Manager, Secondary Markets (Operations)

Avantium is an innovation-driven pioneer in the emerging industry of renewable and sustainable chemistry. We offer unique technological solutions to reduce plastic waste, new chemical processes for the bio-based economy and R&D equipment and services to accelerate the development of new catalytic processes. Most of the materials and chemicals used in modern daily life – such as plastics, packaging, furniture and clothing – are based on fossil resources like oil, gas and coal. Changing this paradigm is an ambitious goal but also a promise for a better future. This is why we at Avantium work on developing practical solutions to accelerate the transition to a fossil-free world. We do this by focusing on innovative plant-based chemicals and materials as well as aiming to convert carbon dioxide (CO2) to a valuable resource for sustainable products. Avantium’s Volta Technology is a platform technology that uses electrochemistry to convert CO2 to high value chemical building blocks and polymers. Avantium intends to spin out Volta Technology into a new business entity, in which Avantium will remain a shareholder. This position will form part of the new Volta Technology company and not of Avantium N.V. We are looking for an Application Development Manager who will be responsible for the application development of our Volta products, with a focus on PLGA, a CO2 based polymer with exceptional technical performance that will be applied in the packaging industry. The Application Development Manager will report to the Chief Product Officer. Responsibilities The key objective of the Application Development Manager is to manage application development programs that support the develop, scale-up and commercialization of the Volta Technology. To achieve this, you will: * Collaborate with customers and internal and external R&D laboratories * Maintain and grow a network of partner labs and manage outsourced projects for application & product development * Serve as technical interface between the customer and our Business Development during sample validation phase, and oversee and attend trials at customers * Develop application development reports/ brochures ensuring scientific excellence and clarity, with an emphasis on translating the implications to business purposes. * Maintain a knowledge base of competitive position industrial practices & standards for PLGA in the target application areas, thereby developing the (technical part of the) customer business case with Business Development in all markets of interest. * Conceptualize and initiate product development projects with (external) partners based on customer needs and feedback * Be responsible for activities related to all technical product compliance, statements, and registrations (regulatory affairs) together with the support from regulatory and business development colleagues. * Support the business unit in grant applications and execution of awarded projects. * Represent Avantium at conferences: build relationships with external contacts and lead generation: scout opportunities for meaningful partnerships from an application development perspective. What do you bring? You have: * Bachelors, Master’s or PhD degree in chemistry/polymer/engineering, or in general (applied) - science * At least 5 years of relevant work experience * Experience in application development or technical sales in polymer film/sheet extrusion, paper coating, plastic packaging development or similar * Experience with biobased polymers is highly preferred * The ability to communicate clearly, transferring complex information both verbally and in writing to a broad range of internal and external stakeholders * The ability to analyse and summarize complex technical data into overviews and actionable insights to diverse stakeholders * The ability and eagerness to initiate, develop and maintain relationships with prospects, partners, industry groups and associations * Languages: Fluent in English, being able to speak more languages is desirable * You are willing to travel up to 30-50% of your time What do we offer? As we are a small company, we also offer you a unique chance to learn a lot about many fields, not only science, but also business and management, leading people and operations, market strategies, quality and last but not least safety. Learning paths can be steep and we do not offer you predefined career paths and development tracks. You are in the lead of your career, what you bring to the table will be noticed and taking initiative is rewarded and recognized. We have an informal culture, a flat organization and we recognize and celebrate the many cultures that we represent. And on top of that we offer good primary and secondary benefits. Interested? If this description matches your skills or interest, we welcome your application via the link provided. The selection process includes interviews starting from May 1st. Shortlisted candidates will be approached accordingly. To ensure a fair and efficient process, we kindly ask candidates not to contact us directly.

ABOUT US Humaans is building the next generation of infrastructure for the workplace; software designed for companies that are scaling fast, operating globally, and pushing into new boundaries. What started as a system of record has evolved into a broader platform for operating people globally. With Athena, our agentic AI layer, Humaans moves beyond data management into intelligent orchestration, connecting workflows across HR, IT, Finance, and Operations so organisations can act faster and with greater confidence, redefining how work gets done. We work with ambitious teams across Europe and the US, from AI-native companies like Lovable, Poolside, Fyxer AI, and Tandem Health, to established, high-growth organisations scaling internationally and through acquisition, including Quantexa, Sellpy, Manychat, Gigs, Croud, and Threecolts. These teams don’t buy software for features,they buy leverage. The ability to run faster, cleaner, and with more control as complexity compounds. To date, we’ve raised $20m in venture funding from some of the most respected founders, operators, and funds in technology: Lachy Groom (Physical Intelligence), Stewart Butterfield (Slack), Tobias Lütke (Shopify), Dylan Field (Figma), Jeff Weiner (LinkedIn), Claire Johnson (Stripe), Oliver Jay (OpenAI), Jay Simmons (Bond) as well as Y Combinator, Moonfire, Frontline Ventures, Pathlight Ventures, and Exor. If you have massive ambition and want to work on a hard problem, with a small team that moves fast, at a moment when the category is genuinely up for grabs - this is it. GRC AT HUMAANS We're looking for a Security GRC Manager to own the systems, processes, audits, and customer-facing trust work that help Humaans scale into more demanding markets. This is a hands-on ownership role, built around AI. You'll run our security compliance programme throughout the year, not just during audit season. AI is how the work gets done here. It drafts policies, speeds up questionnaire responses, and keeps evidence current. You already use these tools daily and know how to get real leverage from them. You'll own the operating rhythm for frameworks like ISO 27001, SOC 1, SOC 2, HIPAA and future standards that matter to our customers. You'll keep evidence organised, controls running, policies up to date, vendors reviewed, risks visible, and audits moving smoothly. Own the commercial trust layer. Security questionnaires, enterprise diligence, vendor reviews; fast, accurate, reusable. You'll be in the room with enterprise buyers; on calls, in reviews and procurement threads, ensuring security won't be the reason a deal slows down. This role sits at the intersection of Security, Legal, Product, Engineering, Revenue, and Operations. You don't need to be the person configuring every system yourself, but you do need to understand how modern SaaS companies operate, ask sharp questions, drive action across teams, and keep the bar high. Humaans has a trust function that helps us win. In this role, you'll ensure evidence is stronger, controls are cleaner, questionnaire turnaround is faster, ownership is clear. Security compliance is a commercial asset and enabler to growth. FOCUS / OWNERSHIP * Own Humaans' security compliance programme end-to-end, including ISO, SOC 1, SOC 2, HIPAA and future frameworks we choose to pursue. * Run audit cycles throughout the year, coordinating with external auditors, internal control owners, Engineering, People, Legal, Finance and Operations. * Maintain the controls, evidence, policies, risk register, access reviews, vendor reviews, business continuity processes, and incident response documentation that support our certifications and customer commitments. AI drafts and updates these artefacts and keeps evidence current year-round, not only at audit time. * Lead customer-facing trust work, including sales calls, security reviews, procurement processes, vendor questionnaires, RFPs, DPAs, subprocessors, data protection questions, and enterprise diligence. * Build AI-assisted systems for answering repeated security questions quickly and accurately. The answer bank drafts responses. Trust collateral stays current. A review process holds quality as volume scales. * Partner with Product and Engineering to translate compliance requirements into practical operational controls without slowing the company down unnecessarily. * Help the company make clear, risk-based decisions, escalating when something matters and cutting through noise when it doesn't. * Raise the maturity of how Humaans thinks about security, privacy, risk, and customer trust as we move upmarket. REQUIREMENTS * 4+ years of experience in security compliance, GRC, trust, audit, information security, privacy operations, or a closely related role. * Hands-on experience running or supporting audits across SOC 2, ISO 27001, SOC 1, HIPAA, GDPR, or similar frameworks. * AI is already part of how you work. You can point to what you built and what it changed; drafting policies, accelerating questionnaire responses, reviewing vendor documentation. * Direct experience supporting enterprise sales, procurement, RFPs, or security reviews. You can lead sales calls, answer security questions clearly, and give buyers confidence. * Strong written communicator. Crisp policies, questionnaire responses, audit narratives, internal guidance that people actually read. * Deep understanding of how modern B2B SaaS companies operate; cloud infrastructure, access management, vendor management, product development, customer data and enterprise sales. * Organised and detail-oriented. Evidence, control owners, audit timelines and customer commitments. * You know the difference between meaningful risk reduction and compliance theatre. * Able to work across teams and hold a high bar without becoming a blocker. * Energised by a high-growth, high-ownership environment where the playbook is still being written. * Built or owned a trust centre, customer-facing security portal, or security questionnaire answer library. This is an in-person role. Our team comes together in the office Monday through Thursday, while most of the team collaborates in person on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays. PACKAGE & BENEFITS Early stage startups can be messy – we know that. We're putting effort in providing you with the best employee experience and a quality driven environment in exchange for trusting us. * Market-leading compensation that reflects your value * 25 days paid time off each year plus public holidays * Share Options with 5-year exercise window so you don’t feel pressure to exercise if you leave * Free Thursday lunches at HQ, quarterly team events, and company offsites. * Top tier private coverage for health, vision and dental care * A new MacBook and tools you need to do your best work * Enhanced parental leave with up to 16 weeks for primary and 4 weeks for secondary * Learning & development budget WHY JOIN HUMAANS TODAY? HR tech is having its AI moment and we’re positioned to own it. Humaans started as a next-gen HRIS taking on large incumbents in a massive market. We’ve since evolved into something even bigger: an AI platform that sits across workforce data and automates the operational layer of HR entirely; the natural progression of what we’ve been building toward. The product is highly differentiated. It’s built around a structured workforce data model that makes AI reliable in an HR context, something no one else has gotten right. Customers notice the difference immediately. We’re backed by Y Combinator, Lachy Groom, Moonfire, Frontline Ventures, and operators who’ve built some of the most consequential software companies of the last decade: the founders of Slack, Figma, and Shopify, and Asana’s former CRO and Head of OpenAI International. We’re a small team with an unapologetically high bar. It shows up in the product, in how we communicate, and in the standards we hold each other to. OUR COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY At Humaans we’re looking for genuinely good people that are transparent and emphatic. We’re committed to providing equal opportunities, a diverse and inclusive work environment, and ensuring a fair interview process for everyone. You’re welcome to apply no matter your gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religion, civil or family status, age, disability, or race. PRIVACY NOTICE We care about your privacy. When you apply for a role at Humaans, we’ll collect and process your personal data as part of our recruitment process. This includes things like your CV, contact details, and any other information you choose to share. We may also contact you about future opportunities. You can ask us to delete your data at any time. For more details, see our Privacy Policy.