, with orders from the free economy and with contracting authorities. It is a goal to establish a balance between economic and public revenues. In order to accompany the institutes as closely as possible on a future-proof basis, the Management Board of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft has set up a series of processes for the strategic crisis prevention and reaction and decided to implement an accompanying three-year transformation project »Transform FhG«. The latter pursues the goal of accompanying the consolidation of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft in the Fraunhofer model from an overall organizational perspective. Specifically, targets, guidelines, framework conditions, instruments and initiatives are being developed in different subprojects that help institutions to increase their income, reduce costs and increase efficiency. As a result, ''Transform FhG'' is of outstanding strategic importance for the future-oriented establishment of the entire Fraunhofer Society. The project is the responsibility of the president of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft and is closely accompanied by the overall board. A close link between the Fraunhofer-wide activities and the institute-specific activities is essential for the success of »Transform FhG«. An essential part of the project structure is therefore the establishment of a “corporate transformation-lead role”, which deliberately holds together all the action strands of the “Transform FhG” project at the Fraunhofer level and is responsible for the successful implementation of the transformation project.

In an innovative working environment with dynamic performance culture, you are responsible for the overall strategic project management of the Fraunhofer-wide project ''Transform FhG'' in the Management Board area ''Company Strategy and Communication'' (Department of the President). You are the first respondent for »Transform FhG« and report directly to the president. Together with the President, you regularly report to the overall board about the project stand. Responsible for strategic project management ensure that the objectives of all subprojects are in line with the overall project goal. In case of deviations, you are responsible for giving strategic correction impulses to the process managers of the individual activities and, if necessary, forward them to the President if these impulses are not taken up. You define goals and outcome for all relevant subprojects in close coordination with the President and the General Board. You coordinate, monitor and control the subproject lines – both to increase revenue and to reduce costs and to increase efficiency. At the central interfaces, you act between the activities at the Fraunhofer level, the institute-specific and flanking activities and the internal and external stakeholder management.

For this responsible management task, we expect a completed scientific university study and many years of professional experience in industry or in research and innovation management. In addition, you have well-founded knowledge and multiannual experience as a manager. You bring comprehensive experience in the project management of major projects and have already carried leadership and budget management in a larger organization, e.g. as a line manager*in - ideally in C level management. You have practice in transformation and restructuring projects and can convince with their implementation strength, analytical and conceptual capabilities as well as their pronounced sense of responsibility in stakeholder management as well as in the management of topics in the critical environment. Thinking and shaping entrepreneurially, you act independently, targeted and with the necessary degree of persuasion and enforcement. As a manager, you are characterized by a cooperative leadership style, high interdisciplinary control competencies, communication and argumentation strength and routine in solving target conflicts. You bring the willingness to (multi-day) missions. You have a very good expressiveness in word and writing – both in German and in English.

You work in a modern and attractive working environment with challenging tasks. You can enjoy high degrees of freedom when designing your comprehensive responsibility area. We support your professional and personal development, including through an extremely wide range of tasks and the diverse possibilities of professional exchange within the Fraunhofer community as well as with other institutions and institutions from research, business and politics. .